Inburgering · Updated 2026-10-19
How to use the DUO KNM practice exam (oefenexamen walkthrough)
Before you book a paid attempt at the Knowledge of Dutch Society exam (Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij, KNM), DUO gives you something better than another random quiz: two free official practice exams: Practice exam A2 KNM 1 and Practice exam A2 KNM 2 (in Dutch: Oefenexamen A2 KNM 1 and Oefenexamen A2 KNM 2). This walkthrough shows you how to find them, how to run the first timed seating, how to review by theme afterwards, when to take the second exam, and what the official practice does not teach. It is different from our 4-week study plan (calendar and booking) and from our free sample Q&A (bilingual drills). Here the focus is the DUO oefenexamen itself.
Unofficial study guide by Lotus & Tulip. We are not affiliated with DUO, Cito or the Dutch government. Practice links, exam rules and content can change. Always check inburgeren.nl and your own status in Mijn Inburgering.
On this page: What it is (and is not) · Where to find KNM 1 & 2 · Desktop vs phone · First timed run · Review by theme · Second practice exam · What DUO practice does not teach · Common mistakes · How unofficial packs fit · FAQ · Sources
What the DUO KNM oefenexamen is (and is not)
DUO publishes free practice exams at language proficiency level A2 for Writing, Speaking, Listening, Reading and Knowledge of Dutch Society.[1] For KNM there are exactly two online practice exams on the practising page. They are meant to feel like the real computer exam: themes, Dutch questions, and a seating you can finish in one go.
The real KNM exam is computer-based, organised by themes (for example wonen or werk en inkomen), and lasts 45 minutes.[2] Since 1 July 2025 it follows revised objectives: more knowledge questions, photos instead of long introduction videos, and extra attention to topics such as the Holocaust and women's self-determination. Our overview: KNM exam 2025 changes explained.
What the oefenexamen is:
- An official DUO practice seating you can open from inburgeren.nl.
- A way to feel the pace and Dutch wording of a knowledge exam before you book.
- A diagnostic: your wrong answers show which of the eight themes need repair.
What it is not:
- Not your real exam result, and not a pass guarantee.
- Not a full bilingual lesson bank (questions are in Dutch; explanations for depth come from other sources).
- Not a substitute for checking your personal path, fees and free attempts in Mijn Inburgering.[3]
- Not “leaked” real exam questions. The real exam is confidential; candidates must not share or photograph questions.[4]
Where to find Practice exam A2 KNM 1 and 2
Open DUO's practising page (English or Dutch, same content):
- English: Practicing for the exam[1]
- Dutch: Oefenen[1]
Scroll to Knowledge of Dutch Society (KNM) / Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij (KNM). You should see two links:
- Practice exam A2 KNM 1 / Oefenexamen KNM 1 (link in Dutch on the page)
- Practice exam A2 KNM 2 / Oefenexamen KNM 2 (link in Dutch on the page)
Bookmark the practising page, not only the deep link to one exam. DUO updates practice materials when the exam changes; starting from the practising hub keeps you on the current set. If your exam date is after 1 July 2025, use the new practice exams on that page, not old booklets written for the 2015 objectives.[5]
Desktop vs phone, and Dutch UI tips
DUO's practising page is clear: a desktop computer is the preferred device. If you practise on a phone or tablet, tilt the device (landscape).[1] That matches how you will sit the real exam, on a computer in an exam room, so train the same way.
- Desktop or laptop: full screen, quiet room, no second monitor distractions. Use Chrome, Firefox or Edge; keep only the practice tab open.
- Phone or tablet: rotate to landscape, silence notifications, and accept that buttons and text will feel smaller than on exam day.
- Dutch UI: the practice exam interface and questions are in Dutch. That is intentional. Before you start, make sure you know common button words: volgende (next), vorige (previous), klaar / afronden (finish), antwoord (answer). If a word in a question is unknown, note it for later. Do not stop the timer to look everything up on the first run.
- Speaking exams are different: DUO notes you cannot practise the Speaking exam in Safari.[1] That note is for Spreken, not KNM, but it is a reminder to check browser quirks before exam week.
Step-by-step: your first timed run (before deep study)
Do Practice exam A2 KNM 1 before you bury yourself in notes. A cold seating tells you what you already know. A seating after weeks of study only tells you what you just memorised.
- Set a 45-minute timer: the same length as the real KNM exam.[2]
- Close chat, email and translation apps. On the first run you are measuring exam conditions, not learning new facts.
- Open Practice exam A2 KNM 1 from the practising page and start when the timer starts.[1]
- Read every question twice. Words like niet (not) and eerst (first) flip the answer. Theme labels on screen (housing, work, healthcare…) are clues: stay inside that theme's logic.
- Answer every item. On a knowledge exam, blank answers help nobody. If unsure, pick the best option and mark the question number on paper to review later.
- Stop when the timer ends, even if you are not finished. Note how many items you left. Pace is part of the skill.
- Write down your rough score (correct / total) and the date. You will compare this with Practice exam A2 KNM 2 later.
Do not restart the same exam immediately “to get a better score”. The diagnostic value is in the first honest pass.
How to review wrong answers by theme (the 8 themes)
After the seating, the useful work begins. Group every wrong or guessed answer under the official theme it belongs to. The eight themes from the revised objectives are:[5][6]
- Werk en inkomen (work and income)
- Omgangsvormen, waarden en normen (manners, values and norms)
- Wonen (housing)
- Gezondheid en gezondheidszorg (health and healthcare)
- Geschiedenis en geografie (history and geography)
- Instanties (public authorities)
- Staatsinrichting en rechtsstaat (government and rule of law)
- Onderwijs en opvoeding (education and parenting)
For each miss, write one line in your own words: the fact, which organisation or rule it involves, and any Dutch word that blocked you. A one-page “who does what” table (gemeente, huisarts, UWV, Belastingdienst, DUO, IND…) fixes more KNM errors than rereading a whole chapter. Theme-by-theme study points: KNM exam themes explained. High-value words: 114-word KNM vocabulary list.
Spend your next two or three study sessions only on the two weakest themes from this first oefenexamen. Then widen out. That order beats “read everything once”.
Second practice exam as a progress check
When you have repaired the weak themes from exam 1, typically after one to two weeks of focused study, take Practice exam A2 KNM 2 under the same 45-minute desktop conditions.[1][2]
- Compare score and unfinished items with exam 1.
- If the same themes still fail, those themes are not “done”. Watch the matching Netinnederland subject videos DUO recommends, then drill again.[1]
- If the score is clearly higher and the remaining misses are scattered, you are closer to booking. Confirm fees and free attempts first. See how much the KNM exam costs and how to book.
Save exam 2 for progress, not for daily drilling. Repeating the same two official seats every day teaches the practice set, not Dutch society.
What DUO practice does not teach (depth → Netinnederland + bilingual practice)
The oefenexamens show format and level. They are not a full course. DUO's own practising page points you to more practice and help:[1]
- Netinnederland.nl: videos on exam subjects. Watch once for meaning, again with Dutch subtitles, pause for new words.
- oefenen.nl: extra lessons.
- Local help via public libraries, lezenenschrijven.nl and hetbegintmettaal.nl.
Use bilingual drills after the official seats, not instead of them. Understanding a fact in English (or your own language) first, then reading it again in Dutch, sticks better than memorising Dutch sentences you do not understand. Our free bilingual set: 12 practice questions with answers. Prefer to click through and get a score? Try the free online KNM practice quiz (20 questions, Dutch + English, with explanations). Want a timed dress rehearsal between DUO's two practice exams? Our free KNM mock exam has 40 new questions, a 45-minute timer and a score per theme. For a calendar that already slots oefenexamen 1 in week 1 and oefenexamen 2 in week 4, use the 4-week KNM study plan.
Common mistakes when using oefenexamens
- Practising only on a phone in portrait. DUO prefers desktop; tilt if you must use a phone.[1]
- Studying the answers before the first timed run. You lose the diagnostic.
- Ignoring themes. A raw percentage without a theme breakdown does not tell you what to study next.
- Treating the practice score as a pass guarantee. It is feedback, not an official uitslag. What the 28-out-of-40 practice benchmark means for the real exam: KNM exam results and pass mark.
- Using pre-2025 materials as your main practice. Objectives changed on 1 July 2025; use the current practice exams on DUO's page.[5]
- Skipping Netinnederland after a weak theme. DUO lists those videos for a reason.[1]
- Buying random “real exam” PDFs. Real questions must not be shared; anything claiming to be the live exam is either fake or should not exist.[4]
- Booking a paid attempt before one honest timed practice. Even free attempts cost time; paid extras cost €50.[3]
How unofficial packs fit (after official practice)
Order of work that respects the official sources:
- DUO Practice exam A2 KNM 1 (timed, desktop).[1]
- Theme repair with Netinnederland + your mistakes page.[1]
- Bilingual volume for weak themes (free blog questions, free sampler, optional pack).
- DUO Practice exam A2 KNM 2 as a progress check.[1]
- Book via Mijn Inburgering when the second seat looks solid and your free/paid attempt rules are clear.[3]
Unofficial packs sit in step 3. They add volume and bilingual support. They do not replace DUO's oefenexamens, and they are not affiliated with DUO or Cito.
FAQ
How many official KNM practice exams does DUO offer?
Two at A2 for KNM: Practice exam A2 KNM 1 and Practice exam A2 KNM 2, linked from the practising page (links labelled in Dutch).[1]
Should I use a phone or a computer?
Desktop is preferred. On a phone or tablet, tilt the device.[1]
How long should I time myself?
45 minutes: the length of the real KNM exam.[2]
Do I take KNM 1 or KNM 2 first?
Take 1 first as a cold diagnostic, repair themes, then take 2 as a progress check. Save 2; do not burn both the same afternoon.
Are the practice exams the same as the real exam?
No. They are official practice. Your real result comes only from the exam you sit after registering. Practice scores are study feedback.
Where do I go after the oefenexamens?
Netinnederland videos and oefenen.nl lessons for more practice; libraries / lezenenschrijven.nl / hetbegintmettaal.nl if you need help.[1] Then bilingual drills and, when ready, booking. See cost and booking.
Did the practice exams change in 2025?
Yes in substance: from 1 July 2025 the exam follows new objectives. DUO advises practising with the (updated) practice exams on the practising page if you sit the exam after that date.[5]
Lotus & Tulip makes unofficial practice material. We are not affiliated with DUO, Cito or the Dutch government. Practice links and rules can change, always verify on the official sites below and in Mijn Inburgering.
Sources
- DUO / inburgeren.nl (EN): Practising for the exam (A2 practice exams including Practice exam A2 KNM 1 & 2; desktop tip; Netinnederland, oefenen.nl, libraries / lezenenschrijven.nl / hetbegintmettaal.nl), checked 2026-10-19. NL twin: Oefenen
- DUO / inburgeren.nl: Kennisexamens (KNM computer-based, themes, 45 minutes), checked 2026-10-19
- DUO / inburgeren.nl: Inburgeren betalen (fees and free-attempt rules; confirm in Mijn Inburgering), checked 2026-10-19
- DUO / inburgeren.nl: Regels voor het examen (exam rules; confidentiality of questions), checked 2026-10-19
- DUO / inburgeren.nl (EN): Changes in the exam as from 1 July (news archive, 3 April 2025 item; use new practice exams after 1 July 2025). NL: Vanaf 1 juli ander examen KNM
- Staatscourant 2024, 15802 (revised KNM objectives / eight themes, in force 1 July 2025)
Checked against the sources above on 14 October 2026. General study guidance, not legal advice. Related reading: 4-week study plan · KNM exam themes · vocabulary list · practice questions · free KNM quiz · KNM mock exam · exam cost & booking · 2025 changes · KNM exam results & resits.