Lithuanian A2 Exam: Speaking Section Guide

Most people preparing for the Lithuanian A2 exam find the speaking section the most nerve-wracking. That is completely normal — speaking in a foreign language in front of a stranger, under time pressure, is genuinely difficult.

The good news: the speaking section follows a predictable structure. Once you know what to expect and have practised the key phrases, it becomes much less daunting.

The speaking interview lasts about 12–14 minutes in total and takes place face-to-face with an examiner at the exam centre.

How You Are Assessed

The examiner evaluates you on four criteria:

Communication effectiveness — Can you convey your meaning and respond to what is asked? Getting your point across matters more than perfect grammar.
Vocabulary and grammar — Are you using appropriate words and correct forms? Minor errors are expected at A2; major patterns of error reduce your score.
Pronunciation — Is your speech understandable? You do not need to sound like a native speaker — you need to be intelligible.
Time management — Can you sustain speech for the required time in each part? Very short answers may suggest you have not fully addressed the task.

Part 1: Self-Introduction (2–3 minutes)

The examiner asks you basic questions about yourself. Think of it as a friendly warm-up conversation. You will be asked about topics like:

Your name and nationality
Where you live and how long you have been in Lithuania
Your family
Your work or occupation
Your daily routine
Your hobbies and interests

Example questions and answers:

Kuo jūs vardu? (What is your name?) → Mano vardas yra Ana. Pavardė — Kovalenko.

Iš kur jūs esate? (Where are you from?) → Aš esu iš Ukrainos. Gyvenu Lietuvoje jau dvejus metus.

Kur jūs dirbate? (Where do you work?) → Dirbu parduotuvėje. Esu pardavėja.

Ar turite šeimą? (Do you have a family?) → Taip, turiu vyrą ir du vaikus. Jie taip pat gyvena Vilniuje.

Prepare 2–3 sentences for each of these topics. You do not need to memorise a speech — just have your personal details ready in Lithuanian so you can answer naturally.

Complete self-introduction example

Use this as a structure, not a script to memorise word for word:

Labas. Mano vardas Ana Kovalenko. Esu iš Ukrainos, bet jau dvejus metus gyvenu Vilniuje. Dirbu parduotuvėje netoli namų. Turiu vyrą ir du vaikus. Laisvalaikiu mėgstu vaikščioti parke, gaminti maistą ir mokytis lietuvių kalbos. Lietuvių kalbos mokausi todėl, kad noriu geriau kalbėti darbe ir kasdienėse situacijose.

The answer moves through six easy modules: identity, origin and residence, work, family, free time, and motivation. Replace each module with your own facts, then practise giving them in a different order when the examiner changes the question.

Part 2: Daily Life (4–5 minutes)

This part involves a back-and-forth conversation on an everyday topic. The examiner will:

Task A — You ask the examiner questions. You are given a card with a situation and you must ask the examiner 5 questions. For example, you might be given the scenario of finding out about a language course, and asked to find out:

When the course starts
Where it takes place
How much it costs
How many hours per week
What level it is for

Prepare question structures for these common information needs:

Kada...? — When...?
Kur...? — Where...?
Kiek kainuoja? — How much does it cost?
Kiek valandų per savaitę? — How many hours per week?
Ar reikia...? — Is it necessary to...?
Ar galima...? — Is it possible to...?

Task B — The examiner asks you questions. You answer 5 questions about an everyday topic — your daily routine, shopping habits, health, transport, hobbies, or similar. Answer in at least 2–3 sentences. Do not just say taip (yes) or ne (no) — add a detail or explanation.

Kaip dažnai jūs sportuojate? (How often do you do sport?) → Sportuoju du kartus per savaitę. Einu į sporto salę po darbo. Man patinka plaukti.

Eight examiner questions with natural A2 answers

These are original Examen practice examples, not official past NŠA questions.

Kur gyvenate? (Where do you live?) → Gyvenu Vilniuje, Žirmūnuose. Mano butas nedidelis, bet šalia yra parduotuvė ir autobusų stotelė.
Kaip vykstate į darbą? (How do you travel to work?) → Dažniausiai važiuoju autobusu. Kelionė trunka apie dvidešimt minučių, todėl iš namų išeinu pusę aštuonių.
Ką veikiate savaitgalį? (What do you do at the weekend?) → Šeštadienį tvarkau namus ir apsiperku. Sekmadienį su šeima einame pasivaikščioti arba aplankome draugus.
Kur perkate maistą? (Where do you buy food?) → Dažniausiai perku maistą parduotuvėje prie namų. Kartais savaitgalį važiuoju į turgų, nes ten randu šviežių daržovių.
Ką darote, kai sergate? (What do you do when you are ill?) → Kai sergu, lieku namuose ir ilsiuosi. Jei jaučiuosi blogiau, paskambinu gydytojui ir užsiregistruoju vizitui.
Koks jūsų mėgstamiausias metų laikas? (What is your favourite season?) → Man labiausiai patinka vasara, nes dienos ilgos ir šiltos. Galiu daugiau laiko praleisti lauke su šeima.
Ar dažnai sportuojate? (Do you exercise often?) → Sportuoju du kartus per savaitę. Po darbo einu į sporto salę, o savaitgalį kartais plaukioju baseine.
Kodėl mokotės lietuvių kalbos? (Why are you learning Lithuanian?) → Mokausi lietuvių kalbos, nes gyvenu ir dirbu Lietuvoje. Noriu geriau suprasti žmones ir drąsiau kalbėti kasdien.

The pattern is simple: answer the question directly, add one concrete detail, then give a reason or example. This reliably turns a one-word response into two natural A2 sentences.

Part 3: Picture Description (approximately 6 minutes)

You are shown a picture and asked to describe it and discuss the topic it relates to.

Task A — You describe the picture and answer questions about it. A good description covers:

Who is in the picture — Paveiksle matau moterį ir du vaikus (In the picture I can see a woman and two children)
Where they are — Jie yra parduotuvėje (They are in a shop)
What is happening — Moteris perka maistą (The woman is buying food)
What you think or feel about it — Manau, kad ji ruošiasi pietums (I think she is preparing for lunch)

Do not worry if you cannot name everything in the picture. Describe what you can see using vocabulary you know.

Task B — The examiner asks follow-up questions about the topic. If the picture shows shopping, expect questions like:

Kur jūs paprastai apsiperkate? (Where do you usually shop?) Ar jums patinka apsipirkti? (Do you like shopping?) Ką jūs perkate dažniausiai? (What do you buy most often?)

Connect your answers to your own life and experience. Personal examples make your speech sound more natural and give you more to say.

Complete picture-description example

Imagine a picture of a family eating breakfast in a kitchen. A complete answer could sound like this:

Paveiksle matau šeimą virtuvėje. Prie stalo sėdi moteris, vyras ir maža mergaitė. Jie valgo pusryčius. Ant stalo yra duona, vaisiai, arbata ir pienas. Moteris pila arbatą, o mergaitė valgo obuolį. Už lango šviečia saulė, todėl, manau, yra rytas. Šeima atrodo laiminga ir niekur neskuba.

This answer follows a repeatable sequence: who and where, the main action, visible details, and one reasonable inference. If you forget a noun, skip it and continue with what you can describe.

Possible follow-up questions and answers:

Ką jūs valgote pusryčiams? (What do you eat for breakfast?) → Dažniausiai valgau košę arba sumuštinį ir geriu arbatą. Savaitgalį pusryčiams turiu daugiau laiko.

Ar dažnai valgote su šeima? (Do you often eat with your family?) → Taip, vakarienę dažniausiai valgome kartu. Per pusryčius visi skuba, todėl ne visada susitinkame prie stalo.

Kas jūsų šeimoje gamina maistą? (Who cooks in your family?) → Dažniausiai gaminu aš, bet savaitgalį kartais gamina mano vyras. Vaikai padeda padengti stalą.

General Tips

Prepare topic vocabulary, not full scripts. Memorised speeches sound unnatural and fall apart if the examiner asks something unexpected. Instead, learn 10–15 key words for each main topic area and practise using them in sentences.

The A1/A2 vocabulary topic guide gives you a practical list of situations to cover in this preparation.

Speak in complete sentences. Even short sentences are better than single words. Taip, man patinka is better than just Taip.

Use connectors. Words like ir (and), bet (but), nes (because), todėl (therefore), pirma... po to (first... then) make your speech sound more developed, even at A2.

It is fine to ask for repetition. If you do not understand a question, say Prašom pakartoti (Please repeat) or Ar galite pasakyti dar kartą? (Could you say that again?). This is a normal part of communication, not a failure.

Practise speaking out loud, not just in your head. Reading and thinking in Lithuanian builds comprehension; speaking aloud builds fluency. Record yourself answering practice questions and listen back — you will notice patterns to improve.

Practise with a real person. Whether a teacher, language partner, or a friend learning Lithuanian, conversational practice before the exam is the most effective preparation. Simulate the exam format: ask and answer questions on the main topic areas under time pressure.

Do not freeze if you make a mistake. The examiner expects errors at A2 level. Keep going. A self-correction (Atsiprašau, norėjau pasakyti... — Sorry, I meant to say...) is even a positive sign of linguistic awareness.

Recovery Phrases When You Get Stuck

Learn a few phrases that help you stay in the conversation when you need more time or clarification:

Prašom pakartoti. — Please repeat.
Ar galite kalbėti lėčiau? — Could you speak more slowly?
Atsiprašau, nesupratau klausimo. — Sorry, I did not understand the question.
Nežinau šio žodžio, bet galiu paaiškinti. — I do not know this word, but I can explain.
Norėjau pasakyti... — I meant to say...
Leiskite pagalvoti. — Let me think.

Use one briefly, then continue your answer. The aim is to repair the conversation, not replace the answer.

Topics to Prepare

Cover these areas in your spoken practice:

Personal information (name, age, nationality, family, home)
Daily routine (morning routine, work, meals, evening)
Shopping (where, what, how often, preferences)
Health (how you feel, going to the doctor, common symptoms)
Transport (how you travel, public transport, car)
Leisure (hobbies, sport, weekend activities, going out)
Weather and seasons (what you like, what the weather is like today)
Work and study (what you do, where, how long)

For each topic, prepare to both ask and answer simple questions. The examiner may put you in either role.

Looking for more exam preparation help? See our guides on the reading, listening, and writing sections, or read the full exam overview.