The FIDE Picture Description Formula: Speak Confidently in 4 Steps

Quick summary

The picture description (Bildbeschreibung) is task 1 of the FIDE oral exam. You're shown a photo of an everyday Swiss situation and asked to describe it. Most candidates panic. A simple 4-step formula — introduction, scene, action, conclusion — works on any picture, produces enough material for a full 1–2 minute response, and uses only A1/A2 vocabulary you already know. Memorise four sets of opening phrases (one per step), and you'll never freeze in front of an exam picture again.

For context: see the complete FIDE exam guide and the 11 official speaking topics the picture is drawn from.

The first task on the FIDE speaking exam is a picture description. The examiner slides a photo across the table — a doctor's waiting room, a family at breakfast, someone at a post office counter — and asks you to talk about what you see.

For about 90% of candidates I've spoken to, this is the moment they fear most. There's no warm-up. There's no question to answer. There's just a picture, an examiner watching, and a blank space where words are supposed to come out.

The good news: this task is the most predictable part of the entire exam. The picture changes; the structure doesn't. If you have a formula, the words come.

The 4-step formula

Every picture description, regardless of what's in the picture, follows the same four steps:

1. Introduction — one sentence introducing the picture.
2. Scene — two or three sentences describing what's in it.
3. Action — one or two sentences describing what people are doing.
4. Conclusion — one sentence guessing the situation.

That's 5–8 sentences total. About 90 seconds of speaking. Exactly the right length for A2.

Memorise one or two opening phrases for each step. Then the only thing you have to invent for any picture is the actual content — which becomes much easier when you've already started talking.

Step 1 — Introduction

Pick one of these and stick with it:

• "Auf diesem Bild sehe ich…" (In this picture I see…)
• "Das Bild zeigt…" (The picture shows…)
• "Hier ist…" (Here is…)
• "Ich kann … erkennen." (I can recognise…)

One sentence. Don't overthink it. "Auf diesem Bild sehe ich eine Arztpraxis." Done. Move to step 2.

Step 2 — Scene

Two or three sentences. Who is in the picture, where they are, what objects are around them. Use any of these patterns:

• "Es gibt einen Mann / eine Frau / ein Kind…" (There is a man / woman / child…)
• "Die Szene spielt in einem / einer…" (The scene takes place in a…)
• "Links / rechts ist…" (On the left / right is…)
• "Im Vordergrund / Hintergrund sieht man…" (In the foreground / background one can see…)
• "Im Zimmer befinden sich…" (In the room there are…)

"Es gibt eine Frau und einen Arzt. Die Frau sitzt auf einem Stuhl. Im Hintergrund sehe ich einen Computer und einen Schreibtisch."

Step 3 — Action

One or two sentences. What are the people doing? Use simple present-tense verbs:

• "…spricht mit…" (…talks to…)
• "…kauft etwas…" (…buys something…)
• "…wartet auf…" (…waits for…)
• "…arbeitet an…" (…works on…)
• "…liest / schreibt…" (…reads / writes…)
• "…telefoniert mit…" (…phones…)
• "…hilft…" (…helps…)

"Der Arzt spricht mit der Frau. Die Frau zeigt auf ihren Arm."

Step 4 — Conclusion

One sentence guessing what's happening. You don't need to be right — examiners reward reasonable interpretation:

• "Es sieht aus wie…" (It looks like…)
• "Wahrscheinlich…" (Probably…)
• "Ich glaube, dass…" (I believe that…)
• "Es scheint, dass…" (It seems that…)
• "Vielleicht…" (Perhaps…)

"Ich glaube, dass die Frau Schmerzen hat und der Arzt ihr helfen möchte."

A worked example: doctor's office

Picture: a woman sitting on a chair in a doctor's office, gesturing toward her arm. The doctor stands beside her with a stethoscope. There's a desk with a computer in the background. A chart on the wall.

Following the formula:

(1) Auf diesem Bild sehe ich eine Arztpraxis.
(2) Es gibt eine Frau und einen Arzt. Die Frau sitzt auf einem Stuhl. Im Hintergrund sehe ich einen Schreibtisch mit einem Computer und ein Plakat an der Wand.
(3) Der Arzt steht neben der Frau und hört sie ab. Die Frau zeigt auf ihren Arm und spricht mit dem Arzt.
(4) Ich glaube, dass die Frau Schmerzen im Arm hat und der Arzt ihr helfen möchte.

That's seven sentences. Roughly 80 seconds. Uses only A2-level vocabulary. Hits every assessment criterion the examiners are looking for: identification, elements, action, and a reasonable interpretation.

Useful vocabulary across pictures

Location words. im Vordergrund (foreground), im Hintergrund (background), in der Mitte (in the middle), oben / unten (above / below), daneben (next to it), gegenüber (opposite), zwischen (between), neben (next to), auf (on), unter (under).

Descriptive adjectives. gross / klein (big / small), jung / alt (young / old), glücklich / traurig (happy / sad), beschäftigt (busy), freundlich (friendly), modern / alt (modern / old).

Common people-words. Mann, Frau, Kind, Familie, Verkäufer, Verkäuferin, Kunde, Patientin, Lehrer, Schüler.

Action verbs (present tense). sehen, sein, haben, gehen, kommen, kaufen, fragen, antworten, helfen, warten, sprechen, essen, trinken, lesen, schreiben, telefonieren.

None of these words is rare. They're A1/A2. Memorise these few dozen and you have enough vocabulary for any picture FIDE will throw at you.

What examiners are actually looking for

The picture description is scored on four things:

1. Situation identification. Did you correctly identify what kind of place / situation this is? "Eine Arztpraxis" — yes.
2. Element naming. Did you name some of the people and objects you can see? "Eine Frau, ein Arzt, ein Schreibtisch" — yes.
3. Simple action description. Did you describe what people are doing in the present tense? "Der Arzt spricht mit der Frau" — yes.
4. Basic vocabulary accuracy. Are the words you use mostly correct?

What they are not looking for: complex grammar, unusual vocabulary, perfect pronunciation, deep interpretation. A2 means functional. Functional is enough.

A practice strategy that works

For two weeks before your exam, do this every day:

1. Find any picture of an everyday scene. Your phone gallery, a magazine, a Google image search for "people at the doctor", "family kitchen", "post office queue" — anything goes.
2. Set a timer for 90 seconds.
3. Run through the 4-step formula out loud.
4. Don't restart if you make a mistake — keep going. The exam doesn't allow restarts either.

Do this 14 days in a row and the structure becomes automatic. By exam day, you'll start step 1 the moment the picture lands on the table.

For more on what to fit your daily prep around, see how long to prepare for FIDE. If your timeline is tight, the B-permit emergency plan covers what to skip.

Frequently asked questions

How long should I speak during the picture description?

About 1–2 minutes. The examiner will let you know if they want more. The 4-step formula naturally produces 5–8 sentences, which is the right length. Don't pad — quality over quantity.

What if I don't recognise the situation in the picture?

You don't have to. Describe what you literally see — people, objects, where they appear to be — and end with "Ich glaube, dass…" or "Vielleicht…" to guess. Examiners reward attempts at reasonable interpretation more than 100% correct identification.

Do I need fancy vocabulary?

No. A1/A2 vocabulary is enough. Mann, Frau, Kind, Tisch, Telefon — basic nouns. Common verbs like sehen, sein, haben, sprechen, kaufen, helfen. The score comes from communicating clearly, not from rare words.

What if I freeze and say nothing?

Use a time-buying phrase: "Moment bitte", "Ich überlege noch", "Wie sagt man… auf Deutsch?". Then start the formula at step 1 — "Auf diesem Bild sehe ich…". Once the first sentence is out, the rest follows.

Can I ask the examiner questions?

Yes — and you should, if it helps. "Was ist das?" (What is that?) when you don't know an object's name; "Können Sie das wiederholen?" if you didn't catch a question. Asking shows communicative competence, not weakness.

Related reading

• The 11 official FIDE speaking topics — with examples
• The complete FIDE exam guide
• How long to prepare for FIDE — a realistic timeline
• B-permit emergency plan when your deadline is in 6 weeks

Practise with the book

The book FIDE German A1/A2 Exam Prep includes 11 worked picture descriptions — one for each FIDE topic — with the full formula applied. Plus the dialogues, vocabulary, and rescue phrases for the rest of the speaking exam. Available as PDF on fide-prep.ch or as Kindle on Amazon.

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