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This episode is related to episode number 2 of the DELE Exam podcast that you can listen to in Spanish:
Hey everybody and welcome to another deep dive. You know we love languages. Today we’re going to look at the DELE exam.
TRANSCRIPTION OF THE PODCAST IN ENGLISH:
The DELE exams.
- So, if you’re already familiar with the DELE exams you probably know what DELE stands for and everything. Right. If not that’s okay. We’ll catch you up. We’re going to go through all that. Yeah. But today we’re really trying to figure it out.
- Is the DELE certification something that would be good for you?
- Exactly. And we’re going to figure that out with the help of Carmen. Who is a DELE examiner.
- So, she’s graded those exams.
- Yeah. So, we’re going to get into some nitty gritty stuff. Nitty gritty. Like, you know, how could it actually benefit your career?
- Which levels are actually useful out in the real world. In the real world. And just as a little teaser, a DELE certificate never expires.
- Never expires. That’s right.
- It’s true.
- Doesn’t matter if you let your Spanish get a little rusty. Yep. Your DELE certification.
- It’s forever.
- It is good. It’s forever. Let’s say you are intrigued. Okay. How do you know which level is right for you?
- How do you know?
- There are six levels.
- For adults, yes.
- For adults, it ranges from A1 for beginners to C2.
- The near native.
- You can practically taste the paella in Madrid.
- That’s right. And all of those levels align with. With the CEFR, you know, the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, it’s recognized and valued all over the world.
- Yeah, which is key.
- It’s not just some random Spanish test that nobody knows about. Right. This is the real DELEl. I hear you. And, you know, each level, I’m sure, has its uses. Right. But I would say if you’re really going for, like, career advancement or… Yeah, for a job or for university. Yeah,
- academic opportunities,
- you’re probably looking at… You’re probably looking at B2 or C2. Okay. Those are the ones that people are really going for these days.
So what makes those higher levels different?
- What makes them different?
- I mean, obviously, you know more words. Obviously, you know more words. But it’s more than that. It’s about navigating the nuances. So, like B2, you’re starting to show that you understand more complex structures. Okay. Idiomatic expressions. Got it. You can argue your point of view. You can understand implied meanings. And you can basically hold your own in like a professional or an academic setting.
- Exactly. Okay. And then C2 even further takes it further.
- Takes it even further.
- In your native fluency, you know, you can DELEl with technical language. Wow. Different dialects all over the Spanish speaking world. Understand those little cultural references that would just go right over somebody’s head if they were at a lower level.
- So that sounds really valuable.
- Super valuable.
But how do you even know where to start?
- How do you know where you are now? Well, there’s this great online level test that the Instituto Cervantes offers.
- So that way you’re not just diving in.
- You’re not just diving in. Blindly. Exactly.
- We’ll put a link to that in the show notes.: http://pruebadenivel.cervantes.es/exam.php?id=17
- Absolutely.
- Okay, so let’s talk about testing.
- Let’s talk about testing.
How does the DELE actually test your skills?
- It tests. all four skills, reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Okay. And this is something really interesting, especially if you’re worried about all the different accents in Spanish.
- Okay. Tell me more.
- So, from B1 upwards, they use different dialects in the exams. Oh, wow. So, it doesn’t matter if you learn Spanish in Mexico or Spain, Argentina, wherever.
- Your accent doesn’t hurt you.
- It’s not going to be held against you.
- That’s a relief.
- So that’s good.
- But wait, doesn’t the exam itself come from Spain?
- It does come from Spain. Okay. Which means even though different accents are fine, certain grammatical structures or vocabulary might be more common in Spain.
- So, it’s still smart to familiarize yourself with like the peninsular Spanish.
- Yes, especially for the writing section. They’re going to be looking for that.
- So where can you take this exam?
- Where can you take it?
- Do you have to go to Spain?
- You don’t have to go to Spain. Okay. There are over a thousand DELE exam centers. Wow. In over 100 countries.
- That’s incredible.
- So, you can probably find one.
- Near you.
- Somewhere near you.
- So, you can use the search tool on the Institute of Cervantes website.
- Yeah, and we’ll link that. Yeah,
- we’ll link that in the show notes.
- But be careful. Not every center offers all six levels. Right. And the exam dates vary.
- Vary. So, you have to really do your research.
- Yeah, check the specifics.
https://examenes.cervantes.es/es/dele/donde
Okay, now the question I’m sure everyone’s thinking.
The big question.
How much does it cost?
How much is it going to set? You back yeah what’s the damage to my wallet right get this prestigious certification unfortunately there’s no easy answer okay it depends on the level the country and even the exam center so is there a way to figure it out. The best way is to contact the exam center directly. They’ll have the most up-to-date info.
And while you’re at it, you can ask about registration, too.
https://examenes.cervantes.es/es/dele/inscribirse
- Yeah, and when you’re registering, pro tip, double-check everything, especially your email address. Oh, yeah. That’s how you’re going to get all the info.
- So, make sure it’s an email you actually check.
- Yeah. All right. So, you’ve registered.
- We registered.
- You got the test date in your calendar.
- In the calendar.
What’s the point of all this?
We know it never expires, which is pretty cool.
That is cool.
But what are the real benefits?
What are the real benefits?
- We’ll find out.
- After the break. Yeah. We’ll get into that.
- Welcome back, everybody. We’re back. We’re getting into the why of the DELE exams.
- You know, we talked about it never expiring and the possible career perks. Right. But like, what does that actually mean? What does it actually mean to have that DELE certification in your pocket? Yeah. It means more than just checking a box on a resume. Right. It’s about expanding your horizons, you know. Yeah. Connecting with a global community.
- I like that. Yeah. It’s like you’re saying, hey, world.
- I’m serious about Spanish.
- Yeah. I’m not messing around.
- I didn’t just take a couple Duolingo lessons. I went for it. I got certified.
- I put in the work.
- I got the goods.
- And over 500 million Spanish speakers.
- 500 million.
- Worldwide.
- That’s a lot of people to connect with.
- A lot of potential connections.
- A lot of opportunities. Yeah. Yeah. Think about it. You could be working on international projects, traveling with confidence, maybe even making friends with people, you know, all over the Spanish speaking world.
- Yeah. Those are things.
- Things that. money can’t buy.
- Those are life experiences. Yeah.
- It enriches your life.
- For sure.
- But OK, we’ve talked about like the personal benefits.
- The personal stuff.
- But what about the professional ones?
- Oh, yeah. Let’s not forget about the professional advantage.
- Right. Because today’s job market.
- It’s tough out there.
- It is tough.
- It’s competitive.
- You got to stand out.
- Got to stand out. How do you do that? DELE certification.
- So, it shows employers you’re not just fluent.
- It’s not just like. Oh, yeah, I speak a little Spanish.
- You’re actually got the proof.
- You got the receipt.
- Receipts. Exactly.
- So that’s huge.
- Especially if you want a job where you need Spanish.
- Yeah. Or you’re working with Spanish speakers. Yeah. Spanish speaking colleagues or clients.
- Think about tourism. Oh, yeah. Health care education. International business.
- huge fields where Spanish is super valuable.
- Yeah. And even beyond specific industry. I mean,
- The world is globalized now.
- The world is getting smaller.
- You’ve got to be able to communicate.
- You’ve got to be able to talk to people.
- And so that can lead to all kinds of…
- Perfect things.
- Collaborations, partnerships.
- That you wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise.
- So, it really does open up possibilities.
- DELE can be a game changer.
- But I’m sure some people are thinking, this sounds really hard.
- Challenging.
How do I even prepare for this?
- So. It’s true. DELE exams are rigorous. Okay. They require effort. You got to put in the work. But that’s part of the appeal. Okay. It’s a challenge.
- So, you’re pushing yourself.
- Pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone.
- You’re setting a goal and achieving it.
- That feeling of accomplishment when you pass that DELE exam. Oh yeah. There’s nothing like it.
- That feeling of I did it.
- So, the journey itself.
- Can be rewarding.
- Is rewarding.
- Okay, but let’s be real. Okay. Some people might be scared.
- So what do you say to those people?
- I would say don’t let fear hold you back.
- Easier said than done.
- I know but remember the DELE. Yeah. It’s not judging you as a person. Okay. It’s just a snapshot of your Spanish skills.
- And. At this moment in time.
- At that moment in time, yeah.
- And even if you don’t get the score you wanted.
- First try. Yeah. Doesn’t mean you failed.
- You can retake it.
- Take it again.
- You can try again.
- Exactly.
- Okay, so preparation is key.
- Preparation is key.
- So where do I begin?
- Where do you even begin?
- Well, the Institute of Cervantes website. It’s a treasure trove.
- And Carmen, our DELE expert.
- Our DELE. guru the guru she has courses for prep online and in person so she can really give you that that personalized guidance yeah that extra support one-on-one so let’s say you’ve done your research you found a good prep course You’re ready to dive in.
- You’re ready to go.
- What are some strategies to keep in mind?
- All right, so number one, create a realistic study plan.
- Okay, so don’t cram.
- Don’t cram.
- Last minute. Don’t do it.
- Take it. Break it down.
- Little by little. Little by little. Punks. Manageable chunks.
- And consistency is key.
- Don’t just study once a month.
- Every day, a little bit goes a long way. Okay. And immerse yourself. Oh. Immerse yourself in the language.
- So you’re talking Spanish. Movies. Movies. TV shows.Podcasts.
- Music, talking to native speakers.
- Yeah. The more you immerse yourself. The more natural it will become.
- Okay. Yeah. Now, one more thing I want to touch on. Okay. Cultural awareness. Ah,
- cultural awareness.
- Because the DELE lead.
- Is not just about testing. Right. Your grammar and vocabulary.
- It’s not just about the mechanics of the language. Right. It’s about can you actually use it. In the real world.
- In the real world, can you communicate effectively with real people?
- So that includes understanding the cultural nuances. Okay. Yeah, you’ve got to know how to use those words in different social situations.
- It’s more than just knowing the definition.
- It’s more than just knowing the dictionary definition. Right. Yeah.
- So I guess as you’re studying.
- While you’re memorizing those verb conjugations.
- Checking out some Spanish history. Oh. Literature, current events, pop culture. Wow. Get a feel for how the language is actually used. I like that. Yeah, so that’s going to help you understand the language better.
- Might even impress the examiner. Yeah,boost your score.
- Now, let’s get tactical.
- Let’s get into the nitty gritty.
- We’re going to talk about…
- Tips for each section of the DELE exam.
- We’ll be right back.
- Welcome back to the Deep Dive, everyone.
- Talking about the DELE exams.
- We talked about the why. We’ve talked about the levels.
- We’ve talked about the prep.
- Now let’s get tactical.
- Now it’s time to get tactical.
- Yeah, let’s talk about how to actually ace those different sections.
- Let’s break it down.
- Section by section.
- Yeah, because it’s one thing to understand, you know, what the DELE is all about. Right. But it’s another thing to actually face those challenges.
- You’ve got to know what you’re getting into.
- So let’s start with the reading section.
- The reading section. Okay.
- Any tips for making sense of those long, complex texts?
- Okay, so one of the biggest mistakes I see people making is they just dive right into the text. Yeah. Without taking a moment to scan it first. You know, get a sense of the topic, the structure, what kind of questions are going to be asked.
- So it’s like having a roadmap.
- Exactly. It’s like having a roadmap.
- Before you start.
- Before you even start reading. Okay. Yeah. And once you do start reading, don’t be afraid to underline or highlight.
- Oh, yeah. Good tip.
- Yeah, those key phrases and DELEs that’ll help you remember later on.
- Now, are there any like tricky types of questions?
- Yeah, for sure.
- That tend to trip people up?
- I see a lot of people struggle with the ones that ask you to infer meaning. Oh, yeah. Or figure out what the author’s intent was.
- So you have to read between the lines.
- You got to read between the lines. You got to understand those subtle nuances.
- It’s not just about finding the answer right there in the text.
- Exactly. It’s about analyzing the author’s tone, their style. What are they really trying to say?
- And that’s where that cultural awareness we talked about really comes into play.
- Because understanding the cultural context can give you clues about the author’s intent.
- Okay. So reading, we’ve got that covered.
- We got reading covered.
- Now what about writing?
- What are some things to avoid in the writing section?
- Oh, the number one thing I see is poor time management. Oh, yeah. People spend way too long planning. Okay. And then they don’t have enough time to actually write.
- So you got to find that balance.
- Yeah, you got to find that balance between planning and actually getting those words down on paper.
- And grammar is important.
- Grammar is huge, especially in the writing section.
- So those verb tenses. Oh, yeah. Reposition.
- Make sure you know your stuff.
- Gender agreement.
- All of it. Yeah, the examiners are going to be looking at that very closely.
- Okay, so we’ve talked about reading and writing.
- Now let’s move on to listening.
- Listening can be a challenge.
- Especially with all those different accents.
- All those accents. Yeah. It can be hard to keep up.
- So what’s the key here?
- The key is exposure.
- Exposure.
- The more you listen to different accents and speaking styles, the easier it’ll become.
- Okay. So Spanish podcasts. Movies. TV shows. YouTube videos. Anything you can get your hands on. Yeah.
- Just train your ear.
- Train that ear.
- Okay. And once you’re actually in the exam.
- Okay. You’re in the exam. You’re sitting there. Yeah.
- How do you make sure you’re really listening and catching everything? All right.
- So active listening is crucial. Active listening.
- Don’t just sit there and let the audio wash over you.
- You’ve got to be engaged.
- Try to predict what’s coming next.
- Yeah. Try to anticipate what the speaker is going to say.
- Jot down some notes.
- Jot down those keywords and phrases. Yeah. And focus on the big picture.
- And use those pauses.
- Oh, yeah. Those pauses are your friend.
- Review your notes. Get ready for the next section.
- Because every second counts.
- Speaking. Probably the most nerve-wracking part.
- Yeah, for a lot of people, this is the scariest part.
- Any advice for calming those nerves?
- The best advice I can give you is practice, practice, practice. Okay. Find a language partner, a tutor. Even just talk to yourself in the mirror.
- The more you practice.
- The more comfortable you’ll be.
- The more confident you’ll sound.
- Yeah, and when you’re actually in the exam.
- Yeah, in the exam room.
- Take a deep breath. Okay. Breathe.
- Breathe. Gather your thoughts.
- And don’t be afraid to ask if you don’t understand something.
- Yeah, it’s okay to ask for clarification.
- It’s better to ask than to…
- And to just stumble through an answer and hope for the best. Exactly. And remember, they’re not looking for perfection. Okay. They want to see that you can communicate.
- Fluency over perfection.
- That’s perfect grammar.
- Yes. Show them who you are. Let your passion for the language come out.
- That’s a great reminder. Yeah.
- Have fun with it.
- Okay. So we talked about it before. That lifelong validity. Oh, yeah. Of the DELE certification.
- What does that really mean for you? Yeah.
- What does that mean for our listeners out there?
- It means once you earn that certification, it’s yours forever.
- No matter what.It doesn’t expire.It’s a testament to your dedication. Yeah.
- It shows that you put in the work.
- Yeah. that you really care about the language.
- You went the extra mile.
- So it can open doors for you.
- For sure. Throughout your life.
- Throughout your life, no matter where you go, no matter what you do.
- Even if your Spanish gets a little rusty.
- Even if you haven’t spoken it in a while.
- That DELE certification.
- It’s still there. It’s proof.
- It’s proof that you reached a high level.
- So if you’re thinking about taking the DELE
- If you’re on the fence.
- I hope this deep dive.
- Has given you a little push.
- Has helped you make that decision.
- Yeah. It’s a challenge.
- But it’s a challenge worth taking.
- The rewards are there.
- Yeah, the rewards are huge.
- We’ve covered so much today. So much. You know, the different levels.
- The format of the exam.
- The practical benefits.
- The transformative power of language learning.
- Yeah, we really got into it. We did. And remember. Yeah. It’s not just about passing an exam.
- It’s not just about the piece of paper.
- It’s about a journey.
- Of lifelong learning.
- So embrace the challenge.
- Embrace the challenge.
- Dive in headfirst.
- Dive in.
- And see what happens. See where it takes you.
- Thank you for joining us.
- Thanks for being here.
- On this deep dive into the DELE exams.
- We’ll see you next time.
- We’ll be back soon with more exciting explorations. I want to come. In the world of language and culture.
- Stay tuned.
- Until then, hasta luego.
And, if you want to prepare DELE of any level or study Spanish, you can contact me through this CONTACT FORM:
Prepara el DELE conmigo
Cursos DELE en grupo o clases individuales online
Clases presenciales en Madrid o Getafe en grupo o individuales
Soy examinadora acreditada por el Instituto Cervantes de todos los niveles del DELE: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 y C2.
