DELE B2 has no chapter-by-chapter syllabus. The Instituto Cervantes says the language content that DELE B2 can test is listed in its Niveles de referencia para el español, and it also publishes a fixed exam structure, an official exam guide (Guía del examen DELE B2, written for Spanish teachers, materials writers and academic authorities rather than as a self-study tool) and a sample paper. Knowing the format task by task is therefore the practical starting point. This page covers the four pruebas (papers), the grouped pass rule, the other levels and what happens after exam day, as the structure companion to the Myndaq DELE course.
DELE B2 at a glance
- Four pruebas, each worth 25 points, for a total of 100 points.
- Prueba 1, Comprensión de lectura (reading) - 70 minutes, 4 tareas (tasks), 36 items.
- Prueba 2, Comprensión auditiva (listening) - 40 minutes, 5 tareas, 30 items.
- Prueba 3, Expresión e interacción escritas (writing) - 80 minutes, 2 tareas.
- Prueba 4, Expresión e interacción orales (speaking) - 20 minutes, plus 20 minutes of preparation, 3 tareas.
The three written papers add up to 190 minutes, or 3 hours 10 minutes, on the official exam date. The Instituto Cervantes states that the speaking test may be held on another day immediately before or after that date. The result is APTO (pass) or NO APTO (fail) for the B2 level.
Prueba 1 - Comprensión de lectura
The B2 exam guide puts the total reading load at 1,750 to 1,950 words, so pacing matters.
- Tarea 1 - one complex informative text of 400 to 450 words from public or professional life, with 6 multiple-choice questions of three options each.
- Tarea 2 - four shorter texts of 130 to 150 words each in which people give opinions or recount experiences; you match 10 statements to the right text.
- Tarea 3 - a text of 400 to 450 words with six gaps; you fill them from eight short fragments of 15 to 20 words, so two fragments are left over.
- Tarea 4 - a text of 400 to 450 words with 14 gaps, each with three options.
Each correct answer earns 1 point and each wrong answer 0. Wrong answers are not penalised, so leaving an item blank never helps.
Prueba 2 - Comprensión auditiva
There are six items in each tarea, and the guide says every recording is played twice.
- Tarea 1 - six short conversations of 40 to 60 words each, one three-option question on each.
- Tarea 2 - a conversation between two people of 250 to 300 words. For each of six statements, you decide whether it refers to the first speaker, the second speaker or neither (as in the official model exam).
- Tarea 3 - a radio or television interview of 400 to 450 words, with six three-option questions.
- Tarea 4 - six short monologues or exchanges of 50 to 70 words each from professional or academic settings; you link each one to the statement that fits it.
- Tarea 5 - a longer piece such as a lecture, speech or talk of 400 to 450 words, with six three-option questions.
Scoring works as in reading.
Prueba 3 - Expresión e interacción escritas
Each tarea requires 150 to 180 words, so 300 to 360 words in total.
- Tarea 1 - a letter or email, formal or informal, based on notes you take while listening to a recording of 200 to 250 words (played twice in the official model exam). You must include the relevant content and give your opinion on it.
- Tarea 2 - you choose one of two options: Option A, an article in which you comment on a graph, or Option B, a blog article or a review. The input is again 200 to 250 words and your answer 150 to 180.
Each tarea receives two ratings: a holistic rating of the whole performance and an analytic rating of separate aspects of the text. The holistic rating counts for 40% and the analytic rating for 60%.
Prueba 4 - Expresión e interacción orales
The 20 minutes of preparation cover the first two tareas. During preparation you may take notes and write an outline to consult while you speak.
- Tarea 1 (6 to 7 minutes, prepared) - evaluate a set of proposals for dealing with a problem, then discuss them with the examiner.
- Tarea 2 (5 to 6 minutes, prepared) - describe a situation you imagine from a photograph, then talk about it with the examiner.
- Tarea 3 (3 to 4 minutes, not prepared) - give your opinion on the data in a survey.
Two examiners are present: one interviews you, the other only rates. You receive one holistic rating for the whole test (40% of the result) and three analytic ratings, one per tarea (60%), in which tareas 1 and 2 weigh 35% each and tarea 3 weighs 30%.
How the 100 points are worked out
The guide converts every raw score to the 25-point scale with one formula: raw score multiplied by 25, divided by the maximum raw score. In reading, 20 correct answers out of 36 therefore give 13.89 points.
The writing and speaking papers are rated on bands. The guide says a rating of 2 matches the B2 description in the Common European Framework of Reference, 3 means the level is comfortably exceeded and 1 means it is not reached. On the maximum of 3, a rating of 2 converts to 16.67 points.
The four pruebas are then paired into two grading groups:
- Group 1 - Comprensión de lectura plus Expresión e interacción escritas, 50 points.
- Group 2 - Comprensión auditiva plus Expresión e interacción orales, 50 points.
You need at least 30 points in each group. A strong group cannot rescue a weak one. An illustrative calculation with the guide's formula, not a real result:
- Reading 26 of 36 gives 18.06, writing rated 2 gives 16.67, so Group 1 totals about 34.7 - above 30.
- Listening 16 of 30 gives 13.33, speaking with an overall weighted rating of 1.8 gives 15.00, so Group 2 totals 28.33 - below 30.
The total is about 63 out of 100, yet the result is NO APTO because Group 2 falls short. To try your own numbers, use the DELE score calculator. Because the result is decided by group, practise reading with writing and listening with speaking as pairs; the DELE Spanish exam guide sets out a weekly routine built that way.
How the other DELE levels are built
- A1 - reading 45 minutes (4 tareas, 25 items); listening 25 minutes (4 tareas, 25 items); writing 25 minutes (2 tareas); speaking 10 minutes plus 10 of preparation (3 tareas).
- A2 - reading 60 minutes (4 tareas, 25 items); listening 40 minutes (4 tareas, 25 items); writing 45 minutes (2 tareas); speaking 12 minutes plus 12 of preparation (3 tareas).
- B1 - reading 70 minutes (5 tareas, 30 items); listening 40 minutes (5 tareas, 30 items); writing 60 minutes (2 tareas); speaking 15 minutes plus 15 of preparation (4 tareas).
- B2 - as described above.
- C1 - reading and use of language 90 minutes (5 tareas, 40 items); listening and use of language 50 minutes (4 tareas, 30 items); writing, mediation and interaction 80 minutes (2 tareas); speaking, mediation and interaction 20 minutes plus 20 of preparation (3 tareas).
- C2 - three pruebas instead of four: integrated skills (use of language, reading and listening) 105 minutes, 52 items; writing, mediation and interaction 150 minutes (3 tareas); speaking, mediation and interaction 20 minutes plus 30 of preparation (3 tareas).
From A1 to C1 each prueba is worth 25 points and the same two-group rule applies: 30 points in the reading-and-writing group and 30 in the listening-and-speaking group. C2 has no groups. Its pruebas are worth 33.33, 33.33 and 33.34 points, and you need at least 20 points in each of the three.
On Spanish varieties, the Instituto Cervantes says comprehension papers include the main varieties of Spanish from B1 upwards, and that in writing and speaking any variety the candidate uses is valid at every level.
After the exam - results and the diploma
- When results arrive - about two months after the written papers, or about three months for the May and November sessions, according to the Instituto Cervantes. Candidates are told by email and through the examinations portal; results are not released before the official publication date.
- The results certificate - you download your certificación de calificaciones from your private area on the portal. It carries a secure verification code so a paper copy can be authenticated in official procedures, nationality applications being the example the Instituto Cervantes gives.
- The diploma - candidates who pass receive a digital diploma by email with the results certificate and can also download it from their personal area on the portal. The Instituto Cervantes no longer issues printed diplomas. The B2 guide describes the diploma as an official title awarded in the name of Spain's Ministry of Education.
- Validity - indefinite, according to the Instituto Cervantes. Check whether your university or authority sets its own rule on how recent a certificate must be.
- Review - if you disagree with your result, you have one month to request a revisión de calificaciones through the portal. The legal deadline for a decision is three months from the close of that request window, although the Instituto Cervantes says it tries to answer sooner. The review costs 60% of the exam price (before discounts), paid in euros when you apply.
- If you do not pass - you register and pay again, and you sit all the pruebas again, even ones you passed last time. Partial retakes are not offered.
Because results can take two to three months, choose your session with that gap in mind. The DELE B2 fees and registration guide explains the B2 registration deadline rule.
Quick answers
How long is the DELE B2 exam?
The written papers take 190 minutes: reading 70, listening 40 and writing 80. Speaking adds 20 minutes plus 20 of preparation.
How many points do you need to pass DELE B2?
At least 30 of 50 in reading plus writing, and at least 30 of 50 in listening plus speaking. Both groups must reach 30.
Do I have to retake the whole DELE if I fail one group?
Yes. You register again and sit every prueba, including those you passed.
Does the DELE B2 diploma expire?
No. The Instituto Cervantes states that DELE diplomas have indefinite validity.
