German A1 Syllabus: What You Learn and How Long It Takes
The complete A1 German syllabus explained — grammar, vocabulary, the four exam modules and a realistic timeline for learners in Kerala.
By German Cafe Academy · · 1 min read
What A1 covers
A1 builds the core you will use at every later level:
- Pronunciation and the alphabet, including umlauts (ä, ö, ü) and ß
- Present tense, sein and haben, regular and common irregular verbs
- Articles (der, die, das) in nominative and accusative
- Questions, basic word order, modal verbs, an introduction to the perfect tense
- Around 650–800 everyday words: family, food, home, time, work, city
The A1 exam modules
The Goethe-Zertifikat A1 (Start Deutsch 1) tests Hören (listening), Lesen (reading), Schreiben (writing) and Sprechen (speaking). Speaking includes introducing yourself and simple question-and-request tasks with other candidates.
How long does A1 take?
At GCA, the classroom A1 runs 3.5 hours a day for 30 working days, and online A1 runs 1 hour a day for 35 working days. Regular revision at home makes a significant difference to exam results.

