DELE stands for diploma de español como lengua extranjera (Diploma of Spanish as a Foreign Language). The tests are designed by the Universidad de Salamanca (University of Salamanca) in Salamanca, Spain. Instituto Cervantes (Cervantes Institute), located in Spain, plans the examination sessions. Your exam scores act as certification to prove that you’ve reached a certain degree of competency in the Spanish language. Anyone can take any of the DELE exams as long as they can prove they’re a citizen of a country where Spanish isn’t the official language, and registration is easy and can be done online. When you pass a DELE exam, the certificate you receive never expires. So once you take a test and pass, you never need to do it again! You can find out more about the DELE on the Cervantes Institute website https://examenes.cervantes.es/es/dele/que-es
The exams are separated into six levels
The tests show proficiency in all facets of language learning—reading, writing, speaking, and listening. The higher the level, the more challenging those exam questions will be.
Levels A1 and A2 test competency in the basic areas of Spanish and show an ability to communicate on general topics. Family, work, shopping, and a few other common themes are part of these levels.
Levels B1 and B2 are a bit more challenging. They deal with understanding texts and navigating situations that might occur when traveling and test your writing skills on simple subjects. They also test your ability to express thoughts and opinions.
Levels C1 and C2 are the most difficult exams and certify that those who pass have a high level of competence in the language. They test your ability to understand intricate texts, whether your communication is fluent, and your ability to write on complex subject matters.
The DELE exam can be taken at an Instituto Cervantes or an examination center—and there are plenty out there. 1,000 places in 100 countries, to be exact.
Bhasha International helps you become familiar with the way the exams are structured, improves conversational fluency, and helps you master the vocabulary for any particular exam level.
l The DELE certification never expires, while the SIELE is valid for only five years
l You have to take all the DELE exams for a specific level (listening, reading, writing and speaking), while the SIELE allows you to get tested on language skills individually
l The DELE diploma is officially recognized worldwide, but the SIELE is only accepted by SICELE members
l You can only take the DELE exam on specific dates, while the SIELE can be done whenever you want
The DELE is compulsorily done on paper, while the SIELE is done electronically in an examination center
