Exam · Luisteren
Listening
25 multiple-choice questions in 45 minutes, audio played once. Passing means recognizing the traps, not understanding every word.
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What to expect
Exam format
| Questions | 25 multiple choice (3 options each) |
|---|---|
| Time | 45 minutes |
| Format | Digital, on computer with headphones |
| Audio | Played once only — no replay |
| Prep time | ~25 seconds to read the question before audio starts |
| Pass mark | ~19 out of 25 (76%) |
| Wrong guess | No penalty — always answer, never skip |
Core strategy
The golden rules
- Use the 25 seconds. Read the question and all 3 answer options before the audio starts.
- Listen for the main message, not every single word.
- When corrected, the LAST answer is right — watch for "eigenlijk", "nee, wacht".
- Always answer. Guessing gives a 33% chance; skipping gives 0%.
- Don't dwell. If you missed it, pick your best guess and move on — the next question's 25 seconds are already running.
Five traps to know before you hear them
1. Distractor answers
The first thing mentioned is often wrong — it's said to distract you.
"De trein vertrekt om 9 uur… nee, wacht, om 9:15."
✗ Wrong answer: 9:00 — ✓ Correct answer: 9:15
✗ Wrong answer: 9:00 — ✓ Correct answer: 9:15
2. Number self-correction
They say one number, then correct themselves. The corrected number is the one to write down.
"Het kost twintig euro… of eigenlijk vijfentwintig euro."
✗ Wrong answer: €20 — ✓ Correct answer: €25
✗ Wrong answer: €20 — ✓ Correct answer: €25
Watch for these signals:
- nee, wacht… (no, wait…)
- eigenlijk… (actually…)
- oh sorry… (oh sorry…)
- ik bedoel… (I mean…)
3. Negation words
A single word can flip the entire meaning of a sentence.
| Dutch | English | |
|---|---|---|
| niet | not | |
| geen | no / none | |
| nooit | never | |
| niemand | nobody | |
| nergens | nowhere | |
| nog niet | not yet |
"Is de winkel open?" "Nee, vandaag niet."
4. "Maar" (but) contrast
Whatever comes after "maar" is usually the real answer — the part before it is the setup.
"Ik wilde komen, maar ik moet werken."
The person is NOT coming.
The person is NOT coming.
5. Tone shifts
The speaker changes their mind or adds a condition partway through.
- maar eigenlijk… (but actually…)
- nou ja… (well…)
- toch… (still / yet…)
- misschien… (maybe…)
What surprises people:
• Audio plays only once — unlike some other language exams
• Background noise is realistic (traffic, other people talking)
• Speakers hesitate and self-correct on purpose — that's the trap
• Wrong options often contain words you did hear — the correct answer requires understanding the meaning
• Audio plays only once — unlike some other language exams
• Background noise is realistic (traffic, other people talking)
• Speakers hesitate and self-correct on purpose — that's the trap
• Wrong options often contain words you did hear — the correct answer requires understanding the meaning
Reference material
Scenarios by exam frequency
Most listening questions are built around one of these seven situations. Know the vocabulary before exam day.
Shopping / Supermarket Very High
Listen for: prices, offers, opening/closing times, locations in store.
| Dutch | English | |
|---|---|---|
| Dat is [prijs] euro. | That is [price] euros. | |
| Nu in de aanbieding | Now on offer | |
| Wij sluiten over… | We close in… | |
| U vindt dit bij… | You can find this at… |
Doctor / Health Very High
Listen for: symptoms, instructions, medication, appointment times.
| Dutch | English | |
|---|---|---|
| Wat zijn uw klachten? | What are your complaints? | |
| U moet dit medicijn innemen. | You must take this medicine. | |
| De huisarts kan u zien om… | The GP can see you at… | |
| U moet rust nemen. | You must rest. |
Public Transport Very High
Listen for: platform (spoor), delays (vertraging), destinations, changes.
| Dutch | English | |
|---|---|---|
| De trein naar… | The train to… | |
| Vertrekt van spoor… | Departs from platform… | |
| Let op: vertraging | Attention: delay | |
| De trein rijdt niet | The train is not running |
Work / Employer Very High
Listen for: instructions, schedules, rules, tasks.
| Dutch | English | |
|---|---|---|
| Je moet vandaag… | You must today… | |
| Je werkt van… tot… | You work from… to… | |
| Vergeet niet om… | Don't forget to… | |
| De pauze is om… | The break is at… |
Voicemail / Phone Calls High
Listen for: who is calling, the reason, callback number, times.
| Dutch | English | |
|---|---|---|
| U spreekt met… | You're speaking with… | |
| Ik bel over… | I'm calling about… | |
| Kunt u terugbellen? | Can you call back? | |
| Mijn nummer is… | My number is… |
Weather Reports High
Listen for: temperature, rain/sun, wind, days of the week.
| Dutch | English | |
|---|---|---|
| Het wordt… graden. | It will be… degrees. | |
| Er is kans op regen. | There is a chance of rain. | |
| De zon schijnt. | The sun is shining. | |
| Het waait hard. | It is very windy. |
Directions High
Listen for: left/right/straight, street names, landmarks.
| Dutch | English | |
|---|---|---|
| U moet rechtdoor. | You must go straight. | |
| De eerste straat links. | The first street left. | |
| Het is aan de rechterkant. | It's on the right side. | |
| Bij de stoplichten… | At the traffic lights… |
Numbers (11–1000)
| Number | Dutch | Number | Dutch | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | elf | 60 | zestig | ||
| 12 | twaalf | 70 | zeventig | ||
| 13 | dertien | 80 | tachtig | ||
| 14 | veertien | 90 | negentig | ||
| 15 | vijftien | 100 | honderd | ||
| 20 | twintig | 150 | honderdvijftig | ||
| 30 | dertig | 200 | tweehonderd | ||
| 40 | veertig | 1000 | duizend | ||
| 50 | vijftig |
Tricky pattern: Dutch numbers say units before tens.
• 23 = drieëntwintig (three-and-twenty)
• 45 = vijfenveertig (five-and-forty)
• 23 = drieëntwintig (three-and-twenty)
• 45 = vijfenveertig (five-and-forty)
Time
| Time | Dutch | |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 | negen uur | |
| 9:15 | kwart over negen | |
| 9:30 | half tien (!) | |
| 9:45 | kwart voor tien | |
| 10:00 | tien uur |
Warning: "Half tien" = 9:30, NOT 10:30!
Dutch "half [hour]" means half an hour before that hour.
Dutch "half [hour]" means half an hour before that hour.
Signal words
| Dutch | English | What it signals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| maar | but | Contrast / change | |
| eigenlijk | actually | Correction coming | |
| toch | yet / still | Exception | |
| helaas | unfortunately | Negative news | |
| gelukkig | fortunately | Positive news | |
| eerst… dan | first… then | Sequence | |
| niet… maar | not… but | Correction |
Self-check practice
Practice happens in the Quiz tool
Listening has no standalone practice questions on this page — it's reference material, not a text to comprehend. The traps above are tested directly in the Quiz tool, filtered to Listening, with instant feedback on trap patterns, numbers, and time. Use the speaker buttons above to hear every example at slow, normal, and exam speed before you go.
Quick review
Last-minute scan
5 traps
- Distractors — the first number/time is often wrong
- Self-correction — "eigenlijk", "nee wacht" → last value wins
- Negation — niet, geen, nooit, niemand, nergens flip the meaning
- "Maar" — the real answer follows "but"
- Tone shifts — "toch", "misschien", "nou ja" signal a change of plan
Highest-frequency scenarios
- Very High Shopping, Doctor, Transport, Work
- High Voicemail, Weather, Directions
Also remember
- "half tien" = 9:30, not 10:30
- Numbers say units before tens (drieëntwintig = 23)
- Audio plays once — always answer, never skip