First, calm down! It is normal to feel nervous before the A2 exam. But don’t panic. You just need a simple plan and practical steps to increase your chances of passing.
If you live in the Czech Republic, you already know more than you think. Even if you don’t speak Czech every day, you still have a good chance to pass!
What can you do right before the exam?
- Listen a lot
Listen to Czech videos or audio on your phone. You can do this in the evening in bed when you are tired. - Write a lot
Writing helps you learn words, grammar, and sentence structure. Write simple words or sentences from your textbook. Just 5 minutes a day will help! - Try a practice test
Do a sample test online. You will see what the real exam looks like, so you won’t be surprised. You can find it on this website. It is free and it is not official. You just try.
Should you postpone the exam? Only do this if your practice test results are really bad. Remember: nobody feels 100% ready. The A2 exam does not require perfect Czech—you just need to communicate!
What grammar and vocabulary do you need?
- Verbs: Present, past, and future tenses.
- Questions: Know how to answer questions about time, place, price, and people.
- Prepositions: Basic everyday prepositions.
- Key Words: Learn numbers and time words (days, hours, months). Watch simple vocabulary videos to listen and repeat.
The 4 Parts of the Exam
1. Reading
- Most tasks are multiple choice (A, B, C). Even if you are not sure, guess—you might get points!
- The last task asks you to find specific information in a short text.
- You only need to understand the words, not write them perfectly.
2. Listening
- You will hear audio tracks and answer multiple-choice questions.
- Tip: Listen to online textbook audios for free before the exam to train your ears. Very good audios are published on the website with the book Czech Step by Step.
3. Writing
You have two tasks:
- Short Questions: Write at least 10 words for each question. Use 2–3 short, simple sentences instead of one long, complicated sentence.
- Writing an Email: Write at least 35 words.
- To & Subject: Fill in the email address (e.g.,
123@gmail.com) and write a subject word. - Formal or Informal: Use Ahoj with friends (tykání) and Dobrý den with strangers/bosses (vykání).
- Main Reason: Write why you are writing in the first sentence (e.g., “Chci tě pozvat…” or “Potřebuju objednat stůl…”).
- Pictures: Look at the 5 pictures and answer the questions.
- Ending: Add a simple closing (Děkuji, Přeju hezký den) and your name.
- To & Subject: Fill in the email address (e.g.,
4. Speaking
This is often the hardest part, but you can do it:
- Answering Questions: Listen carefully to the first question word (Kdo, Kdy, Kde, Jak, Proč). Give simple answers. Accuracy of facts doesn’t matter—just speak!
- Asking for Information: You must ask questions about price, time, or location.
- Picture Description (Past Tense): Talk about pictures using simple past tense verbs (platil / platila, byl / byla, měl / měla).
- Making a Plan: You and the examiner choose an option from 3 pictures. Use the verb moct (“Můžeš koupit…”). Give a short reason for your final choice.
Conclusion
Feeling stressed is totally normal. Just remember: examiners do not expect perfect Czech at the A2 level. They will forgive many mistakes if you can make yourself understood. Good luck!