Inburgering exam · Reading
Inburgering reading exam: what it asks and how to practise
The Lezen exam at A2 and B1: the format, the time, what the questions ask and the mistakes to avoid. Then a way to practise with the kinds of Dutch text you really meet.
- Explanations in English, Persian, Turkish or Arabic
- Short lessons for about 15 minutes a day
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From “where do I start?” to a clear next step. A short introduction to the practice, the feedback and the plan.
Try a reading question
An example in the style of the A2 exam, not a real exam question. Read the letter, then choose the answer.
Beste mevrouw Aydin, uw afspraak bij Burgerzaken van donderdag 12 november gaat niet door. U kunt komen op donderdag 19 november om 10.15 uur. Neem uw paspoort en uw huurcontract mee. Kunt u niet komen? Bel ons dan één dag van tevoren. Met vriendelijke groet, Afdeling Burgerzaken
The reading exam at a glance
The reading exam (Lezen) checks whether you can read Dutch texts and answer questions about them. At A2 you read on a computer screen. At B1 you work through six texts with multiple-choice questions.
- How you answer
- A2 (DUO)On a computer, texts on screen
- B1 (state exam NT2)On a computer: texts in a paper booklet, questions on screen
- Time
- A2 (DUO)Up to 65 minutes
- B1 (state exam NT2)110 minutes
- What you get
- A2 (DUO)Texts with questions about them. The number of questions is not published.
- B1 (state exam NT2)6 texts and 35 or 36 multiple-choice questions. One paper dictionary is allowed.
- How it is marked
- A2 (DUO)By computer. No pass mark is published. The result comes by letter and in Mijn Inburgering.
- B1 (state exam NT2)A scale score of 500 or more passes the part.
Checked against the official sources on October 6, 2026. Rules change: your own letter from DUO or your gemeente decides.
What reading questions often ask of you
- Finding one detail in a text: a day, a time, a place, an amount or a name.
- Understanding what a text wants from you: bring a document, reply, pay, call or wait.
- Understanding the main point: who wrote the text, to whom, and why.
- Keeping to the clock. At B1 that means six texts in 110 minutes, with a paper dictionary for the words that block you.
Common reading mistakes
Reading every word before the question
Read the question first, then look for that part of the text. You do not need to understand every word to find the answer.
Choosing an answer because the words match
Wrong options often reuse words from the text. Check the meaning: a date that was cancelled can look like the right answer, as in the sample below.
Missing the small words
Niet, geen, maar and alleen can turn an answer around. Notice them before you choose.
Spending too long on one text
At B1 you have six texts in 110 minutes. Look up only the words that block you, and if a question is stuck, leave it and come back to it later.
How inburgeringcoach trains reading
Reading lessons use the kinds of text the exam uses: letters, forms, notices, e-mails and timetables. Explanations come in your language; the Dutch stays Dutch.
Real texts from everyday situations
Units are built around the doctor, the gemeente, work, housing, school and shopping. You read what you would really receive there, and learn the words that carry the meaning.
Learn it, try it, see it again
Each short lesson teaches one useful thing, asks a question about it straight away and brings it back later. Words you miss become cards that come back over the following days.
Timed practice exams, with a report
Sit a reading practice exam in the format of A2 or B1, against the clock. The report shows what you got right and where to look again. It never predicts a pass.
Explanation
With omdat (because) you give a reason. The verb comes at the end of that part here, as in omdat mijn werk in Zwolle is (because my work is in Zwolle).
A plan for the weeks before
- 1
Read a little Dutch every day
About 15 minutes a day is the design point, and 10 still works. Read one short real text, such as a letter, a school notice or a bus timetable, and answer the question before you check.
- 2
Practise with a clock
At B1 you have 110 minutes for six texts, so practise that pace. At A2, get used to reading on a screen, because the A2 reading exam is taken on a computer.
- 3
Use the official practice exams
DUO publishes free practice exams (opens in a new tab) for A2 reading, and the state exam has a free online practice environment for B1. Do at least one, so the screen and the question types are familiar.
Reading exam: your questions answered
How long is the inburgering reading exam?
At A2 it takes up to 65 minutes, on a computer. At B1 it takes 110 minutes, with six texts and 35 or 36 multiple-choice questions. Before each A2 language exam there are fifteen minutes of explanation, which are not exam time.
Can I use a dictionary in the reading exam?
At B1 you may use one paper dictionary, the Van Dale Pocketwoordenboek NT2, for reading and writing only, and all digital devices must be off and in a locker. At A2 no aid is allowed unless the assignment expressly permits it.
Do I take reading at A2 or at B1?
As for every language exam, it depends on your law and route: B1 is the standard if your duty to integrate began on or after 1 January 2022, and A2 under the older law. A2 or B1: which exam is yours explains how to check. For reading the gap is large: up to 65 minutes on screen at A2, against six texts and 35 or 36 questions in 110 minutes at B1.
Is there a pass mark for reading?
At B1 you pass reading with a scale score of 500 or more, the same line as every B1 part. At A2 no pass mark is published, because the Minister sets it. At B1 you have about three minutes per question, so leave a question that is stuck and come back to it.
Can I practise reading if I am a beginner?
Yes. The course starts from zero and builds up to A2 and B1. The first reading lessons use short, simple texts, with the explanation in English, Persian, Turkish or Arabic.
More about the inburgering exam
- The inburgering exam, explained in plain EnglishThe inburgeringsexamen is not one test. Here is which exam is yours, what the five parts ask, what they cost, how to book and when results arrive. We are independent of DUO.
- Inburgering exam · KNMThe exam on life in the Netherlands: eight themes, up to 45 minutes, and practice that fits your day.
- Inburgering exam · ListeningListening at A2 and B1: audio, video and time. At B1 each clip plays once. See how to practise.
- Inburgering exam · WritingA2 on paper, B1 typed: what the writing exam contains, how it is marked and how to practise it.
- Inburgering exam · SpeakingOn a computer at A2 and B1: how speaking is marked and how to practise out loud with Bram, an AI tutor.
inburgeringcoach is an independent course. It is not part of DUO, IND, CvTE or any gemeente, and preparing with it is not a guarantee of passing.
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