Luxembourgish vocabulary for the Sproochentest speaking test

The Sproochentest speaking test is a 10 minute interview and picture description at level A2, and INLL scores your vocabulary range and how well you use it. Build that range topic by topic with the words and sentence patterns below, taken from MoienLab lessons and practice questions.

What the examiner listens for

INLL's speaking test has two parts: an interview on one of two topics the examiner proposes, such as work, family or hobbies, and the description of one of three visual media. The observer's grid scores four criteria from 0 to 5, and the first one is lexis: a range of vocabulary at level A2 and its adequate use. The other three are morphosyntax, phonetics and task fulfilment. A word list alone is not enough, so each topic below pairs words with sentences you can adapt.

Family

Practice question: Kënnt Dir e bëssen iwwer Är Famill erzielen? (Can you tell us a little about your family?)

• Words: d’Mamm, de Papp, d’Kand, d’Kanner, de Brudder, d’Schwëster, d’Elteren (parents), d’Groussmamm (grandmother), de Grousspapp (grandfather).
• Dat ass meng Famill. (This is my family.)
• Dat ass mäi Mann. / Dat ass meng Fra. (This is my husband. / This is my wife.)
• Ech hu keng Geschwëster. (I have no brothers or sisters.)
• Meng Kanner schwätze besser Lëtzebuergesch wéi ech. (My children speak Luxembourgish better than I do.)

Work

Practice question: Wou schafft Dir? (Where do you work?)

• Words: d’Aarbecht, de Chef, de Kolleeg, d’Kollegin, de Büro, d’Reunioun, d’Paus, de Feierowend (end of the working day).
• Ech schaffen an engem Büro. (I work in an office.)
• Dat ass mäi Kolleeg Marc. (This is my colleague Marc.)
• D’Reunioun fänkt um néng Auer un. (The meeting starts at nine o’clock.)
• Ech hunn haut Feierowend um sechs. (I finish work today at six.)

Home

Practice question: Wunnt Dir an engem Haus oder an enger Wunneng? (Do you live in a house or in an apartment?)

• Words: d’Wunneng, d’Kichen, d’Buedzëmmer, d’Heizung, de Kontrakt, de Keller, ënnen (downstairs), uewen (upstairs).
• Ech wunnen zu Lëtzebuerg. (I live in Luxembourg.)
• Jo, ech wunnen zu Esch. (Yes, I live in Esch.)
• D’Heizung funktionéiert net. (The heating is not working.)

Daily routine

Practice question: Wéi gesäit Ären normalen Dag aus? (What does your normal day look like?)

• Words: haut (today), moies (in the morning), owes (in the evening), opstoen (to get up), kachen (to cook), schlofen (to sleep).
• Ech drénke moies Kaffi. (I drink coffee in the morning.)
• Ech sinn um aacht Auer opgestanen. (I got up at eight o’clock.)
• Owes hunn ech e Film gekuckt. (In the evening I watched a film.)
• Ech hu gutt geschlof. (I slept well.)

Free time and hobbies

Practice question: Wat maacht Dir an Ärer Fräizäit? (What do you do in your free time?)

• Words: d’Fräizäit, de Veräin (club), d’Schwämm (swimming pool), trainéieren, wanderen, de Vëlo, d’Gittar.
• A menger Fräizäit spillen ech Fussball. (In my free time I play football.)
• Ech si Member an engem Veräin. (I am a member of a club.)
• Ech ginn zweemol d’Woch an d’Schwämm. (I go to the swimming pool twice a week.)
• Ech spille Gittar, mee net ganz gutt. (I play the guitar, but not very well.)

Travel and holidays

Practice question: Reest Dir gär? (Do you like to travel?)

• Words: d’Vakanz, de Fluch, den Hotel, d’Mier, d’Foto, propper (clean), ausgezeechent (excellent).
• Mir sinn zwou Wochen an d’Vakanz gefuer. (We went on holiday for two weeks.)
• Mir hunn d’Vakanz um Mier verbruecht. (We spent the holiday at the seaside.)
• Den Hotel war einfach, mee propper. (The hotel was simple but clean.)
• Ech géif do gär nach eng Kéier hifueren. (I would gladly go there again.)

Health

Practice question: Wat maacht Dir fir gesond ze bleiwen? (What do you do to stay healthy?)

• Words: den Dokter, d’Apdikt, de Kapp, de Bauch, den Hals, d’Féiwer, den Houscht, d’Gesondheet.
• Ech si krank. (I am ill.)
• Mäi Kapp deet wéi. (My head hurts.)
• Ech brauch e Rendez-vous beim Dokter. (I need an appointment with the doctor.)

Give a reason and an opinion

Short reasons turn a one-line answer into the connected answer A2 asks for.

• Ech ginn net, well ech midd sinn. (I am not going, because I am tired.)
• Ech mengen, datt dat eng gutt Iddi ass. (I think that is a good idea.)
• Fir mech ass dat wichteg. (For me that is important.)
• Ech schaffe léiwer moies wéi owes. (I prefer working in the morning to the evening.)
• Am léifsten hunn ech de Summer. (I like the summer best.)

Phrases that keep you talking

• Loosst mech kuerz iwwerleeën. (Let me think for a moment.)
• Kéint Dir d’Fro w.e.g. widderhuelen? (Could you repeat the question, please?)
• Entschëllegt, ech hunn dat falsch gesot. (Sorry, I said that wrongly.)
• Ech probéieren et anescht ze soen. (Let me try to say it differently.)
• Ech weess dat Wuert net. Ech soen et mat anere Wierder. (I do not know that word. I will say it with other words.)
• Merci fir d’Gespréich. Ech hunn et gär gemaach. (Thank you for the conversation. I enjoyed it.)

The picture description

Describe a picture in a fixed order: one opening sentence, then the people, the place, the main action, the details and the feelings or an opinion. Lines like Hien ass grouss a schlank (He is tall and slim), Si huet kuerz brong Hoer (She has short brown hair) and Si ass roueg, mee ganz hëllefsbereet (She is quiet but very helpful) cover the people step.

Practise out loud

Take the free level test to see your level in under 8 minutes with 12 questions and no account. MoienLab's A2 oral practice then gives you eight topics, from family and work to travel and health, and a photo bank of 13 exam-style photos, with audio on the practice questions and recordings that stay in your browser. Full Access includes the whole route, 57 lessons, four B1 listening sets and a timed mock exam, for 59 € over 12 months with one payment and no subscription. See Full Access.