How the speaking part works
Mówienie takes up to 15 minutes and is worth 40 points; you need at least 20 points. According to the official sample test, it goes like this:
- A short chat with the committee — introduce yourself, answer a couple of questions. A warm-up.
- You draw a set of tasks and prepare for about 5 minutes.
- Three tasks in any order: photo description, a talk, a situation. Committee members may ask questions while you answer.
Task 1: describing a photo
Describe the photo and the situation in it: who the people are, where they are, what they are doing. The Commission’s description of the B1 speaking part advises going from the general to the details: what I see → where → what they are doing → what I think about it.
Na zdjęciu widzę… · Na pierwszym planie… · W tle… · Po lewej / po prawej stronie… · Wydaje mi się, że… · Prawdopodobnie ci ludzie…Do not just list objects. Guesses such as «Wydaje mi się, że to rodzina na wakacjach» ("I think it is a family on holiday") show B1 far better than «stół, krzesło, okno».
Task 2: a short talk
An everyday topic: the sample test has «Rzeczy, bez których trudno byłoby mi żyć, to…» ("Things I could hardly live without are…"); the Commission’s description uses «Moja rodzina» ("My family"). You need a short, connected talk with an opening, a body and a conclusion. The 5 minutes of preparation are for three or four keywords, not for writing a script.
Chciałbym / Chciałabym opowiedzieć o… · Po pierwsze… Po drugie… · Na przykład… · Dlatego… · Podsumowując…Prepare for common topics in advance: family, work, home and city, free time, travel, health, shopping, plans. Do not memorise a text — the committee can hear it — keep the structure and 10–15 useful phrases per topic in mind.
Task 3: the situation
A role-play with the examiner in an everyday situation. In the sample test you order a birthday cake for a friend by phone and agree on the details. The point is not elegant Polish but getting the job done: greet, explain what you need, ask about details, ask again if needed, say goodbye.
Dzień dobry, dzwonię w sprawie… · Chciałabym zamówić… · Na kiedy? · Ile to będzie kosztować? · Czy mogłaby Pani powtórzyć? · Dziękuję, do widzenia.How the 40 points are awarded
| What is marked | Points |
|---|---|
| Task 1 — photo description | 0–7 |
| Task 2 — talk | 0–7 |
| Task 3 — situation | 0–6 |
| Grammar | 0–8 |
| Vocabulary and style | 0–8 |
| Pronunciation and fluency | 0–4 |
Half the points are for doing the tasks and half for language. Pronunciation and fluency count for only 4 points: an accent will not stop you passing if you are understood. The Commission says explicitly that pronunciation mistakes should not prevent understanding (speaking part description).
Dealing with nerves
Silence costs more than a mistake. Forgot a word? Describe it. Did not understand the question? Ask again — it is a normal part of conversation, not a minus.
Przepraszam, czy może Pan / Pani powtórzyć pytanie? · Niech pomyślę… · To dobre pytanie… · Nie pamiętam tego słowa, ale chodzi o…- Rehearse your first minute. Five or six sentences about yourself: where you are from, what you do, why you are learning Polish. A confident start takes away half the stress.
- Speak aloud every day — even two minutes recorded on your phone. Your voice gets used to Polish and you hear your own mistakes.
- Do a mock exam with someone who asks questions like the committee — a teacher, a native speaker or our speaking club.
For the whole day, from check-in to the last task, read what happens on exam day.
Sources
- certyfikatpolski.pl — przykładowy test B1 (PDF)
- certyfikatpolski.pl — B1 Mówienie: opis części ustnej (PDF)
- certyfikatpolski.pl — Struktura egzaminu
- certyfikatpolski.pl — Najczęściej zadawane pytania (opłaty, progi zaliczenia, certyfikat)
- certyfikatpolski.pl — Testy egzaminacyjne z poprzednich lat (arkusze, nagrania, transkrypcje)
