So You Want to take the DELE?

For a few years now, I’ve been saying I’m going to take the DELE. I finally decided that after four years in Spain, it was my best chance to take it. Also, since I’m going back to the United States in August, I felt that it was my easiest opportunity to take it as well. I wouldn’t be as motivated when I’m back in the US, and only the major cities have centers to take it. So, in January, I signed myself up, and took the exam!

What is the DELE?

The DELE stands for Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera. Like the Cambridge exams for English, the Instituto Cervantes has their own exam to match the European Framework model. 

The European Framework ranks the levels of a language from A1-C2. A1 is for absolute beginners, whereas C2 means you have a native level. I’ve heard from people that C2 is very difficult even in your native language. Apparently about 50% of native English speakers wouldn’t pass C2 because you really have to understand the language.

Although the DELE is administered by Instituto Cervantes, the exam includes Spanish from all over the world. For example, in the listening portion there were Argentinians and Colombians, and many more. You can also take the exam in many countries all around the world.

Signing Up for the DELE

There are several dates for the DELE each year. They are usually in February, April, May, July, and November. Some exams are only offered on certain dates, and the exam is usually on a Friday. Check here to find out when you can take the exam.

You also have to prepare the date you want to take the exam. I signed up in January for the April exam. The final day to register is about two months before. However, it’s best to sign up as soon as possible to ensure you can take the exam at a center near you. There are a limited number of spots available at each center. By the time I signed up, some centers were already full.

The price of the exam also depends on the level. The higher the level, the more expensive the test. I took the C1 exam, and that cost me €205. (Thanks for helping me, mom.) I’m pretty sure the cost of the exam helped push me to work even harder because I definitely didn’t want to throw that money down the drain.

Preparing for the Exam

I had wanted to take the exam for years. I bought the Crónometro book back in 2015 or 2016, I think, determined to take the exam. However, I have a really hard time motivating myself to work. Throughout high school and even college, I never really studied. Things just kind of come to me. For this type of exam, though, you really have to know how to work it.

Only you can know the best way to study for the exam. Most people will recommend The Crónometro book to you. It has four practice exams in the style of the real exam to help you prepare. If you can do that by yourself, that’s great. If you need help, that’s fine, too. 

I ended up paying (quite a bit) for a teacher. That meant I had two days every week where I was forced to practice, plus the homework he would give us in the form of writing and listenings. The one problem with the classes, however, is that they are usually pretty pricey. They can go up over €1000. I got a much better deal, thankfully.

If you can’t afford a teacher, I think it is still a great idea to hire someone maybe once a week or once a month to go over your papers and practice speaking. In my opinion, it should be someone who is familiar with preparing people for the exam, rather than just a native speaker. These types of tests are very particular, so it’s best to have someone who really understands the format.

Taking the Exam

A few weeks before the examination, I received an e-mail. It had confirmation for which day and which center I was taking the exam. The center actually changed to another one of their branches, but for me, it was better because it was closer to my house. What surprised me, though, was that the speaking exam was on a different day. I had to do the speaking portion on a Wednesday evening.

On Wednesday evening, I went to the center and did that speaking portion. It was kind of weird just doing that, but it was also a huge weight lifted off my shoulders because that was the part I was most nervous about. 

Then, on Friday, I went to take the reading, listening, and writing. The reading is the first portion, then comes the listening. After listening, there is a bit of a break to go to the bathroom and have a snack before the writing. We actually had a little break between reading and listening because so many people were asking to go to the bathroom. They took that time out of the second break, but I didn’t mind too much.

All the materials you need are provided for you. Pens, paper, pencils, erasers. There is no need to bring anything, but if you feel more comfortable brings extras, that’s fine, too. 

The C1 Exam

Each level has some differences between the exams. Since I have only done the C1, that is what I will focus on. 

The reading section has 40 questions. There are five different parts. The first part is a general reading section, usually a document such as a medicine label or a contract. You have to answer questions about that. Then, the next article has sentences missing, and you have to place the sentences in the correct location. The third text is usually an opinion piece, and there are another six questions with that. The fourth is table of contents with descriptions of different texts. In this task, you have to match a sentence to the correct description. The fifth and final is my most dreaded text. There is a text with words missing and you have to choose the correct word. This is so difficult because you really have to understand the language with all the prepositions and what not.

The second portion of the exam is the listening. There are four parts to this, divided into 30 questions. The first part is a conference. You have to complete the sentences with the correct word by listening to the conference. This was the most difficult task for me in the listening. The second part is four short dialogues. For each dialogue, there are two questions where you have to answer what is happening. The third conversation is an interview between two people. The fourth part consists of ten super small dialogues between people and you have to understand the meaning. 

Then, there is the writing. For the C1, you have to produce two essays. For the first essay, you listen to a person talking, usually giving a speech. From this speech, you must write an essay based on their talking points and your opinion. The second part is to write an article, a letter, or something of the sort based on two prompts. There’s a choice between these two prompts, so you can choose the best prompt to suit your style.

The final portion of the test, which I did a few days before, is the speaking. There are two parts to the speaking. First, you have twenty minutes to read an article or opinion piece and prepare a speech discussing the main points and then giving your opinion. In the second portion, you have a conversation with the examiner. You are presented with four pictures and you have to discuss a topic such as “Which picture is the best to represent the campaign …” with some specific points. I was surprised when I was tested because I was given a choice between two topics for both parts of the exam.

Scoring the Exam

From each section (reading, writing, listening, speaking) it is possible to obtain 25 points. You have to do a bit of algebra to figure out your point total because none of the sections have 25 questions. 

From there, reading and writing scores are combined, as are the listening and speaking. From these two combinations, you must score at least 30 points to pass. So, if you get a 25 in reading, but a 5 in writing, you still pass. If you get a 12 in reading and a 12 in writing, you don’t pass.

The Results

I was told before that the results would take about three months, meaning I was expecting my results in July. Unexpectedly, I received my results at the end of May! I guess it could be anywhere between 1.5-3 months before you find out if you passed.

My e-mail came and I logged into the portal. I was shaking and my heart was racing. I clicked on “Mis Calificacciones”. Then, I saw my name and APTO. I PASSED!

When I opened my exam, I felt pretty confident. The first text was about a school, which has been my life for the past two years. When I turned the page to the second text, I knew it was meant to be. The text was about the Copper Canyons in Chihuahua, Mexico, which just so happens to be where my great-grandmother was from. In the listening, the first part which I hate was about black holes, so even without listening too much, I felt confident in my answers since I’m a nerd and love that stuff. 

Still, I felt nervous. Maybe I made a mistake. Maybe there was something lacking. Yet, now I can relax. I was most nervous about speaking, and I ended up getting full points on that section. I thought writing was my strongest, and I got the lowest point total on that one. 

So, if you are thinking about doing the DELE and you feel adequately prepared, go for it! It will look great for job applications (please). For me, it’s also a sense of accomplishment that the past 14 years of learning Spanish have paid off. 

Finally, a thank you to my great-grandmother who inspired me to learn Spanish all those years ago and remains to be an inspiration. I wish more than anything I could speak to her in her native language, but for now, I’ll just be happy to have come this far.