DELE Exam levels: how to prepare for them?

If you need or want to take a DELE exam, you will need this guide! In this article, we will explain all the possible ways of improving your Spanish to the level that you wish.

1. The official exam structure of each level

If you already know which level you are aiming for, you need to first get familiar with the exam structure.

• From A1 to B2, the exam structures are similar. It´s divided into 4 parts and integrated into two groups. You should reach a 30/50 in each group to get a pass:
  • Group 1: Reading, Writing
  • Group 2: Listening, Speaking

• C1: a more advanced level. Still 4 parts in 2 groups but it requires the examinee to have integrated skills. You should also reach a 30/50 in each group to get a pass:
  • Group 1: Reading, Writing (with listening comprehension)
  • Group 2: Listening, Speaking (with reading comprehension)

• C2: This level represents the mastery of the language, and so it requires more advanced integration skills. It´s divided into 3 parts, and you should reach a 20/33.33(33.34) in each group to get a pass:
  • Group 1: Reading and Listening
  • Group 2: Listening reading and writing
  • Group 3: Reading and Speaking

2. Curricular plans/Textbooks/exercise books

• Curricular plan for each level: You can see here the curricular plan of each level in Spanish. You can also install a translation extension tool in your browser if there is any word you don´t understand
• Textbook: The most recommendable official text book is: Aula Internacional from difusión. The book series of Aula Internacional are aligned with the requirements of grammar, topics, and linguistic mastery for each level.  
• Exercise books:
  • Preparación al idioma Española: The easiest among the three exercise books. Each sample exam has a different topic.
  • El cronómetro and Las claves: These two exercise book series are more difficult. And each exam has different topics.

3. Other resources

• Online DELE-related resources: eg. the preparation resources on the site of Instituto Cervantes.
• DELE courses: Whether online or offline, there are a lot of DELE-preparation courses available no matter where you are.
• Spanish podcast, youtube videos, tv-series, films, books, and music: You can always use multimedia forms to enhance your Spanish skills. They might not seem useful for the exam in the short run. But the more you are immersed in this language, the better you will become when using it, especially listening and speaking.

4. Tips for the preparation for the exam:

• You can aspire for a high level but you should start from where you are: You can always get a higher-than-reality grade in any exam, but your level of Spanish will tell the truth when it comes to real-life use. So our recommendation is: start from where you are. If you know little Spanish, don’t pick up a C2 book the first day.
• You can speak perfectly Spanish while not passing the exams: Especially for B2 or higher-level exams, because the topics can be art, biology, geography, literature, architecture, economics, politics, medicine…You need to get familiar with the common topics at this level and be prepared.

4. “Good luck” from Adeslas

 With us, you don’t need to talk in Spanish! We are the international team of SegurCaixa Adeslas. We are a multilingual team that knows not only English but also other languages such as Chinese or Russian. By contracting medical insurance with us, you can get the service in your language without worrying about anything! This medical insurance is also a perfect fit for a Spanish visa/NIE/TIE application, as it fulfills all the requirements.

Come and talk to us!

Source:

CVC. Plan Curricular del Instituto Cervantes. Índice. (2021). Retrieved 29 December 2021, from https://cvc.cervantes.es/ensenanza/biblioteca_ele/plan_curricular/indice.htm

Preparar la prueba DELE | Exámenes - Instituto Cervantes. (2021). Retrieved 29 December 2021, from https://examenes.cervantes.es/es/dele/preparar-prueba

Our contents will be updated according to the most recent legislation. Last update: 29/12/2021