Learning for a driver's license theory exam

I need your help.

I've got this Europa-Führschein 2007 CD-Rom and have been going through the 60 different sample tests. That's a lot of work.

There are about 900 different multiple choice questions. Do I have to memorize the answers to all of them? Is there an easier way of learning this?

Are the questions on the CD exactly the same as what you get on the real test?

I'm currently learning from the German CD (and my German is substandard). Will it make it a lot easier to start all over again in English.

I'm averaging about -20 points per sample test, where you're allowed to have -10.

Any tips or tricks would be appreciated...

I have no idea about the CD, as I used the sample tests that were on paper, but I imagine it's the same. Yes, you do need to memorize all the answers. I tried reading the book, studying the book, then taking the test without doing the sample tests. I failed miserably and lost 90 Euros. Second time around, I did all the tests several times and passed. The good news is - the questions repeat themselves many times - it's still a lot of work, but I don't think there are 900 different questions.

German vs. English...well, it would probably be a lot easier to do it in English...some of the words were complicated, even on the English version (this is because I know nothing about cars, nor did I particularly care to learn). Usually you can pick up a test of the sample tests on Toytown for pretty cheap...

Good luck with your studying!

recommendation: do the individual questions without doing the tests, the software is good in that it keeps a record of which questions you did wrong.
Memorize the answers. The English test is junk, it was translated using google or some software and the vocabulary is just strange and will throw you off, better do it in German, that way you learn some words and concentrate on memorizing rather than rationalizing.
I used a website, that way I could access the info from anywhere without lugging the program (and laptop) around

the paper exams are not worth it, the questions are repeated several times and it will just put you to sleep.
there are several websites that can help you, just do a google search.

Do tests 59, 60 & Zahlentest first, once you know the answers to these three you will find it all a lot easier. These three tests are the road signs and number questions which are important to have memorised, the other stuff is relatively easy. Good luck

I also tried to studying by just doing the practise tests on the CD. The problem I ran into is that it would only allow me to go over missed questions when in that particular test. Once I moved on to a new test I couldn't go back to missed questions from the previous tests and sometimes the questions seemed so similar I didn't understand the difference and I had no way to go back to the old tests to clarify the differences and get them right, so I felt that I'd never learn it. This is the downside to the CD test that I bought. I solved this borrowing 2 test books, one was great and really clarified and the other one sucked so there is a big difference in how the material is explained.

If english is your native language then I would definately study in english because it's mostly a game of memorizing and then recognizing the questions and I think that is much easier in your native language but then you must take the test in the same language otherwise you won't recognize the questions.

I ended up passing with a 100% but I couldn't have done it just based upon the CD practise tests just because of that problem of not being able to go back to missed questions and comparing them to very similar but slightly different questions.

Thanks a lot for the advice.

How many hours-weeks-months of study did it take you to get 100%? And yes, Mendy, I'm running into similar problems.

It seems like each one of the practice tests on the CD have just enough unique questions to prevent me from getting a passing score. About 60% of the questions are frequently asked, 20% are sometimes repeated, and another 20% (the killer) you only come across one time.

Is the actual test about the same or very similar in composition? Is there any chance that the actual tests are slightly easier? Can you remember which test book was the good one?

If you have to memorize all of the questions, there are about 900 on this CD to learn.

Also, I hear that once you fail the test you can't take it again for two weeks or longer? If the goal is to get it done as quickly as possible, should I take a chance and go right now, and plan on taking it again two weeks from now?

I just sat and passed mine with 100% too, I did each test once and did 59, 60 & Zahlentest about 4 times. As long as you have 59, 60 & Zahlen memorised the other stuff is mostly common sense. So I guess in total, maybe 15-20 hours study time

im doing my theory exam soon too, my german is not that bad so i figured id do the exam in german. i just bought the paper tests, but realised that there are no solutions!!
any ideas what i should do?? someone mentioned something about using a website...which one did u use??

cheers

The practice test should come with a card which you line up with the exam paper to give you the solutions

Just got my licence today after so much bullshit.

I ordered the paper practice tests in english (60 in all) it cost $70 from my fahrschule (they ripped me i'm sure)...

Went through them all and passed no problems.

If your German ain't that good then I'd recommend learning and taking the test in English because it will cost more if you have to do it twice.

Good Luck...

I hate the f------ bullshit bureaucracy here!

I just did my theory test in English today and got it all correctly answered. If you want to pass the first time, be prepared to study for at least 2 weeks. I did the 60 test papers (1800 questions) two times round, then by then, the first 20 questions for the test comes very easily. If you have problems with car issues like I did with wheels and engine, then you have to practice the last 10 questions for Klasse B for at least half or more of the practice papers! The actual test questions draws up different questions from all the 60 practice papers. In the beginning, I thought that one of the practice papers will be the actual exam, or at least that what I was informed by people that did it before. However, I checked with the practice papers and none of them matched to the one I did today. So, learn the first 20 questions very well ( signs, rechts vor links, photos ) and the last 10, you have to either memorize them or practice them until you know you will get only 1-2 mistakes minimum. Lastly, do 2 practice test before you go to bed, if you get all of them correctly answered, then you are prepared for the test! Viel Glueck!!

Thanks, everyone, for the very helpful information.

Villager, good tip on the web site. So far this one http://www.fuehrerschein-lernsystem.de/login.asp seems interesting. Was this the one you mean? Or was there another one? Working on the individual questions has been very helpful.

Timmeh, I agree. Concentrating on the road signs and the number questions is making a difference. Good advice.

Mendyh, yes, I am running into the same limitation with the CD. Not sure about which test book to get, but will have to look. Any suggestions?

Pleb, I wonder if they'll give me both the German and English version of the test so that I can compare? So many people are saying that the translation is bad, and by now I am many hours into studying it in German. I agree it makes the task 1000 times more difficult. At least I will need to take a dictionary with me. I hope at least that is allowed.

Kooster, thank you for the great information. I am definitely focussing on the last group of questions on the test. Was the test you did today more or less difficult than any of the practice tests?

If anyone has more suggestions, I'd be grateful.

Free version of the software (German only) is here: http://www.fuehrerscheinhilfe.de/fahrl.htm

It looks similar to the CD I paid EUR for.

I was working on recovering my motorcycle license and used http://www.bikeschein.de
the good thing about the individual question system is that you can focus on the hard ones
the bike-schein site allows you also to flag certain questions as "schwer" even if you guess them right
I passed the written exam with zero errors...great

Remember to bring your passport with you for both the practical and theoretical exams. I had a problem with a examiner a couple of years ago because he would not accept my Spanish DNI (Ausweiss) as an ID, his claim was that as a foreigner I need to have a passport. I made the mistake of arguing with him on this topic, since I know what is legal from the EU perspective. The Spanish consulate was very upset to find out that Cologne bureaucrats were requiring my passport when I am an EU citizen. However, being in the right does not mean you can reason with a German Beamter.

You are lucky they even knew that Spain was part of the EU!

Problem is that I'm still getting a lot of questions wrong.

If you take the test in German, Dekra tells me you can ask people to explain the meaning of some of the words. Using a dictionary to help translate is not allowed. It would have been best to be able to see the English and German tests side by side when you take them, but that isn't allowed either.

If you fail the test (likely for me), you have to wait 14 days before taking it again. OR (if you're in a rush), you can take a 90-minute class with a driving school, and then you can take the test again in 3 days.

Why don't you just take the English test? If you're not understanding the wording of the questions, you should take the English version. After a while, you realize it's all about memorizing the questions and their answers. The translation's not SO bad that you can't understand what's being asked.

Easy peasy.

If I had to do it over again, I may have done it in English.

Now I know words like Druckluftschläuche and Kugelgelenk

But I have already put something like 20+ hours into studying the German version. Looks like there's no turning back now...

doing it in German is at least combining two tasks in one (practising reading and learning German traffic rules)
just be patient, it will take some time (1 hour/day for 2 to 3 weeks)
Germans will be very supportive if you tell them you are doing it in German, may even buy you beers

I have a few more pressing questions.

I have easily put more than 25 hours into studying for this test. I'm STILL unsure about what to do. Can anyone help?

Kooster!

You wrote:


Are you sure of this? If so, it means you only have to learn the questions on the 60 practice tests. True?


Can you clarify what you mean? The last 10 practice tests I did, I passed 5 of them, failed the other 5, usually by 2 (sometimes 3) questions.

Is that good enough? How do I know when I'm ready to take the test?

Thanks to everyone who helped me here, I passed the test today.

Some off line advice I got helped the most:




Just to summarize in detail for anyone else who ever needs to do this. Here is what you need to know to make it as easy as possible.

1. Take the English version of the test unless your German is very proficient. I made it 5X harder on myself by having to learn all the automotive vocabulary + dealing with some of the trick questions where grammatical nuances can be a problem. I took the German version, and needed about 3 weeks of study, averaging about 3-4 hours per day.

2. Concentrate on the sample tests. Then make a list of the challenging questions + questions you got wrong, and concentrate on learning them.

3. Test yourself with the list of challenging questions.

4. Then go back and re-do the tests that you failed by 2 questions or more. Until you can get pass them. I did all of the sample tests at least once, then repeated the tests that I failed by more than 2 questions. I must have done about 80-90 practice tests in total.

3. The version of the test I got today was slightly different from the sample tests:

About 50% of the questions were the same as on the sample tests and very easy. These came from the questions that are most commonly repeated on the sample tests.

About 40% of the questions were the same as on the sample tests and moderately easy. These came from questions that very rarely appeared on the sample tests.

About 10% of the questions were the same as on the sample tests and somewhat more challenging. They were questions that maybe only appeared once on the sample tests.

There may also have been one or two questions that never appeared on any of the sample test, but they were very similar to questions that I had already seen.

I missed only one question. I also had the opportunity to ask the test supervisor for an explanation on one question, but I picked one that I had already answered correctly, so he decided he didn't need to help me.

Call in advance to make an appointment so that they know when you are coming.

Someone asked me the following questions off line. My answer below.


I don't have more of an explanation. Someone at Dekra (where I took the exam) told me about this possibility. Since all you need is a 90-minute class, I would call around until I found a driving school that I liked, and take the class there. Don't give your business to unfriendly organizations if you can avoid it. As you are likely just throwing time and money away.

Check the links above or search some of the keywords in Google for the website. Some of the sites are free, and some are inexpensive and seemed relatively good.

The CD I bought at the bookstore (Hugendubel) wasn't expensive, but some of the web sites were better and cheaper. I don't know which ones have Mac versions. But most of the web sites will work in your case. Good luck.

Hi All,

I need to get some help on this drivers test. I have a US license so I just need to take the written exam. I went to a fahrschule and they have the practice exam in english for EUR 65. Isn't there some type of drivers manual I can get in English before I spend 65 euros? Anyone take this exam recently? What is the minimum score to pass?

Thanks,
Jason

Has anyone taken the theoritical test for a driver's license here? I was told by the office that it is 300 questions in English or German. The reason I am thinking of taking it, is because I am an American and wanted to simply change by Stateside license to an EU License, but for some reason the German government recognized some states and not others. So weird, if my original Driver's License for Pennsylvania was still valid they could change it no problem, but since before moving to German I last lived in D.C., they will only go by the agreement between Germany and D.C. How stupid, why can't they realize that every state and district of the US has reciprictiy with every other state, therefore, if I would have know, I could have switched to another state before coming here. But, no, the internet said that Hessen did not worry about the state anymore (that was according to the American Chamber of Commerce in Germany), but I guess not true.

Now the dilemma I have is to take the theorical test, or return to the US pick a different state to switch my license, and then come back and switch it and thus avoid the test.

any tips, recommendations, comments? otherwise, thanks for listening.

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I only know the agreement between oregon and germany. But I have to take the same test. However I was told I can take it in english witha cheat sheet of common german driving terms. You get this from the fahrschule, driving school, in the area. A test guide in english. It costs a little bit but not much. And it is all english. Hope that helps.

I have to do it, too. I'm procrastinating for as long as possible. 6 months, right?

The German Theoretical test is 30 questions...although the study material is about 500 questions. you can only miss 10 pt and each question is worth different points. When I was took the test...none of the people taking the English test passed...so I'm trying again. Those who took the German test passed. Only 10 people are allowed to take the test per testing session.

So... that means you already have the study material, could I borrow it. We could study together. I have a USAREUR license too, which lets me drive in Germany, so I did pass that test, but I want a EU license so I have no problems while touring Europe, or for later in life.