The inburgering reading exam (A2 and B1): format, question types and tips

The reading exam is the one most candidates pass first — and the one where a dictionary is allowed at B1. What the A2 and B1 versions ask, the three kinds of question, how to use your time, and the words that carry the answer.

Updated November 3, 2026 · 6 min read

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There are two reading exams on the road to inburgering and Dutch nationality. A2 is DUO's own exam: it is what the 2013 Act asks, and it is the level of the naturalisation test. B1 is the Staatsexamen NT2, programme I — the level of the B1 route under the 2021 Act (inburgeren.nl). Not sure which one is yours? Your route decides, and A2 or B1 explains the difference.

In short: A2 — 65 minutes on a computer, texts with questions. B1 — 110 minutes, a booklet of 6 texts and 36 multiple-choice questions on screen, with the Van Dale Pocketwoordenboek NT2 allowed; you pass with a score of 500 (Staatsexamens NT2). Each part costs €50.

The A2 reading exam (DUO)

You take it on a computer at one of DUO's six exam locations — Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Rijswijk, Rotterdam, Utrecht or Zwolle. You read texts and answer questions about them; the exam lasts 65 minutes. You register in Mijn Inburgering, and the result comes by letter within 8 weeks (inburgeren.nl). DUO publishes four free A2 reading practice exams — do all four before the real one (practice exams).

At A2 the texts are short and practical: a letter from the municipality, a notice in a building, an advert, an email from school. The skill is finding the one line that answers the question. You do not need to understand every word — you need the words that mean something for the question.

The B1 reading exam (Staatsexamen NT2, programme I)

	Programme I (B1)	Programme II (B2)
Length	110 minutes	100 minutes
Texts	a booklet with 6 texts	a booklet with 6 texts
Questions	36, all multiple choice, on the computer	36, all multiple choice, on the computer
Dictionary	Van Dale Pocketwoordenboek NT2 — your own copy, no notes in it	the same
Marking	by computer, one point per right answer, converted to a score	the same
Pass	a score of 500 or more	a score of 500 or more

No other dictionary is allowed, and nothing electronic — no Google Translate, no digital dictionary. You may not borrow another candidate's copy, so bring your own (Staatsexamens NT2). The official page lists three kinds of question:

What is this text? Choose its subject, where it comes from, or who it is meant for.
What does this part mean? Choose what a passage means, how two passages relate, or what the text concludes.
Find it. Look something up in the text — describe information, put it in order, or combine two things.

Your time: 110 minutes for 36 questions is about 3 minutes a question, reading included. Read the question first, then the text — you are hunting for an answer, not reading for pleasure. Use the dictionary for the word that blocks a question, never for every word you do not know.

The words that carry the answer

Questions of the second kind turn on small words: the ones that say because, but, so and although. If you know them, you see how two sentences relate before you understand every noun. Learn these as a set:

Dutch	English	What it tells you
omdat, want	because	a reason follows
daarom, dus	that is why, so	a result follows
maar, toch, echter	but, still, however	the opposite follows — often the answer
hoewel	although	a contrast inside one sentence
bovendien, ook	moreover, also	one more point of the same kind
tenzij	unless	an exception
als, wanneer	if, when	a condition
ten eerste … ten slotte	first … finally	the structure of the text

Ik kom morgen niet, want ik moet werken.

Literally: I'm not coming tomorrow, because I have to work.

Meaning: want + main-clause word order; moeten + infinitive werken at the end.

Hoewel het regent, gaan we fietsen.

Literally: Although it is raining, we are going cycling.

Meaning: hoewel sends the verb to the end; the main clause then starts with the verb: gaan we (gaan, fietsen).

Words from forms, letters and notices

Many reading texts are the kind you already receive: letters from the gemeente, rules for a building, a message from school or work. The words below appear in them again and again — and in the KNM exam too.

de afspraak — appointment; een afspraak maken (to make one), afspreken (to arrange)
het formulier — form; een formulier invullen (to fill in a form)
de aanvraag — application; zich aanmelden (to register)
de gemeente — municipality; het gemeentehuis — town hall
de huur — rent; huren (to rent), de huurder (tenant)
de rekening — bill, account; betalen (to pay), kosten (to cost)
verplicht — compulsory; toegestaan — allowed; verboden — forbidden
vóór + date — before; uiterlijk — at the latest; binnen twee weken — within two weeks

Our inburgering vocabulary path sorts 40 sets of these words by exam value, from survival phrases to the words of housing, work, health and KNM.

How to prepare in six steps

Find out your level. Take our free level test (A1–B2, about 10 minutes) — it is not a certificate, but it tells you whether A2 or B1 reading is within reach.
Do the official practice first. DUO's four A2 reading exams, or the Staatsexamen NT2 practice environment for B1 — on a computer, as in the exam.
Learn the signal words above, then read one short Dutch text a day and underline them.
Practise with the dictionary you will use. Looking a word up in a paper dictionary takes time; know where the strong verbs and the separable verbs are.
Learn the verbs of instructions: lezen, kiezen, zoeken, vinden, geven, antwoorden — Lees de tekst. Kies het goede antwoord.
Time yourself. At B1, 36 questions in 110 minutes: practise answering in about three minutes, then move on.

The words reading texts are made of

16Word's inburgering path drills the words of letters, forms, work and KNM, 16 at a time, with a game of Blocks between answers so they stick. The first page of every track is free.

Keep learning

The inburgering exam in 2026: all parts, fees and FAQ
The listening exam · the writing exam · the speaking exam
The KNM exam — knowledge of Dutch society
Staatsexamen NT2: programme I or II?
A 12-week preparation plan
How to register for the exam
Dutch verb tables: zijn, hebben, kunnen, willen, mogen
All free Dutch resources · Learn Dutch with 16Word

All our Dutch exam guides

Frequently asked questions

How long is the inburgering reading exam?

At A2 (DUO), 65 minutes on a computer. At B1 (Staatsexamen NT2, programme I), 110 minutes; at B2 (programme II), 100 minutes.

How many questions are in the B1 reading exam?

36 multiple-choice questions about 6 texts. The texts are in a booklet; the questions and answers are on the computer.

Can I use a dictionary in the reading exam?

In the Staatsexamen NT2 reading and writing exams you may use your own Van Dale Pocketwoordenboek Nederlands als tweede taal (NT2), with no notes in it. No other dictionary and nothing electronic is allowed. In speaking and listening no dictionary is allowed.

What score do I need to pass the B1 reading exam?

500 or more. Reading is marked by computer — one point per right answer — and the points are converted to a score; below 500 you fail that part.

Where can I practise the inburgering reading exam?

DUO has four free A2 reading practice exams on inburgeren.nl; for B1 and B2, the Staatsexamen NT2 has an official practice environment that works on a computer or laptop.

How much does the reading exam cost?

€50, at A2 and at B1/B2. Asylum status holders under the 2021 Act get their first two attempts at each exam free.