The German citizenship test, in English
The Einbürgerungstest is the naturalisation test you sit before becoming a German citizen: 33 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes, and you pass with 17 correct answers. It is drawn from a published catalog, so nothing in it is a surprise — which makes it one of the few exams you can prepare for completely. This site gives you all 300 general questions and the 10 questions for your state, each with the answer and a plain-English explanation.
Everything on Passbereit is explained in English and the trainer's interface is English, but the questions and answers are shown in German first, exactly as they appear on the exam, with the English translation underneath. That is deliberate: the Einbürgerungstest is sat in German with no dictionary, so the German wording is what you need to recognise. You can also read this site in German.
Format, pass mark and cost
| Questions in the exam | 33 (30 general + 3 on your federal state) |
|---|---|
| Time allowed | 60 minutes |
| Pass mark | 17 of 33 correct |
| Questions you need to learn | 310 (300 general + 10 for your state) |
| Full official catalog | 460 questions (300 + 16 × 10) |
| Answer format | Multiple choice, four options, exactly one correct |
| Fee | €25 per attempt, at an accredited test centre |
| Exam language | German only, no dictionaries or aids permitted |
You need 310 questions, not 460
This is where most people waste time. The full official catalog has 460 questions, but that number includes the state-specific sets for all 16 federal states. Your exam only ever uses one of them — the state where you file your application. So the real workload is 300 general questions plus 10 state questions = 310, and 3 of the 33 questions on the day come from that state set.
Pick your state to see its 10 questions: Baden-Württemberg · Bayern · Berlin · Brandenburg · Bremen · Hamburg · Hessen · Mecklenburg-Vorpommern · Niedersachsen · Nordrhein-Westfalen · Rheinland-Pfalz · Saarland · Sachsen · Sachsen-Anhalt · Schleswig-Holstein · Thüringen.
The 7 topics in the catalog
The BAMF groups the questions into three official areas, which break down into these topics. Sizes are very uneven, and that is useful: the history block alone is worth far more marks than the symbols block, so it deserves more of your time.
📖 History and Responsibility
The Weimar Republic, National Socialism, the division of Germany, the GDR, the fall of the Wall and reunification — the…
View questions →🗳️ Living in a Democracy
Elections, political parties, the Bundestag, the Bundesrat, and how political power in Germany is divided and held in…
View questions →🗺️ The State and Federalism
Federal government, states and municipalities: who is responsible for schools, police or foreign policy — and why…
View questions →⚖️ Law and the Rule of Law
The Rechtsstaat, separation of powers, the courts, the Federal Constitutional Court, and what happens when someone…
View questions →👥 People and Society
Everyday life, work, family, school, religion and living together: your rights and obligations in day-to-day German…
View questions →🕊️ Basic Rights
Articles 1 to 19 of the Grundgesetz: human dignity, freedom of expression, freedom of religion, and equality before the…
View questions →🇩🇪 Symbols and Public Holidays
The flag, the coat of arms, the national anthem and the Day of German Unity — a small block, and free marks if you…
View questions →How to prepare in three weeks
- Week 1 — your state and the big blocks. Learn the 10 questions for your federal state first, since 3 are guaranteed to appear. Then start History and Responsibility, the largest block.
- Week 2 — the rest of the catalog. Work topic by topic through the 300 general questions. Do not try to memorise answer positions; the trainer shuffles them for exactly that reason.
- Week 3 — drill mistakes and time yourself. Repeat only the questions you got wrong, then run full mock exams until 33/33 stops feeling lucky.
If German is not your strong suit, spend twenty minutes on the exam vocabulary list early on. Terms like Grundgesetz, Rechtsstaat and Bundesrat appear again and again, and once you know them a lot of questions answer themselves.
What this trainer does
- English interface, German questions. Menus, buttons and explanations in English; the questions and answers in German with the translation one tap away.
- All 460 official questions, including every state set.
- Timed mock exams built like the real thing: 30 general questions plus 3 from your state, 60 minutes.
- Weak-spot tracking, so repetition goes where it actually helps instead of re-testing what you already know.
- No account, no cost, no ads. Progress is saved in your browser.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take the German citizenship test in English?
No. The Einbürgerungstest is set and sat in German only, and you may not bring a dictionary. What you can do is prepare in English — that is exactly what this site is for. Every question here shows the German wording with an English translation and an explanation, so you learn the German you will actually see on the day.
Do I really have to learn all 460 questions?
No, and this is the single most useful thing to know. You need 310: the 300 general questions plus the 10 for the federal state where you apply. The state questions for the other 15 states never appear in your exam.
How many questions do I need to get right?
17 out of 33. That is roughly half, so the exam is very passable — but aim well above 17 in practice so nerves on the day have no consequences.
Is Passbereit free, and do I need an account?
It is completely free and there is no account, no email and no payment. Your progress is stored in your own browser, which also means it does not follow you to another device.
How long does it take to prepare?
Most people who study a little every day are ready in two to four weeks. The questions are repetitive by design, so consistency beats long sessions — twenty minutes a day works better than three hours on a Sunday.
Are these the real exam questions?
Yes. The catalog is published by the BAMF and the exam draws from it directly, so the 300 general questions you practise here are the ones you will be asked. Nobody knows which 33 you will get, which is why the goal is to know the whole catalog rather than to guess.
Passbereit is a free, independent study aid. It is not affiliated with the BAMF or with any test centre, and practice results carry no legal weight. The official BAMF question catalog is always the authoritative source. FAQ · Impressum · Datenschutz