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Life in Germany: practice questions

The orientation course and the tests for residence and citizenship ask about Germany's democracy, basic rights, history and daily life. Practise the topics with our own questions in German, each with an explanation in English.

By the Desi European Tales editorial team · Updated 31 October 2026

What this page is (and isn't)

These are our own practice questions, written to explain the topics. They are not the official question catalogue. The official tests, Leben in Deutschland at the end of the integration course and the naturalisation test (Einbürgerungstest), use questions from catalogues published by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), including questions about your Bundesland. Practise with the official catalogue on the BAMF website as well.

The topics

TopicWhat you should know
DemocracyGrundgesetz, Bundestag, Bundesrat, Federal President, Chancellor, elections, parties
Rule of law and basic rightsseparation of powers, courts, equality, freedom of expression and religion
History1945, two German states, the Wall, 1989, reunification in 1990, Europe
Society and everyday lifefederal states, school, social insurance, family, emergency numbers

Practice questions

1. Wie viele Bundesländer hat Deutschland?

Germany is a federal state with 16 Länder.

2. Was ist die Hauptstadt von Deutschland?

Berlin has been the capital of reunified Germany since 1990; parliament and government moved there in 1999.

3. Wie heißt die Verfassung der Bundesrepublik Deutschland?

The Grundgesetz (Basic Law) is the constitution.

4. In welchem Jahr trat das Grundgesetz in Kraft?

The Grundgesetz came into force in May 1949.

5. Welche Farben hat die deutsche Flagge?

The national flag is black, red and gold.

6. Wer wählt den Bundeskanzler oder die Bundeskanzlerin?

The head of government is elected by the Bundestag.

7. Wer ist das Staatsoberhaupt der Bundesrepublik?

The Federal President is the head of state; the Chancellor leads the government.

8. Wen vertritt der Bundesrat?

In the Bundesrat the 16 Länder take part in federal legislation.

9. Wie oft wird der Bundestag normalerweise gewählt?

The legislative period of the Bundestag is four years.

10. Ab welchem Alter darf man bei der Bundestagswahl wählen?

The voting age for federal elections is 18.

11. Was bedeutet eine geheime Wahl?

Secret ballot: nobody can see or must tell how you voted.

12. Welches Gericht prüft, ob Gesetze mit dem Grundgesetz übereinstimmen?

The Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe protects the Grundgesetz.

13. Was bedeutet Gewaltenteilung?

Separation of powers: legislative, executive and judiciary are independent of each other.

14. Was gehört zur Meinungsfreiheit?

Freedom of expression is a basic right, with limits set by law (for example insult or incitement).

15. Was sagt das Grundgesetz über Männer und Frauen?

Article 3: men and women have equal rights.

16. Was bedeutet Religionsfreiheit?

Freedom of religion includes the freedom to have no religion.

17. Welche Nummer wählt man in einem medizinischen Notfall oder bei Feuer?

112: fire brigade and ambulance. 110: police. 116117: the out-of-hours doctor service for non-emergencies.

18. Welche Nummer hat die Polizei?

110 is the police emergency number.

19. Müssen Kinder in Deutschland zur Schule gehen?

School attendance is compulsory for all children living in Germany.

20. Wer ist hauptsächlich für die Schulen zuständig?

Education is mainly the responsibility of the Länder, so school systems differ between them.

21. Wann fiel die Berliner Mauer?

The Wall was opened on 9 November 1989; it had been built in 1961.

22. Welcher Tag ist der Tag der Deutschen Einheit?

Germany was reunified on 3 October 1990, now a national holiday.

23. Welche zwei deutschen Staaten gab es von 1949 bis 1990?

The Federal Republic (FRG) in the west and the German Democratic Republic (GDR) in the east.

24. Deutschland gehörte 1957 zu den Gründungsmitgliedern der …

The Treaties of Rome (1957) founded the European Economic Community, a forerunner of the EU.

25. Welche Währung gibt es in Deutschland?

The euro has been the currency since 1999, with notes and coins since 2002.

26. Wer darf bei Kommunalwahlen (Wahlen in der Gemeinde) wählen?

EU citizens living in Germany may vote in local elections; the minimum age differs between the Länder.

27. Was ist ein Merkmal der sozialen Marktwirtschaft?

The social market economy combines competition with social security.

28. Welche Versicherung gehört zur gesetzlichen Sozialversicherung?

The statutory social insurance covers pensions, health, long-term care, unemployment and accidents at work.

29. Dürfen Eltern in Deutschland ihre Kinder schlagen?

German law gives children the right to be raised without violence.

30. Was macht eine Partei?

Parties help form political opinion and put forward candidates; courts and authorities are independent of them.

Learn the topics with the course

The B1 lessons cover these topics in German: democracy in Germany, German history after 1945 and the integration course. Reading about them in German helps twice: you learn the facts and the words the test uses, such as Wahl, Gesetz, Gericht, Gleichberechtigung and Wiedervereinigung.

Sources

Original practice questions written by the Desi European Tales editorial team; they are not the official exam questions. Checked 31 October 2026.

Related: German B1 lessons · Integration course guide · German citizenship

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