One of the most common situations in any language is describing a person. In Luxembourgish, this skill is also directly relevant for the Sproochentest, where candidates are often asked to describe a picture, a character in a story, or even themselves.
A learner once recalled being asked to describe a person they had just seen in a waiting room. Their attempt stalled after “Hien huet… eh… brong Hoer”, and they realized that their vocabulary was too limited. Situations like this show why mastering descriptive language is essential.
Core vocabulary for appearance
Hair: kuerz, laang, glat, gelockt, blond, brong, schwaarz, gro
Eyes: grouss, kleng, blo, brong, gréng
Build: dënn, déck, grouss, kleng, sportlech
Clothing: en T-Shirt, eng Blus, eng Jackett, Schong, Jeans
Other features: Brëll (glasses), Baart (beard), Moustache
The challenge for learners is not just to know the words, but to combine them fluidly into sentences. Instead of single-word answers, examiners expect full descriptions:
“Si huet laang, glat, brong Hoer an hatt dréit eng blo Blus.”
Describing personality
Beyond physical traits, the Sproochentest conversation often touches on personality. Useful adjectives include:
frëndlech, roueg, oppen, nervös, sympathesch
Example sentence:
“Mäi Kolleg ass ganz frëndlech an ëmmer hëllefsbereet.”
Why it matters for the Sproochentest
The oral exam is about showing that you can communicate naturally. Describing people demonstrates your command of adjectives, sentence structure, and vocabulary range. Even if the topic seems simple, examiners are listening for how you build sentences, not just whether you know the words.
This is why in our 10 full Sproochentest simulations, candidates repeatedly practice describing people, both from pictures and in free conversation, until it becomes second nature.
Beyond the exam
Describing people is also practical in daily life — from identifying someone at the commune office to explaining a lost-and-found situation. It is one of the building blocks of communication.
And remember: the Sproochentest is only one step on the road to citizenship. The other requirement is the Vivre-Ensemble test, which covers Luxembourg’s history and institutions.
