Taking the FIDE German language test, especially when applying for Swiss residency or citizenship, can feel incredibly difficult. Most of us perform best when we are calm and confident, which is why it’s so important to follow recommended FIDE exam preparation methods to keep nerves at bay.
The ideal position is to go into the exam with the assurance that you have all the German speaking, writing, and reading skills you need to pass. Our flexible courses at the German Academy Zurich are designed to do just that, starting from A1 certificates and up to the B1 level covered by the FIDE test.
Below, we’ll provide some tips and guidance on controlling anxiety on test day, including advice about preparing for the exam and combating nerves before your test begins.
Getting Ready for the Swiss German FIDE Exam
We’ve spoken about how FIDE supports linguistic development, and it’s worth keeping this in mind. FIDE is a German language test that checks that prospective residents and citizens have the comprehension to comfortably speak, read, and write in German and navigate the types of situations and interactions they’ll encounter every day.
It isn’t a technical examination, but an assessment of:
- Whether you can speak German with an examiner and make yourself understood
- How well you can comprehend the questions they might ask you
- Your ability to read written instructions or communications in German
- Whether you can write German to the level required for general tasks, such as buying or applying for something online
Some expats with a working knowledge of German won’t need a long period of time to prepare for the FIDE exam, but they might want to follow an established course to ensure there aren’t any gaps. Others start with our A1 German certification, which is ideal for beginners, and then progress to the A2 program for advanced beginners and the B2 intermediate course, which covers all the linguistics they need to pass the test.
How to Boost Your Chances of Success on FIDE Test Day
When you’ve completed all the necessary studies, you should be in a good place to take the exam, with the assurance that you have a solid understanding of the German language. If you’re still worried about the exam, there are some confidence-boosting and practical things you can do to keep your nerves well-managed and ensure stress doesn’t impact your ability to recall the right words and phrases.
We’d recommend that you:
- Get to your exam or test center in good time, without rushing or panicking.
- Take a deep breath before answering each question or responding to the examiner. This gives you a short time window to digest the query or sentence and avoid rushing your response.
- Prioritize plenty of sleep the day before. A well-rested mind is far better at remembering phrases or comprehending more complex sentences.
During the written exam, you can read each question twice, again, to give yourself the room to absorb what is being asked of you and to take a short break if needed to clear your mind and resume when you can focus.
How Practicing Spoken German Is Beneficial for the FIDE Exam
As you likely know, the FIDE is split into a written and a verbal section, and it is the latter that most expats tend to worry about since it’s difficult to predict what your examiner might ask. The best advice is to ensure you spend as much time as possible chatting with German speakers alongside your studies until listening to questions and participating in discussions comes naturally and is something you’re very familiar with.
Each of our courses includes one-on-one support from a private German language teacher, which means you can gain confidence speaking German and work on your pronunciation and vocabulary while preparing for the FIDE exam!
