How do I prepare for the Staatsexamen NT2 Programma I listening exam (Luisteren)?
The NT2 Programma I listening exam (Luisteren) uses everyday Dutch at the B1 level, about work, study and daily life. Every fragment plays only once, so you cannot listen again.
The best free way to get ready is to listen to a lot of real Dutch at the B1 level. There is a free pack of 99 B1 videos below, at a speaking speed close to the test.
Advice from an expert teacher
Dutch teacher and speaking coach since 2013 · Founder of the Dutch Speaking Academy
The listening advice on this page comes from Mariska van der Meij, a Dutch teacher and speaking coach since 2013. She founded the Dutch Speaking Academy near Amsterdam, where she helps internationals who understand a lot of Dutch but still switch to English the moment somebody speaks to them. More than 1,000 students have worked with her.
From a Dutch teacher
How should I prepare for the NT2 Programma I listening test?
First, know what is coming. Luisteren takes 90 minutes and asks about 40 questions on 5 or more listening texts. Each question gives you 3 or 4 answers, and only one of them is right. You get about 25 seconds to read a question before its fragment starts, and 1 to 3 of the fragments are short video clips. And every fragment plays only once. Goethe and DELF replay some parts, but this exam never does, so you have to catch it the first time.
So before you sign up for the exam, take some time to do a practice exam. The official ones are free and you can do them at home on your own computer. That gives you a clear idea of the level, and it helps you check whether you are ready for it.
Practise at exam speed, not at podcast speed
The listening in the exam goes quite fast. It helps to practise a lot with the practice exams and with real video, and to move away from podcasts that are spoken slowly on purpose. Those are lovely when you start out, but they will not get your ear ready for the speed of the test.
The people in the fragments talk about work, study and daily life at the speed they would use with anyone else. That is normal Dutch, and it is what you want to spend your practice time on.
Choose videos at your level, with a little challenge
Make sure you practise with videos at your level, but pick ones that push your listening a little. If everything is easy, you are not training anything. If you understand almost nothing, you are only guessing.
And if you can, practise with a Dutch person or a teacher who asks you questions about details from the material you are working with. Having to answer somebody makes you listen much harder than you would on your own.
The 20 second listening drill
Many podcasts and videos come with subtitles or a transcript. Here is how I would use them. Take a short piece, about 20 seconds long, and work through it like this:
Listen once without looking at the text. What did you get? Which details did you understand?
Say out loud what you heard, or let somebody ask you a detailed question about it.
Listen again, still without the text, and see whether your answer changes.
Listen a third time while you read the transcript or the subtitles.
Move on to the next piece and start again.
Do this for 30 minutes at most, and give yourself a break after. It takes a lot of energy to focus this hard, so take good care of yourself and do not overdo it. It is a great way to train your listening and to get used to picking out the information you need.
You can practise this in real life too
You do not need a screen for it. On the train, while you wait for your coffee at your favourite coffee place, or when people around you are talking, listen in the same way. What is this about? What did they decide? It all counts.
Dutch people use a lot of filler words
We say uhm, zeg maar ("like"), weet je wel ("you know"), nou ("well") and hoe zal ik het zeggen ("how should I put this") all the time. They fill the silence while we think, and they carry almost no meaning.
For the exam, focus on getting the answer right. Try to filter those words out and listen for the key words you have just read in the question.
A good week has both things in it. Watch real Dutch at your level on most days so your ear gets used to normal speed, and do a full practice exam now and then so the format holds no surprises on the day. Be patient with yourself, and enjoy it. Succes!
Why this level
Why do people take Staatsexamen NT2 Programma I?
Programma I proves Dutch at the B1 level. People commonly need that for:
Study at mbo level, or work at mbo-3 or mbo-4 level
Naturalisation (Dutch citizenship), where the NT2 diploma at B1 or B2 counts
Integration (inburgering), where the B1-route is the standard route
Do you want to study or work at hbo or university level? That asks for B2, so start with the NT2 Programma II listening page.
Free · 99 videos · 3 hours 53 minutes
Your free NT2 Programma I listening pack
Here are 99 short videos by real native speakers at the B1 level, at a speaking speed close to the exam (around 200 words a minute). They are the Dutch of the Netherlands, the variety the exam uses, not Flemish Dutch. Most of the words are inside the 97% most common spoken Dutch words, so they match the kind of language the test uses. Together they are about 3 hours 53 minutes of listening practice for the Staatsexamen NT2 Programma I. They are all free to watch below.
Play the whole pack in the app
Leven met een kind in een tiny house
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Leven in een tiny house van vijftien vierkante meter
Een dagje Assen: tips voor stad en natuur
Fietsvakantie door Sicilië: Palermo, Erice en Marsala
Weekendje in het champagnegebied met vriendinnen
Waarom Nederland nu zo droog is
Nederlanders verhuizen naar Duitsland voor hun droomhuis
Utrechters beantwoorden 7 persoonlijke vragen op straat
Nieuws in makkelijke taal over opvang, natuurbrand en rookverbod
Tips voor betere balans en veiligheid op de fiets
Tips voor een succesvol sollicitatiegesprek en voorbereiding
Slaaptips voor betere prestaties op school
Drie enge dieren die er echt bestaan
Heimwee naar Schokland en de verdwenen Zuiderzee
Vrouwen delen hun verhaal op de Amsterdamse vrouwenmars
Harrie zet tachtig klokken op tijd voor zomertijd
Joy Beune verslaat Jenning de Boo op de 3000 meter
Máxima-effect: meer vrouwen kiezen voor het leger
Wonen op de Dam in hartje Amsterdam
Hondenzwembad en aquatherapie voor revaliderende viervoeters
De vijf mooiste fietsregio’s van Nederland
Waarom vieze spijkerbroeken ineens een modetrend zijn
Anna opent haar taartenzaak met Turkse baklava-croissant
Elektrische fietsen, accu’s opladen en laadpunten bij horeca
Rondleiding: aan tafel in de grote balzaal
Dagje naar een Pixar tentoonstelling in Brussel
De kern van de Nederlandse cultuur
Wat zit er in mijn Lowlands tas?
Hoe Nederland zijn fietskennis met de wereld deelt
Jongeren gooien waterballon naar rijdende auto
Verloskundige geflitst op weg naar bevalling
Koningsdag en thuiswerken in coronatijd
Dieren opzetten als hobby: cursus taxidermie bij Sanne
Angst in flat na politie-inval en zoektocht naar schutter
Leven als brus: Thekla en haar broer Jonas
Osdorpers reageren op vertrek van hun tuincentrum
Buurtbewoners reageren op vertrek tuincentrum Osdorp
Rouwende kroonkraanvogel na dodelijk ongeluk op de A2
Vakantiedialyse op camping geeft nierpatiënten vakantiegevoel
Een monument voor doodnormale maar bijzondere dagen
Mag AI zomaar jouw stem namaken?
Van koffieprut naar Groningse oesterzwam bitterballen
Psychische problemen uitgelegd met een toren van blokjes
Koningsdagvlog met pechduivel, motorschade en reddende engelen
Studeren met een assistentiehond aan de hogeschool
Zebrazoemer helpt blinden veilig oversteken bij verkeerslichten
Wat koolhydraten doen in je lichaam
Koningsdag gezellig maken met oranje decoratie
Dikke huisdieren op dieet bij de dierenarts
De Brielse maskerade als eeuwenoude traditie uitgelegd
Taalmaatjes in Nijmegen: samen Nederlands en cultuur leren
10 tips om later een baan te vinden
Egels in de opvang en hoe je ze helpt
Kroketten proeven in de Amsterdamse snackbar
Een zondag bij Fort Altena: ontdek de waterlinie
over een nieuw bed en een nieuw huis dromen
Moeten jongeren al vanaf 16 jaar mogen stemmen?
Renée vertelt over pesten, bedreiging en jezelf blijven
Ome Kees stopt na zestig jaar met de kermis
Twijfel tussen Assen en Haren bij huis kopen
Pratende koffiezetapparaten en hoe we met machines omgaan
Hoe Almere veranderde van water naar stad
Over bevalling, eerste weken en trots moederschap
Normen, waarden en beleefdheid in verschillende culturen
Wat zijn normen en waarden?
Studeren in coronatijd en omscholen naar ict
Oma’s ontdekken QR-codes tijdens een boswandeling
Sollicitatiegesprek voor een baantje als afwashulp
Hoe AI je dagelijks leven ongemerkt beïnvloed
Satirische sketch over bellen met de huisartspraktijk
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Kees vertelt over zijn documentaire en zelfstandig wonen
Expeditie Robinson reageert op online haat tegen deelnemers
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Lelijke schoenen gekocht voor Sam
Wanneer er één parachute te weinig is
Boer zoekt vrouw: hoe vieren de stellen kerst?
Tweelingbroers, lengteverschil en samen spelen met beperkingen
Leven met het syndroom van Down en vriendschap
Zwanger werken bij Laurens: een dagje mee
Met 3D-printer een speelse to-do lijst voor Nami
BN’ers over hun duurste kledingstukken op de rode loper
Lisa ontmoet haar commissiegenoten weer bij Perikles
Overwerken, sparen voor je rijbewijs en toch genieten
In de proefkeuken: bijzondere kroketten en bitterballen proeven
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The test
What does the B1 listening test look like?
The listening exam (Luisteren) takes 90 minutes and has about 40 multiple-choice questions on 5 or more listening texts. Each question has 3 or 4 options, and exactly one is correct. Programma I and Programma II have the same format; the difference is the level of the Dutch. Here is what you get:
Audio fragments
Short recordings about situations at work, during study and in daily life, for example conversations, instructions and short talks.
Once
Video fragments
1 to 3 of the fragments are short film clips (filmpjes), each with its own question.
Once
Every fragment plays once. The audio starts by itself, and you cannot pause it or play it again.
You get about 25 seconds to read the question and the answer options before each fragment starts.
The Dutch is the standard Dutch of the Netherlands, spoken at a normal everyday speed. Many learners are surprised by the speed after slow textbook audio.
Level and words
What level and how many words do I need?
Listening needs far fewer words than reading. Research shows that about 3,000 common words cover roughly 95% of normal speech, and the first 1,000 words cover most of what people say.
Video is the easiest way to understand, because the pictures help you guess the meaning. So you do not need a very large vocabulary. You need the common words and a lot of listening practice at your level.
Watch videos with visual cues, on YouTube or here on Reelang.
Based on research
Nation (2006) About 3,000 common word families cover roughly 95% of everyday spoken English; reading needs far more.
Webb (2021) The most frequent 1,000 words alone cover most of what people say in speech.
Durbahn et al. (2024) Video is easier to understand at a given vocabulary size, because the pictures help you guess.
Ways to practice
Common ways people practice
There is no single right way. People use a mix of these, and the free pack above works as a companion to any of them.
A class or a teacher
Slow and clear Dutch podcasts, like Een Beetje Nederlands or Zeg het in het Nederlands
Dutch news made to be easy to follow, like the NOS Jeugdjournaal
Watching real Dutch videos at your level
Start watching now, no email needed
Explore every B1 Dutch video in the catalog
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How was this NT2 Programma I pack chosen?
We did the searching for you. We check thousands of Dutch videos and measure each one: its level, how fast it is spoken in words a minute, and how many of its words are common. For this pack we kept videos at the B1 level in standard Dutch, at a speed close to the test (around 200 words a minute), where about 97% of the words are among the most common in spoken Dutch. Then we read the transcripts by hand to keep the everyday topics the test uses, and we put the clearest, most visual videos first. About 3,000 common words already cover roughly 95% of normal speech (Nation 2006), so this kind of content matches the test well.
What kind of videos should I practice with for NT2 Programma I listening?
Use real Dutch that is spoken at a normal everyday speed, in the Dutch of the Netherlands rather than Flemish. Pick the work, study and daily-life topics the test uses, like daily life, travel and transport, society and current affairs, work, health and housing. You do not need rare words. About 3,000 common words cover most of normal speech (Nation 2006), so content built from the most common spoken words matches the test well. A good mix is a short news report, an interview, an everyday conversation and a clear explainer, because the exam fragments sound like these. That is exactly how the free pack of 99 videos above was put together.
Does the NT2 listening audio play once or twice?
Once. In the Staatsexamen NT2 Luisteren every fragment plays one time, and the audio starts by itself. Some other exams, like Goethe or DELF, play parts of the audio twice, so do not expect a second chance here. The best preparation is to practise understanding a recording the first time, without going back.
Do I need Programma I or Programma II?
Programma I is at level B1. It fits a study at mbo level and work at mbo-3 or mbo-4 level. Programma II is at level B2 and fits study or work at hbo or university level. For naturalisation both count. You do not have to pass Programma I before you take Programma II.
Is Programma I enough for Dutch citizenship (naturalisation)?
Yes. For naturalisation you need the inburgeringsexamen at level A2, or the Staatsexamen NT2 at level B1 or B2. A Programma I diploma counts, and B1 is one level above the A2 minimum, so the same diploma also proves more Dutch for study and work.
Can I prepare for free?
Yes. The most exam-like free practice is the official NT2 practice environment, where you can try real exams for both programmes on your computer, including Luisteren. After that, the best free thing you can do is listen to a lot of real Dutch at your level. Start with the 99 videos above, or watch more on YouTube or here on Reelang.
How much does the Staatsexamen NT2 cost?
Each exam part costs 50 euros, so the four parts of a full programme (reading, listening, writing and speaking) cost 200 euros together. You can take the parts separately, and you can retake a part you did not pass.
How is video different from textbook audio?
Textbook audio is often slow and very clear, with actors who speak carefully. Real video uses normal speed and real voices, which is closer to the test. The pictures also help you guess words you do not know yet. In the NT2 exam this matters twice: 1 to 3 of the exam fragments are themselves short video clips.