About the listening test

The listening test of Norwegian (A1-B2) tests if you understand when someone speaks Norwegian.

The structure of the test

Everyone who registers for the listening test, starts with the same test, but not everyone get the same tasks.

The listening test has three parts. It starts with two pre-tests. The pre-tests are short and have 7–8 tasks. The first pre-test has tasks at level A2.

Your pre-test result determines which tasks you get on the next part of the test (the next pre-test and the main test). This is to ensure that the tasks you get in the main test suit your level.

The next part of the listening test proceeds automatically when you have finished the previous part. This means that the whole test is taken without pause between the pre-tests and the main test.

The main test is long and has about 20 tasks. Task difficulty depends on the results of your pre-tests.

The main test is taken at one of three different levels:

A1–A2 (the easiest level)
A2–B1 (medium level)
B1–B2 (hard level)

The figure below shows that you start with the first pre-test, before moving on to one of two pre-tests, and finally on to one of three possible main tests.

The image illustrates the process with two pre-tests and one main test on the Norwegian language reading test. To the left, a simplified ikon of a person, coloured in light orange, can be seen. The word “Candidate” is written on the chest of the person. An arrow points from the candidate icon to a box with an orange outline. The text in the box reads “Pre-test 1 (level A2)”. From the box marked pre-test 1, two arrows point to two new boxes stacked on top of each other. The text in the top-most box reads “Pre-test 2A (level A2)”. The text in the lower box reads "Pre-test 2B (level B1)”. From each of these boxes, two new arrows point toa total of three new boxes. These three boxes are stacked on top of one another and are all coloured in light orange. The top-most box has just one arrow pointed at it (from the top-most box of the previous pre-test boxes). The middle box has two arrows pointed at it (one from each of the previous pre-test boxes). The lower box has only one arrow pointed at it (from the lowest of the previous pre-test boxes). On the top-most orange box, the text reads “Main test A1-A2”. On the middle orange box, the text reads “Main test A2-B1”. The text in the lower orange box reads “Main test B1-B2”.

The test lasts 30–60 minutes

The listening test lasts between 30 and 60 minutes. TThe length of the test depends on which pre-tests and which main test you get.

How much time you can spend on each task is pre set. The listening test proceeds automatically. You cannot go back to a previous task.

At levels A1–B1 the question and the listening text are played twice. Then you have some time to answer the task.

At B2 level the question and the listening text are played only once.

The test covers several levels

The listening test has tasks on several levels. You will get both easy and difficult tasks, as well as tasks that suit your level.

Most candidates will get tasks they cannot answer correctly, even at the higher levels. The test measures what you do not master, as well as what you do master.

It is important not to give up, even if the tasks are difficult. Easier tasks might come later in the test.

Even though there are tasks that are too difficult for you, you might get a good result on the test.

The result reflects your skill level

Everyone who takes the listening test will get a result that reflects their Norwegian reading skills level. There are five possible reading test results:

Under A1 (below A1)
A1
A2
B1
B2

On the page Practice for the test there are sample tasks that you can use to prepare for the listening test.

Go back to the page Read about the test