Inburgeringsexamen · Lezen
Lezen: reading, explained in plain English
Lezen tests whether you can understand written Dutch in everyday, practical situations, not literature or the news. It is a computer-based, multiple-choice exam taken at an official exam location.
What this part actually tests
You read short, real-life Dutch texts and answer multiple-choice questions about them: a letter from your gemeente, a notice on a bulletin board, a text message from a colleague, a simple instruction leaflet, a short news item. The goal is practical understanding, not literary analysis: can you tell what the text wants you to do, or what it is telling you?
Example style, not a real exam question
"Beste bewoner, Op maandag 14 september wordt het water in uw straat tussen 09:00 en 15:00 uur afgesloten voor onderhoud. Wij adviseren u van tevoren water te bewaren."
Question: Why is the water being turned off?
Answer: For maintenance work (onderhoud), between 9:00 and 15:00 on Monday 14 September. This is the kind of everyday, practical text Lezen actually uses: a notice you might really receive from your street or building.
Tips that actually help
- Read the question before the text. You will scan for the answer instead of reading everything word by word.
- Do not translate every word. You need the gist, not a perfect translation. Guess unfamiliar words from context first.
- Practice with real Dutch documents you already receive: payslips, gemeente letters, appointment cards. They are more useful than textbook texts.
- Get the grammar and vocabulary foundation solid first. Reading comprehension is much easier once the basics from our A1 and A2 courses are in place.
Build the vocabulary Lezen depends on
Our A1 and A2 courses build the grammar and everyday vocabulary that make texts like the one above easy to understand.
Lezen practice pack
16 exam-style texts and 60 questions, at real A2 level. Every answer has an explanation in plain English saying why it is right and why the tempting wrong option is wrong. 17 pages, PDF.
€ 4.99
One payment, lifetime access. Or take all four in the Complete Bundle for € 15.99.