Many international students begin to worry as they start preparing for the DELE. It’s an important test, after all! The DELE, which stands for Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera and translates to Diplomas in Spanish as a foreign language. Any person who is not a native Spanish speaker and wants to obtain a certificate that proves their level of Spanish should take the DELE. The DELE Spanish diplomas are certified by the Cervantes Institute, the official Spanish language institute of Spain. To learn more about who should start preparing for the DELE and when to take it!
Taking the DELE: Facts
The DELE is divided into six levels: A1 (Breakthrough), A2 (Waystage), B1 (Threshold), B2 (Vantage), C1 (Effective Operational Proficiency), and C2 (Mastery). You can take the DELE at any level you want without needing to pass other levels first. Before signing up for the DELE, take the classification test offered by the Cervantes Institute to discover your level. Once you know your Spanish level, you can sign up to take the DELE by registering on the Cervantes Institute website and following further instructions. Give yourself a few months before the test to start preparing for the DELE.
There are four skill sets that the DELE exam will test you on. There are sections on the test to evaluate your level of reading comprehension, written expression and interaction, listening comprehension, and oral expression and interaction. After you take the exam, your DELE certificate will arrive in a few months straight to your mailbox!
Preparing for the DELE: Study Tips
- The DELE is a timed test! With a sizeable writing portion, you should practice taking the DELE exam with a timer at your side to make sure you finish in time.
- Buy the right materials to study for the DELE at the level you’ll take.
- Consider taking a course or hiring a tutor when preparing for the DELE. There are specialized courses and teachers that teach exactly what’s on the exam!
- Use outside resources to practice your Spanish listening, as you will have to listen and respond in Spanish during the DELE.
- Take time to gather your thoughts before answering. Make small notes and gather your thoughts (remember to think in Spanish) before starting a written or spoken response.
- Complete as many practice exams as possible! You can find practice DELE exams on the Cervantes website.
