The paper-based TestDaF Leseverstehen section takes 60 minutes and consists of three parts with 30 items total. Lesetext 1 has 10 matching items (ca. 10 minutes), Lesetext 2 has 10 three-option multiple-choice items (ca. 20 minutes), and Lesetext 3 has 10 items of true/false/not-mentioned (Ja / Nein / Text sagt dazu nichts) (ca. 20 minutes). You also receive an additional 10 minutes at the end to transfer your answers to the answer sheet.

Lesetext 1 consists of 8 short texts (A–H) representing typical university-life advertisements or course offers. You must match them to 10 situational statements or interests (items 1–10). For each item, you write the letter of the matching text. Importantly, three of the items have no matching text, and for those you must write the letter "I". Items 01 and 02 are already solved as examples, and you cannot reuse their matching text.

Lesetext 2 features a journalistic or socio-political text of 450–550 words (typically from a newspaper or magazine). It is followed by 10 multiple-choice questions (items 11–20), each with three options (A, B, C). The questions proceed chronologically through the text, making it easier to locate the relevant paragraphs.

Lesetext 3 is an academic or scientific text of 550–650 words (from a scientific journal or higher education publication). It is followed by 10 statements (items 21–30). For each statement, you must decide whether the statement is true (Ja), false (Nein), or not mentioned in the text (Text sagt dazu nichts). This task requires deep comprehension and distinguishing between negative evidence and missing information.

Your raw score (out of 30 correct answers) is converted into one of the official TestDaF levels: TDN 3 (B2.1/B2.2), TDN 4 (C1.1), or TDN 5 (C1.2). Generally, 15–19 correct answers map to TDN 3, 20–24 to TDN 4, and 25–30 to TDN 5, though exact conversion scales may shift slightly per test based on difficulty.

For Lesetext 1, start by reading the items first, underline key requirements, and eliminate matched texts immediately. For Lesetext 2, read the first question before reading the paragraphs, find the matching passage, and compare the options carefully. For Lesetext 3, focus on distinguishing "Nein" (which means the text directly contradicts the statement) from "Text sagt dazu nichts" (where the text discusses the topic but does not verify or falsify that specific detail). Always use the margins of your paper booklet to write notes, and underline keywords ("Schlüsselwörter markieren").