telc A2 listening: the three parts and exercises with answers
The telc A2 listening part takes about twenty minutes and has 15 items in three parts: completing a note from a phone message, radio news and a conversation. Below you will find what you hear in each part, how often it is played and a worked example for each.
By Olcay Sari, founder of Level Exams
Last updated: 2026-11-12
The listening part is worth 15 points; the whole exam has 60 points and you need at least 36 to pass. The recording plays without a break; you cannot pause or rewind.
What differs from A1 is the task types: in the first part you do not tick an option but write down what you hear; in the last part you make several matches from one conversation. The Goethe A2 listening part is different: it has four parts.
The three parts at a glance
| Part | What you hear | Items | Plays | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teil 1: Phone notes | Phone messages; for each message you fill one gap in a note | 5 | 2 | 5 |
| Teil 2: Radio news | Short radio news items; you choose the right one of three options | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| Teil 3: Conversation | A conversation between two people; you match people or things to the options given | 5 | 2 | 5 |
Teil 1: Phone notes
You hear a message left on voicemail. In front of you is a half-completed note; you write in the missing information: a time, a day, a phone number, a price or a word.
Each message is played twice. Read the completed lines of the note beforehand: they tell you what will be said before the gap. Be careful with numbers: a wrong or reversed digit makes the answer wrong, while small spelling mistakes are tolerated.
Worked example: Hören Teil 1
Task: Sie hören eine Nachricht am Telefon zweimal. Ergänzen Sie die Notiz.
Sie hören: „Guten Tag, Herr Wolff, hier ist Möller vom Reisebüro Sonnenschein. Ihre Tickets für die Reise nach Lissabon sind da. Sie können sie ab morgen bei uns abholen. Wir haben bis achtzehn Uhr dreißig geöffnet. Bitte bringen Sie Ihren Ausweis mit.“ Notiz: Reisebüro Sonnenschein Tickets abholen: ab morgen Geöffnet bis: ___ Uhr Mitbringen: Ausweis
- Answer: 18.30. “bis achtzehn Uhr dreißig geöffnet”.
- The line “Tickets abholen: ab morgen” in the note shows where you are in the message; the gap comes right after it.
- Writing the time in figures is the safest; check the figures on the second play.
Teil 2: Radio news
You hear short radio news items: weather, traffic, an event notice. For each item you mark the right one of three options.
This part is played only once; read the options beforehand. The item usually reports a change: a cancellation, a postponement, a new time. The question asks about the situation after the change.
Worked example: Hören Teil 2
Task: Sie hören eine Meldung im Radio nur einmal. Was ist richtig: a, b oder c?
Sie hören: „Und nun ein Hinweis für alle Musikfreunde: Das Konzert der Gruppe Nordwind heute Abend in der Stadthalle fällt aus, weil der Sänger krank ist. Die Karten bleiben gültig. Das Konzert findet am zwölften Mai statt.“ Das Konzert … a) findet heute Abend statt. b) findet an einem anderen Tag statt. c) findet in einer anderen Halle statt.
- Answer: b. The concert is cancelled this evening (“fällt aus”) and will take place on the twelfth of May.
- a is wrong: it does not take place this evening. c is wrong: the hall does not change, the date does.
- “Die Karten bleiben gültig” is extra information; the question does not ask about it.
Teil 3: Conversation
You hear a conversation between two people and match items: who brings what, what happens on which day, what is where. There are more options than items; some are not used.
The conversation is played twice and the items follow its order. Write down what you are sure about on the first play and complete the rest on the second. Something may be said about a person first and then changed; what is said last counts.
Worked example: Hören Teil 3
Task: Sie hören ein Gespräch zweimal. Was bringen die Personen mit? Ordnen Sie zu.
Anna: Also, am Samstag ist das Sommerfest im Kurs. Wer bringt was mit? Ben: Ich mache einen Kartoffelsalat. Anna: Super. Und Carla? Ben: Carla kann nicht kochen, sie kauft Getränke. Und David bringt seine Gitarre mit. Anna: Gut, dann backe ich einen Kuchen. 1. Ben 2. Carla 3. David a) Brot b) Getränke c) Gitarre d) Kartoffelsalat e) Kuchen
- 1 Ben: d (Kartoffelsalat). 2 Carla: b (Getränke). 3 David: c (Gitarre).
- “Kuchen” is mentioned too, but Anna makes it; “Brot” is not mentioned at all. Not all options are used.
- For Carla, food comes to mind first (“kann nicht kochen”); the decision follows: she buys drinks.
Habits that help while listening
- Read the note, the options or the list before the recording.
- Note numbers, times and dates in figures.
- Watch for words that signal a change: “fällt aus”, “verschoben”, “nicht mehr”, “sondern”.
- In the third part, write down what you are sure about on the first play and complete the rest on the second.
- Leave no item blank: a wrong answer costs no points.
How is it scored?
Each item is worth 1 point; each of the three parts adds up to 5 points, and the total is 15.
To pass the exam you need at least 36 of the 60 points across the four parts.
Common mistakes
- Writing digits in the wrong order or leaving one out in the phone note.
- Listening without reading the completed lines of the note.
- Waiting for a second play of the radio news: there is none.
- Writing down what is said first in the conversation and missing the later change.
- Leaving an item blank.
Sample question paper (PDF) and mock exam
More practice: the telc A2 page has sample questions with answers that you can do without signing in, and a sample exam (question paper with answers) as a PDF; both are free.
Frequently asked questions
›How long is the telc A2 listening part?
About twenty minutes. The recording sets the time; when it ends, the part ends.
›How often are the texts played?
Number of plays: part one 2, part two 1, part three 2.
›How many questions are there in telc A2 listening?
15 items in total: 5 in Teil 1, 5 in Teil 2 and 5 in Teil 3.
›What if I make a spelling mistake in the phone note?
Small spelling mistakes are tolerated, but numbers (time, phone number, price) must be exactly right.
›Is the listening part the same in telc A2 and Goethe A2?
No. Goethe A2 has four listening parts and no note-completion task. This page describes telc A2 (Start Deutsch 2).
›Is there a PDF or sample exam for telc A2 listening?
Yes. The telc A2 page has free sample questions with answers and a sample exam as a PDF. For the full exam routine, use the free online mock exam.
Do the listening part as in the exam
In the free telc A2 mock exam the listening part plays as in the exam: repeats and answer pauses are part of the recording. The result shows the correct answer for every item.