adjective
oral, orally, spoken
B1
mündlich: adjective/adverb meaning oral, orally or spoken (e.g., mündliche Prüfung = oral exam). Opposite: schriftlich (written). It's gradable: comparative mündlicher, superlative am mündlichsten. Used to describe spoken communication or exams; not a participle. Common in academic or administrative contexts. Also in everyday conversations.
Examples
Die Prüfung wird mündlich stattfinden.
The exam will be oral.
Wir hörten einer mündlichen Präsentation aufmerksam zu.
We listened attentively to a spoken presentation.
Der Lehrer erklärte, dass die Prüfung mündlich war, weil viele Schüler damals keine Zeit zum Lernen fanden.
The teacher explained that the exam was oral because many students then had no time to study.
Details
Mnemonics
Picture a student speaking into a microphone during an oral exam.
Sounds like 'moon-dlich' — think 'mouth' (Mund) to remember it relates to speaking.
Notes
Commonly used to describe spoken tests, answers, or communication. Be careful not to confuse with 'mündig' (of legal age).