DELE & SIELE Exam Format 2026: A1 to C2 Explained

At a Glance

DELE levels

6, from A1 to C2

SIELE range

A1 to C1, 0-1000

DELE result

Apto / No apto

SIELE result

Valid 5 years

Every exam has four pruebas, always in the same order: reading (Comprensión de lectura), listening (Comprensión auditiva), writing (Expresión e interacción escritas) and speaking (Expresión e interacción orales). The exception is DELE C2, which joins reading and listening in one prueba and so has three. DELE is taken on paper at an exam centre; SIELE on a computer, at a centre or remotely.

DELE or SIELE?

	DELE	SIELE
Levels	One exam per level: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2	One multilevel test, A1 to C1 (no C2)
Result	Apto or No apto for the level you sat	A score per prueba (0-250) and a CEFR level
Delivery	Paper, at an exam centre	Computer, at a centre or remotely ("SIELE en remoto")
Speaking	Face to face with two examiners	Recorded on the computer
Modules	All four pruebas, always	Global (all four) or S1-S5 combinations
Results	Usually about 2 months, up to about 3	Within 3 weeks
Document	Digital diploma	Certificate or report, valid 5 years

Choose DELE if you need a diploma at a given level and are confident of reaching it: a fail gives no diploma. Choose SIELE if you want your level measured in one sitting, need results quickly or want to sit the exam from home; remember that its certificate is valid for five years.

Every Exam on One Page

Times are per prueba. The Cervantes does not set a time per tarea, so within a prueba you divide the time yourself.

Exam	Reading	Listening	Writing	Speaking	To pass
DELE A1	45 min 4 tareas, 25 items	25 min 4 tareas, 25 items	25 min 2 tareas	10 min + 10 min preparation 3 tareas	30 of 50 in each group
DELE A2	60 min 4 tareas, 25 items	40 min 4 tareas, 25 items	45 min 2 tareas	12 min + 12 min preparation 3 tareas	30 of 50 in each group
DELE B1	70 min 5 tareas, 30 items	40 min 5 tareas, 30 items	60 min 2 tareas	15 min + 15 min preparation 4 tareas	30 of 50 in each group
DELE B2	70 min 4 tareas, 36 items	40 min 5 tareas, 30 items	80 min 2 tareas	20 min + 20 min preparation 3 tareas	30 of 50 in each group
DELE C1	90 min 5 tareas, 40 items	50 min 4 tareas, 30 items	80 min 2 tareas	20 min + 20 min preparation 3 tareas	30 of 50 in each group
DELE C2	Prueba 1: 105 min 60 min reading + 45 min listening, 7 tareas, 52 items	(in Prueba 1)	150 min 3 tareas	20 min + 30 min preparation 3 tareas	20 of 33.33 in each prueba
SIELE	60 min 5 tareas, 38 items	55 min 6 tareas, 38 items	50 min 2 tareas	15 min 5 tareas	CEFR level per prueba

DELE C1 has used a new format since April 2024 and DELE C2 since May 2024, with mediation tasks added. Material written for the older C1 and C2 formats no longer matches the exam.

Exam Maps: Every Prueba and Tarea

Each table lists the tareas of one exam. The skill links open the page that describes every tarea in detail.

DELE A1 — A1; Version 2020, in force since the April 2020 session

Prueba	Time	Tareas	Items
Prueba 1. Comprensión de lectura Reading	45 min	T1: Correo o postal T2: Notas, avisos y carteles T3: Anuncios T4: Texto informativo	25
Prueba 2. Comprensión auditiva Listening	25 min	T1: Conversaciones breves T2: Mensajes y anuncios T3: Monólogo: relacionar T4: Conversación: completar frases	25
Prueba 3. Expresión e interacción escritas Writing	25 min	T1: Completar un formulario T2: Texto breve	—
Prueba 4. Expresión e interacción orales Speaking	10 min + 10 min preparation	T1: Presentación personal (1-2 min) T2: Exposición de un tema (2-3 min) T3: Conversación con el entrevistador (3-4 min)	—

DELE A2 — A2; Version 2020, in force since the February 2020 session

Prueba	Time	Tareas	Items
Prueba 1. Comprensión de lectura Reading	60 min	T1: Correo personal T2: Textos breves T3: Tres textos T4: Texto narrativo	25
Prueba 2. Comprensión auditiva Listening	40 min	T1: Conversaciones T2: Radio T3: Conversación: ¿quién lo dice? T4: Mensajes y anuncios	25
Prueba 3. Expresión e interacción escritas Writing	45 min	T1: Interacción escrita T2: Expresión escrita (1 de 2)	—
Prueba 4. Expresión e interacción orales Speaking	12 min + 12 min preparation	T1: Monólogo (2-3 min) T2: Descripción de una fotografía (2-3 min) T3: Diálogo en una situación imaginaria (3-4 min)	—

DELE B1 — B1; 2012/2013 design, still current

Prueba	Time	Tareas	Items
Prueba 1. Comprensión de lectura Reading	70 min	T1: Relacionar personas y textos T2: Texto informativo T3: Tres textos T4: Texto con fragmentos T5: Completar un texto	30
Prueba 2. Comprensión auditiva Listening	40 min	T1: Mensajes breves T2: Monólogo largo T3: Noticias T4: Experiencias T5: Conversación: ¿quién lo dice?	30
Prueba 3. Expresión e interacción escritas Writing	60 min	T1: Carta o mensaje T2: Composición (1 de 2)	—
Prueba 4. Expresión e interacción orales Speaking	15 min + 15 min preparation	T1: Presentación breve (2-3 min) T2: Conversación (3-4 min) T3: Describir una fotografía (2-3 min) T4: Diálogo en situación simulada (2-3 min)	—

DELE B2 — B2; 2018 specification, 2014 guía; no format change

Prueba	Time	Tareas	Items
Prueba 1. Comprensión de lectura Reading	70 min	T1: Texto informativo T2: Cuatro textos T3: Texto con fragmentos T4: Completar un texto	36
Prueba 2. Comprensión auditiva Listening	40 min	T1: Conversaciones breves T2: Conversación: ¿quién lo dice? T3: Entrevista T4: Monólogos breves T5: Conferencia o discurso	30
Prueba 3. Expresión e interacción escritas Writing	80 min	T1: Carta a partir de una audición T2: Artículo o reseña (1 de 2)	—
Prueba 4. Expresión e interacción orales Speaking	20 min + 20 min preparation	T1: Valorar propuestas (6-7 min) T2: Situación a partir de una fotografía (5-6 min) T3: Opinar sobre una encuesta (3-4 min)	—

DELE C1 — C1; New format in force since the April 2024 session (mediation added)

Prueba	Time	Tareas	Items
Prueba 1. Comprensión de lectura y uso de la lengua Reading	90 min	T1: Texto administrativo o legal T2: Texto con párrafos T3: Artículo de opinión T4: Textos breves relacionados T5: Completar un texto	40
Prueba 2. Comprensión auditiva y uso de la lengua Listening	50 min	T1: Conferencia: elegir notas T2: Cuatro conversaciones T3: Entrevista o debate T4: Diálogos breves	30
Prueba 3. Expresión, mediación e interacción escritas Writing	80 min	T1: Mediación: texto a partir de una conferencia T2: Expresión o interacción (1 de 2)	—
Prueba 4. Expresión, mediación e interacción orales Speaking	20 min + 20 min preparation	T1: Exposición oral: mediación (3-5 min) T2: Entrevista sobre el tema (4-6 min) T3: Negociación (4-6 min)	—

DELE C2 — C2; New format in force since the May 2024 session

Prueba	Time	Tareas	Items
Prueba 1. Uso de la lengua, comprensión de lectura y auditiva (Tareas 1-3) Reading	60 of 105 min	T1: Completar un texto (léxico) T2: Texto con párrafos T3: Textos académicos breves	26
Prueba 1. Uso de la lengua, comprensión de lectura y auditiva (Tareas 4-7) Listening	45 of 105 min	T4: Conferencia: elegir anotaciones T5: Conversación: hombre, mujer o ninguno T6: Entrevista o debate T7: Actitudes y sentimientos	26
Prueba 2. Expresión, mediación e interacción escritas Writing	150 min	T1: Mediación a partir de varias fuentes T2: Reelaborar unas notas T3: Expresión o interacción escrita	—
Prueba 3. Expresión, mediación e interacción orales Speaking	20 min + 30 min preparation	T1: Exposición oral: mediación (5-6 min) T2: Entrevista (5-6 min) T3: Titulares de prensa: negociación (5-6 min)	—

SIELE — A1-C1 (multilevel); SIELE exam guide of April 2021, still the latest; no change announced for 2026

Prueba	Time	Tareas	Items
Prueba 1. Comprensión de lectura Reading	60 min	T1: Textos breves (A1) T2: Correo o carta (A2) T3: Tres textos (B1) T4: Dos textos con fragmentos (B2) T5: Completar un texto (C1)	38
Prueba 2. Comprensión auditiva Listening	55 min	T1: Conversación (A1) T2: Noticias de radio (A2) T3: Experiencias (B1) T4: Entrevista (B2) T5: Conferencia en fragmentos (C1) T6: Conferencia: elegir ideas (C1)	38
Prueba 3. Expresión e interacción escritas Writing	50 min	T1: Respuesta a un mensaje (A1-B1) T2: Artículo de opinión o carta (B2-C1)	—
Prueba 4. Expresión e interacción orales Speaking	15 min	T1: Preguntas personales (A1) T2: Describir una fotografía (A2) T3: Situaciones simuladas (B1) T4: Texto y preguntas (B2) T5: Monólogo argumentativo (C1)	—

How DELE Is Scored

From A1 to C1 each prueba is worth 25 points, 100 in all. Reading and listening are marked automatically, one point per correct answer with no penalty, then converted to 25. Writing and speaking are marked on scales from 0 to 3 in which band 2 is the level of the exam.

Group	Pruebas	Needed to pass
Grupo 1	Reading + Writing	30 of 50 points
Grupo 2	Listening + Speaking	30 of 50 points

Both groups must reach 30. Points compensate inside a group but not across groups.

DELE C2 has three pruebas worth 33.33, 33.33 and 33.34 points. APTO needs at least 20 points in each of the three; there are no groups and no compensation between pruebas.

Details for each prueba: Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking scoring pages.

How SIELE Is Scored

Each SIELE prueba is scored out of 250. Reading and listening are marked automatically (correct answers × 250 / 38); writing and speaking by accredited raters. Each score places you at a CEFR level:

Level	Reading	Listening	Writing	Speaking
A1	33-65.99	33-65.99	34-68.99	40-75.99
A2	66-117.99	66-111.99	69-103.99	76-124.99
B1	118-177.99	112-163.99	104-166.99	125-175.99
B2	178-216.99	164-210.99	167-214.99	176-214.99
C1	217-250	211-250	215-250	215-250

A score below the A1 minimum gives no level. You can take all four pruebas (SIELE Global, out of 1000) or a shorter combination:

Modality	Pruebas	Points	Time	You receive
SIELE Global	Reading + Listening + Writing + Speaking	0-1000	About 3 h	Certificate
SIELE S1	Reading + Listening	0-500	60 + 55 min	Report (informe)
SIELE S2	Reading + Writing	0-500	60 + 50 min	Report (informe)
SIELE S3	Listening + Speaking	0-500	55 + 15 min	Report (informe)
SIELE S4	Speaking	0-250	15 min	Report (informe)
SIELE S5	Writing + Speaking	0-500	50 + 15 min	Report (informe)

On Exam Day

DELE: the written pruebas start at 9:00 in this order: reading, listening, writing. Reading and listening share one question booklet, and you mark answers on a separate answer sheet. The speaking test can be on the same day or on a day just before or after.
DELE speaking: you prepare in a separate room, then talk with the entrevistador while the calificador scores. It opens with a few unscored contact questions.
SIELE Global: about three hours on a computer in a fixed order: reading, listening, an optional 15-minute break, writing, speaking. You cannot go back to a finished tarea in the comprehension pruebas.
SIELE en remoto: the same test on your own computer with a dedicated browser and live online invigilation; availability depends on the country.

What Has Changed Recently

When	Change
February / April 2020	DELE A2 and A1 "versión 2020" formats came into force; both are still current.
April 2024	New DELE C1: mediation added, listening became "Comprensión auditiva y uso de la lengua" and the written prueba "Expresión, mediación e interacción escritas".
May 2024	New DELE C2: Prueba 1 now has 7 tareas, 52 items and 105 minutes; Prueba 2 has 3 tareas in 150 minutes; the oral prueba has 30 minutes of preparation.
October 2024	DELE diplomas are issued digitally (PDF with a verification code).
2025	Oral test materials (láminas and content, not the format) renewed for DELE A2, B1 and B2.
May 2026	First session of the new DELE B2/C1 para escolares (ages 11-17), a separate exam.

DELE A1 to B2 and SIELE have no announced format changes for 2026. The Instituto Cervantes reports that online DELE exams are in development; for now DELE is taken on paper at exam centres.

How to Prepare

Pick the right exam and level. For DELE, sit a full practice test at your target level under real timing and check that both groups reach 30 points.
Learn every tarea format. Each level has its own task types; the description pages list all of them with text lengths and item counts.
Train both halves of each group. A strong reading score cannot make up for weak listening, because they are in different groups.
Write to the word count and cover every point. Task fulfilment is scored on its own in writing and speaking.
Rehearse speaking aloud, with a timer. Practise speaking for the full time of each tarea and preparing in the time allowed.

Descriptions of every tarea: Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking. Worked examples with answers: Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking samples. Common questions: Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking FAQ.

Practise in the app with every DELE and SIELE tarea or full timed mock tests, with feedback from AI trained by our experts.

Common Questions

Is DELE harder than SIELE?

They work differently. DELE tests one level and you pass or fail it; SIELE has tareas from A1 to C1 in the same test and reports the level you reach. SIELE does not go up to C2.

Can I take SIELE at home?

Yes. SIELE en remoto is the same test with live online invigilation; availability depends on your country. DELE is only taken at exam centres.

How long is the whole DELE exam?

The written part lasts 95 minutes at A1, 145 at A2, 170 at B1, 190 at B2, 220 at C1 and 255 at C2, plus the speaking test and its preparation time.

Do I need to pass every prueba in DELE?

Not from A1 to C1: you need 30 of 50 points in each of the two groups, so a weaker prueba can be balanced by its partner. At C2 you need at least 20 points in each of the three pruebas.

How long is a SIELE certificate valid?

Five years, for the SIELE Global certificate and for the S1-S5 reports.

Is the listening played twice?

Yes, every recording at every level, in DELE and in SIELE.

DELE / SIELE: Test Format