Inburgering Oefenen
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Language exam

The Lezen exam

Reading texts and answering questions, on a computer. It looks like the easiest part, and it is the part where most people run out of time.

Marieke Schipper

Marieke Schipper

NT2 teacher · 23 August 2026 · 7 min read

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Part 1 / 6

Part 1 · 2 min

What does the exam look like?

You sit at a computer. On the left there is a text, on the right there is a question with answers. You choose one. Sometimes several questions belong to the same text.

A2B1
Duration65 minutes110 minutes
WhereOn a computer, at a DUO exam locationStaatsexamen NT2, its own locations
In DUO's oefenexamens (practice exams)25 questionssee staatsexamensnt2.nl
Type of textsShort and practical: advertisement, letter, notice, instructionLonger and connected: news item, leaflet, article

DUO: "Het examen Lezen op niveau A2 doet u op de computer. U moet teksten lezen. U moet ook vragen beantwoorden. Het examen duurt 65 minuten." (You take the Lezen exam at level A2 on a computer. You have to read texts. You also have to answer questions. The exam takes 65 minutes.) The Lezen exam at level B1 (staatsexamen NT2) takes 110 minutes; information about its content is on staatsexamensnt2.nl.

Sources: inburgeren.nl — Taalexamens · Staatsexamens NT2 — accessed 23-08-2026

DUO's A2 oefenexamens contain 25 questions. That is not a norm published by DUO for the real exam, but it is the best number to base your preparation on: it is shown on the start screen of the practice exams that anyone can take.

DUO makes oefenexamens (practice exams) available that anyone can take without logging in. The start screen of the A2 oefenexamens Lezen says: "U moet in dit examen 25 vragen beantwoorden" (In this exam you have to answer 25 questions), with a counter of 25 questions and 65 minutes.

Source: inburgeren.nl — Oefenen — accessed 23-08-2026

Frequently asked questions

How long does the Lezen exam take?

At level A2 it takes 65 minutes and you take it on a computer. At level B1 it is part of the staatsexamen NT2 and it takes 110 minutes. Information about the content of the B1 exam is on staatsexamensnt2.nl.

How many questions does the Lezen A2 exam have?

DUO does not publish this as an official norm. DUO's public oefenexamens Lezen A2 contain 25 questions in 65 minutes, and that is the best number to base your preparation on.

May I go back to a previous question?

Yes. Within the exam you can go forward and back, and you can still change an answer as long as the time is running. Use that: skip a question you get stuck on and come back to it at the end with the time you have left.

What do I do with words I do not know?

Do not stop. Read the sentence and the sentence after it to the end; very often the meaning then becomes clear from the context. The exam tests whether you understand the text, not whether you know every word. If you stay stuck, skip the question and come back later.

May I bring a dictionary to the exam?

No. At the inburgeringsexamen you may not use any aids of your own. Do bring a valid identity document and make sure you are on time; arriving late can mean that you may not take part and that you lose your exam fee.

Reviewed by Marieke Schipper, certified NT2 teacher — August 23, 2026 This page is a translation of that reviewed Dutch text; the translation itself was not reviewed. The Dutch version is the source.

Practise the Lezen part

Free practice exam of ten questions, with an explanation after each answer. No account.

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