You've passed the test, your documents are complete, and the letter from the naturalisation office gives you a date. Then a friend mentions that at her appointment, the official asked: „Sie bekennen sich zur freiheitlichen demokratischen Grundordnung. Was bedeutet das für Sie?“ She knew the answer in English. In German, across a desk, it came out in pieces.
This guide covers the German citizenship interview questions you may hear at the naturalisation office: what the law requires, what the test looks like, what an official may ask at the appointment, and model answers in German built only from official facts. It's written for the conversation, not the multiple-choice test, because the conversation is the part nobody prepares.
What the law requires for German citizenship
The conditions are set out in § 10 of the Nationality Act (Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz, StAG). Among other requirements, you need[1]:
| Requirement | What § 10 StAG says, in short |
|---|---|
| Residence | Five years of lawful habitual residence in Germany |
| Commitment | A commitment to the free democratic basic order of the Basic Law |
| Historical responsibility | A commitment to Germany's special historical responsibility for the Nazi tyranny and its consequences, in particular the protection of Jewish life |
| Language | Sufficient German: the requirements of a B1 exam |
| Knowledge of Germany | Knowledge of the legal and social order and living conditions, as a rule proven by the naturalisation test |
The law also states that antisemitic, racist or otherwise inhuman acts are incompatible with human dignity[1]. And the shortcut that once allowed naturalisation after three years is gone: that paragraph has been repealed, so five years is the rule.
The naturalisation test: 33 questions, 17 to pass
The written test, often called Einbürgerungstest or Leben in Deutschland, has 33 multiple-choice questions: thirty general ones and three about your federal state. You pass with at least 17 correct answers and have 60 minutes[2]. All questions come from a published catalogue of 300 general questions plus ten per federal state[3], and the BAMF offers a free online practice test[8].
For most people, the test is the easy part. You can learn the catalogue. What you can't learn by heart is a conversation.
What can happen at the appointment
At the appointment you sign, and often say in person, that you commit to the free democratic basic order. An official may ask you questions to check that you understand what you're committing to. There is no separate oral exam in the law, and how many questions are asked, if any, differs between offices.
Three things help in that conversation:
- Speak calmly and use Sie. It's a formal appointment with an official, not a job interview. Short, clear sentences are better than long ones.
- Answer with facts, in your own words. The official wants to hear that you understand the principles. You don't have to share private opinions about politics or religion.
- Ask if you didn't understand. „Könnten Sie die Frage bitte wiederholen?“ is perfectly normal, and better than guessing.
Seven questions you may hear, with fact-based answers
The model answers below use only facts from the Basic Law, the Nationality Act, the Federal Constitutional Court and the BAMF catalogue. Adapt the wording; keep the facts.
1. „Seit wann leben Sie in Deutschland, und warum möchten Sie Deutsche oder Deutscher werden?“
This one is about you, so there are no official facts to check. Keep it honest and short: when you came, what ties you to Germany, what citizenship means for you.
Ich lebe seit sieben Jahren in Deutschland. Ich arbeite hier, meine Freunde sind hier, und ich möchte wählen dürfen und ganz an dieser Gesellschaft teilhaben.
2. „Sie bekennen sich zur freiheitlichen demokratischen Grundordnung. Was bedeutet das für Sie?“
The Federal Constitutional Court described the free democratic basic order in its 2017 NPD judgment with three core elements: human dignity, democracy and the rule of law[7].
Für mich bedeutet das drei Dinge: Die Würde jedes Menschen ist geschützt, und alle sind vor dem Recht gleich. Alle Bürgerinnen und Bürger können gleichberechtigt an der Politik teilhaben, und alle Staatsgewalt geht vom Volk aus. Und der Staat ist an das Recht gebunden, unabhängige Gerichte kontrollieren das, und Gewalt darf nur der Staat ausüben.
3. „In Artikel 1 des Grundgesetzes geht es um die Würde des Menschen. Was bedeutet das?“
Article 1 opens with „Die Würde des Menschen ist unantastbar.“[4] Quote it, then explain it simply.
Die Würde des Menschen ist unantastbar. Das heißt, der Staat muss jeden Menschen achten und schützen, egal welche Herkunft, welchen Glauben oder welches Geschlecht er hat. Niemand darf so behandelt werden, als wäre er weniger wert.
4. „Welche Grundrechte sind Ihnen besonders wichtig?“
Pick one or two fundamental rights and say why. Freedom of expression (Art. 5)[5], freedom of religion and equality between men and women are common, solid choices.
Besonders wichtig ist mir die Meinungsfreiheit: Jeder darf seine Meinung frei sagen und schreiben. Grenzen setzen die allgemeinen Gesetze, der Jugendschutz und die persönliche Ehre.
5. „Was können Sie tun, wenn Sie mit einer Entscheidung einer Behörde nicht einverstanden sind?“
The rule of law gives you a way to challenge a decision: anyone whose rights are violated by public authority can go to court (Art. 19 para. 4 of the Basic Law)[9].
Ich kann mich rechtlich wehren. Wenn eine Behörde meine Rechte verletzt, kann ich vor Gericht gehen, und unabhängige Gerichte prüfen, ob sich der Staat an das Recht gehalten hat. Ich darf Entscheidungen auch öffentlich kritisieren.
6. „Wie wird in Deutschland der Bundestag gewählt, und ab welchem Alter darf man wählen?“
A pure fact question. The Basic Law sets the principles and the voting age: elections are general, direct, free, equal and secret, and anyone aged 18 may vote[6]. The Bundestag is elected for four years[10].
Der Bundestag wird in allgemeiner, unmittelbarer, freier, gleicher und geheimer Wahl gewählt, und zwar alle vier Jahre. Wählen darf, wer 18 Jahre alt ist.
A common slip here is „ab 16“. For the Bundestag, the Basic Law says 18.
7. „Sie bekennen sich auch zur besonderen historischen Verantwortung Deutschlands. Was verstehen Sie darunter?“
This commitment is written into the Nationality Act: responsibility for the Nazi tyranny and its consequences, in particular the protection of Jewish life[1]. The National Socialists ruled Germany from 1933 to 1945[3].
Deutschland trägt eine besondere Verantwortung für die Verbrechen der Nationalsozialisten zwischen 1933 und 1945. Für mich heißt das, jüdisches Leben in Deutschland zu schützen und gegen Antisemitismus und Rassismus einzutreten. Solche Taten sind mit der Menschenwürde unvereinbar.
How to answer: facts, not opinions
The pattern behind all seven answers is the same, and it works for questions you didn't prepare:
- Name the principle in one sentence („Die Würde des Menschen ist unantastbar“).
- Explain it in your own words in one or two sentences.
- Stop. A short, correct answer is better than a long one with a factual mistake.
If a question is about your life, such as why you want to become German, answer honestly and briefly. If it's about the constitution, stay with what the Basic Law says. You don't have to tell the official what you think about a party, a religion or a government decision, and a good answer never needs that.
Useful phrases for the appointment
- „Könnten Sie die Frage bitte wiederholen?“ Could you repeat the question, please?
- „Wenn ich Sie richtig verstehe, fragen Sie nach …?“ If I understand you correctly, you're asking about …?
- „Darf ich kurz überlegen?“ May I think for a moment?
- „Das bedeutet für mich vor allem …“ For me, that means above all …
The language level for citizenship is B1, the same threshold that matters for permanent residence; what B1 means in practice is explained in is B1 German enough to work in Germany?. And if your appointment is still months away, how long it takes to learn German helps you plan the time.
Practise the conversation, not just the test
The multiple-choice test checks whether you know the facts. The appointment checks whether you can say them, in German, to a person. Those are different skills, and the second one only grows by speaking: answer a question out loud, notice where the sentence broke, say it again.
MyBeruf has a practice situation for exactly this appointment, with these seven questions. Its feedback checks your facts against the official sources and never judges your opinions.