IGCSE German (Foreign Language)
Cambridge IGCSE German builds practical German for learners of the language across five topic areas, developing listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills.
Difficulty
Moderate
Popularity
42%
Past questions
3
Study tips
5
Key Topics
Exam Format & Dates
May/June & October/November, annually
~3 hours across 4 skills
Grades A*–G (or 9–1 in some regions)
C / Grade 4 = standard pass | A*/9 = highest
| Section | Duration | Content | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | ~50 minutes | Comprehension | 25% |
| Reading | 1 hour | Comprehension | 25% |
| Writing | 1 hour 10 minutes | Structured writing | 25% |
| Speaking | ~10 minutes | Role play + conversation | 25% |
Exam Breakdown & Insights
Difficulty · Challenging
Popularity score
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Study Tips
- 1
Practice speaking out loud, even alone — fluency under exam pressure comes from muscle memory.
- 2
Do past-paper listening exercises regularly; listening is the most technique-dependent exam skill.
- 3
Learn the marking rubrics for writing and speaking tasks so you can target the criteria directly.
- 4
Work through Cambridge past papers and mark schemes — examiner wording is consistent year to year.
- 5
Read examiner reports: they tell you exactly which mistakes cost students marks last session.
Past Exam Questions
Write a short structured response on the theme of Everyday Activities, using a range of tenses and topic-specific vocabulary.
Read/listen to a passage about Personal & Social Life and answer comprehension questions in the target language, justifying your answers with evidence from the text.
Give a presentation and respond to questions on The World Around Us, expressing and defending your own opinion with accurate, varied language.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ✕
Translating word-for-word from your first language instead of thinking in target-language structures.
- ✕
Leaving listening practice to the last minute — it is the slowest skill to improve.
- ✕
Learning vocabulary in isolation rather than inside full sentences.
Official Resources
Free, official study material for IGCSE German (Foreign Language) — always start with the source your exam board publishes.
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