Surviving the Sproochentest: A Guide for Future Luxembourgish Speakers
If you’ve decided to dive into the wonderful world of Luxembourgish, chances are you’re aiming to become a Luxembourgish citizen. In this case, one of the crucial steps you’ll have to take is: the Sproochentest.
What Exactly is the Sproochentest?
To put it simply, the Sproochentest is Luxembourg’s official language exam. The exam is carried out by (and needs to be scheduled at) the Institut National des Langues (INL) Luxembourg. Passing it is one of the requirements for obtaining Luxembourgish citizenship.
So let’s break it down and get you ready to ace the exam (preferably with ease).
The exam consists of two parts: Speaking and Listening comprehension, both aimed at checking if you can understand and respond to everyday Luxembourgish. Unlike the majority of other language exams, the Sproochentest does not have a written part.
For the Speaking part the required level of proficiency is A2.
You should be able to introduce yourself and speak about your family, other people, living conditions, education and occupation and describe and compare people, things and activities in simple terms.
This part of the exam lasts for ten minutes and is divided into two sections:
1.1. Interview with the examiner. At the beginning of the test, the examiner will offer you to choose 2 topics from a list. The possible topics include: work, leisure & hobbies, sports, travelling, household chores, healthy living, transportation, education, reading, media & technology.
After that, they will start the recording and set a timer to 5 minutes, so that you can start speaking on the topic. The examiner will be asking you questions on the topic as you speak. They won’t expect you to recite Luxembourgish poetry by heart or know the historical origins of every word. The focus will be on everyday topics and a few facts about Luxembourg.
1.2. Description of an image. The examiner will give you 3 images (either photographs or drawings) to choose from, you will need to select one of them and speak about what you see in the image for 5 minutes.
The trick here is to know the correct use of the dative case answering the question "Where?". For example, on the table, by the bed, near the wall, across the road, and so on. This case involves the use of various prepositions and articles that you should be relatively comfortable using.
For the Listening comprehension part of the exam the level of proficiency required is B1.
The test is done on a tablet; you will be asked to listen to three separate recordings and answer multiple choice questions after. The recordings include: a news item, a dialog, a presentation or a longer conversation (interview).
Each of the three recordings is followed by 3 to 7 multiple choice questions, each offering 2 to 3 answer choices. Both the recordings and the questions are repeated twice, ensuring ample time for you to understand them and respond effectively.
This part of the exam lasts from 25 to 35 minutes.
What Happens Next?
After the test, you’ll get your results in about 4 to 6 weeks by post.
To pass the exam, you need to score at least fifty points out of the possible hundred across both tests. The Speaking part is considered more important than the Listening comprehension. The evaluation criteria of this part of the exam include, range of vocabulary, your fluency, clarity, use of grammatical structures, coherence, ability to be understood and interact with the examiner.
Scoring over 50 points in Speaking almost guarantees passing the exam. A mark of less than half the points in the Speaking part can be compensated with the mark obtained in the Listening comprehension. That is, if you only score, say, 40 points in Speaking, then you’ll need to score the full 60 points in Listening. Otherwise, the exam will be considered failed.
If you passed, congratulations! You’re officially on your way to citizenship and can now proudly say Moien with confidence.
If not, you can always make another appointment and retake the test: https://www.inll.lu/en/sproochentest-en/
Wrapping It Up
Learning Luxembourgish is a fantastic step toward feeling at home in Luxembourg. The Sproochentest is just one part of the journey, and passing it will feel amazing. So, roll up your sleeves, embrace the quirks of this unique language, and get ready to say Jo to Luxembourgish!
Good luck, future Luxembourgish speaker—you’ve got this!
What Exactly is the Sproochentest?
To put it simply, the Sproochentest is Luxembourg’s official language exam. The exam is carried out by (and needs to be scheduled at) the Institut National des Langues (INL) Luxembourg. Passing it is one of the requirements for obtaining Luxembourgish citizenship.
So let’s break it down and get you ready to ace the exam (preferably with ease).
The exam consists of two parts: Speaking and Listening comprehension, both aimed at checking if you can understand and respond to everyday Luxembourgish. Unlike the majority of other language exams, the Sproochentest does not have a written part.
For the Speaking part the required level of proficiency is A2.
You should be able to introduce yourself and speak about your family, other people, living conditions, education and occupation and describe and compare people, things and activities in simple terms.
This part of the exam lasts for ten minutes and is divided into two sections:
1.1. Interview with the examiner. At the beginning of the test, the examiner will offer you to choose 2 topics from a list. The possible topics include: work, leisure & hobbies, sports, travelling, household chores, healthy living, transportation, education, reading, media & technology.
After that, they will start the recording and set a timer to 5 minutes, so that you can start speaking on the topic. The examiner will be asking you questions on the topic as you speak. They won’t expect you to recite Luxembourgish poetry by heart or know the historical origins of every word. The focus will be on everyday topics and a few facts about Luxembourg.
1.2. Description of an image. The examiner will give you 3 images (either photographs or drawings) to choose from, you will need to select one of them and speak about what you see in the image for 5 minutes.
The trick here is to know the correct use of the dative case answering the question "Where?". For example, on the table, by the bed, near the wall, across the road, and so on. This case involves the use of various prepositions and articles that you should be relatively comfortable using.
For the Listening comprehension part of the exam the level of proficiency required is B1.
The test is done on a tablet; you will be asked to listen to three separate recordings and answer multiple choice questions after. The recordings include: a news item, a dialog, a presentation or a longer conversation (interview).
Each of the three recordings is followed by 3 to 7 multiple choice questions, each offering 2 to 3 answer choices. Both the recordings and the questions are repeated twice, ensuring ample time for you to understand them and respond effectively.
This part of the exam lasts from 25 to 35 minutes.
What Happens Next?
After the test, you’ll get your results in about 4 to 6 weeks by post.
To pass the exam, you need to score at least fifty points out of the possible hundred across both tests. The Speaking part is considered more important than the Listening comprehension. The evaluation criteria of this part of the exam include, range of vocabulary, your fluency, clarity, use of grammatical structures, coherence, ability to be understood and interact with the examiner.
Scoring over 50 points in Speaking almost guarantees passing the exam. A mark of less than half the points in the Speaking part can be compensated with the mark obtained in the Listening comprehension. That is, if you only score, say, 40 points in Speaking, then you’ll need to score the full 60 points in Listening. Otherwise, the exam will be considered failed.
If you passed, congratulations! You’re officially on your way to citizenship and can now proudly say Moien with confidence.
If not, you can always make another appointment and retake the test: https://www.inll.lu/en/sproochentest-en/
Wrapping It Up
Learning Luxembourgish is a fantastic step toward feeling at home in Luxembourg. The Sproochentest is just one part of the journey, and passing it will feel amazing. So, roll up your sleeves, embrace the quirks of this unique language, and get ready to say Jo to Luxembourgish!
Good luck, future Luxembourgish speaker—you’ve got this!
Especially with the help of our Sproochentest preparation courses designed to get you ready to ace the exam!