The DELE is the Instituto Cervantes diploma that certifies Spanish as a foreign language, from A1 to C2. Anyone who can read and write can take it, and the tests are designed for candidates over 16. This page gives you free practice sets for grammar, vocabulary, reading, listening, writing and speaking. It also has worked explanations of sample questions and the key facts on format, dates and results.
According to Instituto Cervantes, “El examen DELE consta de cuatro secciones y la duración total del examen depende del nivel que se evalúe.”[1]
The DELE is an official Spanish qualification. The Instituto Cervantes awards it on behalf of Spain's Ministry of Education, and it is recognised internationally. The diploma does not expire, so you never need to renew it.
You take the exam in person at an accredited exam centre. You register and pay online. Every level has 4 sections: reading comprehension, listening comprehension, written expression and interaction, and oral expression and interaction. The total time depends on the level and ranges from 1 h 55 min to 5 h 5 min.
To receive the diploma you need an overall result of "Apto" (pass). Results come out about 3 months after the exam, and the Instituto Cervantes emails you at the address on your registration when they are published.
The exam is open to anyone who can read and write, at any age, although the tests are designed for people over 16. In the November 2026 session, the school exams and the general A2 exam are on 13 Nov 2026. The general A1, B1, B2, C1 and C2 exams are on 14 Nov 2026. The Universitat de Barcelona calendar lists registration for that session until 30 September. Deadlines, fees and retake options are set by the Instituto Cervantes and each exam centre, so check them with your centre or on the official DELE site before you make plans.
The DELE has 4 questions and takes about 55 minutes[1] (Instituto Cervantes, verified Oct 21, 2026).
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions | 4 sections: reading, listening, written expression and interaction, oral expression and interaction[1] | ucm.es · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Time limit | 1 h 55 min to 5 h 5 min, depending on level[1] | ucm.es · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Passing score | Overall result of "Apto" (pass)[1] | ucm.es · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Validity | Does not expire[2] | uc3m.es · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Renewal | No renewal needed (never expires)[3] | upv.es · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Delivery | In person at an accredited exam centre; register and pay online[1] | ucm.es · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Eligibility | Anyone who can read and write, any age (designed for 16+)[4] | uv.es · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Score release | About 3 months after the exam[4] | uv.es · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Next exam date (November 2026 session) | 13–14 Nov 2026 (school exams and A2 on the 13th; A1, B1, B2, C1, C2 on the 14th)[5] | eh.ub.edu · Oct 21, 2026 |
Prepare for the DELE - Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: What does 'estar seguro' typically express in Spanish?
Answer: C. That a person feels certain or sure about something
Explanation:
C is correct. With estar, seguro describes a person's state of mind. Estoy seguro de que viene means you feel certain. Option A mixes this up with physical safety, which is a quality of the location itself and takes ser: La zona es segura. Option B, reliability or trustworthiness, is also a built-in characteristic, so it uses ser too (un método seguro). Option D, a building with security features, again describes what the thing is like, not how someone feels. The rule to remember is that adjectives such as seguro, listo or aburrido change meaning with the verb. Ser gives the characteristic. Estar gives the state or feeling of the moment.
Question: En el blog de un crítico de cine, usted lee una reseña con la que no está de acuerdo. Quiere dejar un comentario para expresar su opinión de forma respetuosa. ¿Cuál de las siguientes frases es la más apropiada para iniciar su comentario?
Answer: B. Respeto tu análisis, aunque personalmente tuve una impresión diferente de la película.
Explanation:
B is correct. The task asks you to disagree respectfully, and B does exactly that. It first acknowledges the author's work with Respeto tu análisis. It then gives a different view with aunque personalmente, which softens the disagreement and presents it as a personal opinion. Option A opens with an insult (No tienes ni idea), so the tone is aggressive even if the opinion itself is fair. Option C condemns the whole review without giving any reason. Option D is sarcastic and says the review makes no sense, which shuts down discussion. The rule for forum and blog tasks in the written expression and interaction section: match your register to the situation, acknowledge the other view, then give yours with a connector such as aunque, sin embargo or no obstante.
Question: Which sentence uses 'ser' incorrectly?
Answer: C. El niño es cansado esta tarde.
Explanation:
C is the answer because it is the only sentence that misuses ser. Being tired is a temporary state, so Spanish uses estar: El niño está cansado esta tarde. The phrase esta tarde is a clue that a passing condition is meant. A is correct as written, because the sentence presents difficulty as a characteristic of the exam, so es difícil works. B is correct because ser gives the time or location of an event: La reunión es a las tres. D is correct because professions take ser: Ella es profesora. The rule: use ser for identity, profession, characteristics, and the time or location of events. Use estar for states and conditions, and for where people and things are.
Start by finding out where you stand. Take the general practice test, note which skills give you the most trouble, and then work through the matching sets below.
Before test day, take the official sample exam for your level under timed conditions, with all 4 sections in order, so the length of the exam feels familiar.
It depends on the level you take. The total exam time ranges from 1 h 55 min to 5 h 5 min and covers all 4 sections: reading comprehension, listening comprehension, written expression and interaction, and oral expression and interaction. Your exam centre will confirm the exact timetable for your level when you register.
No. The DELE has indefinite validity, so it never expires and you never need to renew it. It is an official qualification that the Instituto Cervantes awards on behalf of Spain's Ministry of Education, and it is recognised internationally. A diploma you earned years ago still certifies your level today.
The November 2026 session runs on 13–14 Nov 2026. The school exams and the general A2 exam are on 13 Nov, and the general A1, B1, B2, C1 and C2 exams are on 14 Nov. The Universitat de Barcelona calendar listed registration until 30 September. For later sessions, check the official DELE calendar and your centre's deadline.
About 3 months after the exam. When results are published, the Instituto Cervantes emails the address on your registration, so use an address you check regularly. If your overall result is "Apto" (pass), you also receive the official diploma.
Anyone who can read and write, at any age. The tests are designed for people over 16, and there are also school exams, which in the November 2026 session are on 13 Nov. You register and pay online, then take the exam in person at an accredited exam centre.
You need an overall result of "Apto" (pass) to receive the diploma. The exam has 4 sections, so prepare for all of them, not only your strongest skill. The Instituto Cervantes publishes the detailed scoring rules for each level, so read them for your level before you start studying.
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