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Never Freeze in a German Speaking Test: 5 Phrases That Buy You Time

GetGermanReady••5 min readSpeakingExam tipsB1

Every speaking exam has the same trap. The examiner asks something, you know you could answer it, but you need three seconds to find the words — and in those three seconds of silence, panic sets in. Here's what almost nobody tells you: it isn't the pause that hurts your score. It's going silent. And the fix is a handful of phrases that let you think out loud, the way a native does.

German speaking exams (Goethe and telc, at A2 and B1) grade fluency and interaction (alongside pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar), not reaction speed. An examiner can't read your mind — they can only hear whether you keep the turn going in German. A silent gap reads as „can't continue.“ A little filler reads as „thinking, still in control.“

The secret
You're rewarded for keeping the conversation moving, not for answering instantly. Buy yourself time in German and you stay in charge of the turn.

The 5 phrases that buy you time

  1. „Also …“ — Well… / So… The universal opener. It signals „I'm starting my answer“ and gives you a beat to organise it.
  2. „Moment mal.“ — Hold on a second. Claims a beat to think — keep the tone light so it reads as „let me gather this,“ not an interruption.
  3. „Das ist eine gute Frage.“ — That's a good question. Buys a full sentence's worth of time and sounds thoughtful.
  4. „Lassen Sie mich kurz überlegen.“ — Let me think for a moment. Formal and natural; examiners hear this from strong candidates.
  5. „Wie soll ich sagen …“ — How should I put it… Perfect while you search for the right word.

Notice these aren't answers — they're bridges. They keep you speaking German while your brain catches up, which is exactly the impression you want to give.

The word behind the pause: überlegen

überlegen
über — over+legen — to lay / put
literally to lay something over (in your mind)→to think something over, to consider. „Ich überlege.“ = I'm thinking it over. In „sich etwas überlegen“ it means to mull a decision before deciding.

How to use them (without overdoing it)

  • One bridge per pause. String three fillers together and it sounds like stalling. Use one, then start your answer.
  • Then actually start. A bridge buys about two seconds — use them to begin, even imperfectly: „Also … ich denke, dass …“
  • Vary them. Repeating „ähm, ähm“ hurts; rotating „Also … / Moment … / gute Frage …“ sounds natural.
  • Pair a bridge with a sentence starter: „Das ist eine gute Frage. Ich denke, …“

Common mistakes

  • English fillers. „Um, like, you know“ instantly break the German. Swap them for „ähm“ and the phrases above.
  • Long silence. Two seconds of „Also …“ beats five seconds of nothing, every time.
  • Over-apologising. „Entschuldigung, ich weiß nicht …“ concedes defeat. Bridge and attempt instead.
  • Only using „ähm“. One „ähm“ is human; ten is a red flag. Mix in real phrases.
The examiner asks why you chose your job. You need a moment to think. What do you say first?
A bridge: „Das ist eine gute Frage. Also, ich habe diesen Beruf gewählt, weil …“ — you've kept the floor and already started your answer.
Why is „Moment mal.“ better than just pausing silently?
It keeps you speaking German and signals control. Silence reads as „can't continue“; „Moment mal.“ reads as „thinking“ — and only one of those helps your fluency score.

The takeaway

A speaking exam isn't a quiz you answer at speed — it's a conversation you keep alive. Learn five short bridges, use one whenever you need to think, and you'll never freeze into scoring silence again. The fluent-sounding candidate isn't the one who never pauses; it's the one who pauses in German.

Practise thinking out loud in German — with instant feedback — here: