15 Tips for the DELE oral exam that do not fail

Your date is approaching DELE exam or you are considering preparing to do it in the coming months, but just thinking about the oral test... 😱

Don't worry, we are all afraid of facing the oral part of a language that is not ours, it is normal. 

And that's why we are here, to help you overcome that fear and overcome your exam with success… You have come to the right place!

We have prepared you 15 infallible tips to pass the DELE oral exam.

Let's go for that oral exam! 💪

Why is it important to prepare for the DELE oral exam?

Before moving on to the tips, if you want to know everything about the DELE exam You can take a look at this article about DELE or visit the official website of the Cervantes Institute to have everything very clear.

Do you know that the DELE exam consists of 4 tests? 

1. Reading comprehension.
2. Listening comprehension.
3. Written expression and interaction.
4. Oral expression and interaction.

This last one is the oral test:  that dreaded part where You show that you really know how to use everything you have studied and learned during your preparation for the exam. 

This is a conversation with a native examiner. The duration depends on the level you apply to.

You have a lot at stake in a short time, but if you follow our advice, there is nothing to fear. 😉

What does the oral part of the DELE exam consist of?

The oral tests are different depending on the level. The first thing you should do is choose the level you want to apply to. 

Not sure about your level? 

You can find it on the Instituto Cervantes website level exam models A2, B1, B2, C1, C2.

DELE A2 oral

The exam oral DELE a2 has 3 tasks and lasts 24 minutes. 

Don't be scared by time, you'll really just have to talk 12 minutes, the others are 12 minutes to prepare.

• In the task 1, you have to make a presentation oral 2-3 minutes about a topic related to your daily life. 
• In the task 2, you will have to describe a photograph  and talk about her for 2-3 minutes. 
• In the task 3, you will participate in a conversation with the interviewer for 3-4 minutes. 

All tasks have very clear preparation and instructions.

If you are thinking about obtain Spanish nationality, this, the A2, is the minimum level that you must exceed.

You can see examples of DELE on the Instituto Cervantes website. I recommend that you practice with some DELE A2 oral exam model.

DELE B1 oral 

The DELE b1 oral exam consists of 4 tasks and lasts 30 minutes, 15 minutes of preparation and 15 minutes of exam. 

• In the task 1, you have to make one presentation on a topic for 2-3 minutes. 
• In the task 2, you will speak with the interviewer on that topic during 3-4 minutes. 
• In the task 3, you must describe some B1 images in 2-3 minutes. The photos to describe in the B1 are usually of individuals or of families or friends in different environments.
• In thetask 4, you will talk with him interviewer interpreting a specific situation for 2-3 minutes. 

In the DELE B1 oral test, only the tasks 1 and 2, the tasks 3 and 4 They are improvised.

DELE B2 oral 

The DELE b2 oral exam has 3 tasks and a duration of 40 minutes, 20 minutes of preparation and 20 minute exam.

• The task 1 It is the longest, in it you have to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of a proposal and discuss with the interviewer for 6-7 minutes. 
• The task 2 DELE b2 oral consists of describe an image and talk about her for 5-6 minutes. 
• In the task 3, you must talk about a graph or survey for 3-4 minutes.

The two first tasks of the DELE b2 oral exam and its topics are prepared, but the task 3 has no preparation.

are you thinking in studying a master's or degree in Spain? 

The B2 level is a requirement in most university studies. 

On this page of the University of Valencia You can consult all the undergraduate and postgraduate studies available.

DELE C1 oral 

The DELE c1 oral exam has 3 tasks and lasts 40 minutes, 20 minutes of preparation and 20 minute exam. The DELE C1 oral test requires an advanced level of fluency when speaking in Spanish.

• In the task 1, you will have to understand the information of a text, summarize it and assess it in 3-5 minutes. 
• The task 2, will consist of a conversation with him interviewerfrom the text of task 1 for 4-6 minutes.
• And in the task 3, you will exchange ideas and you will talk with him examiner about advertisements, news, photographs… for 4-6 minutes. You can see examples of exam photos on the official website of the Instituto Cervantes DELE exam.

Do you want to do the MIR in Spain? 

You will have to pass the DELE C1 oral exam and the rest of the tests at this level. 

DELE C2 oral 

The oral test DELE c2 consists of 3 tasks and lasts 50 minutes, 20 minute exam and 30 minutes of preparation.

• In the task 1, You will have to understand and make sense of information from different types of texts in 6-8 minutes. 
• In the task 2, you will talk with him interviewer for 5-6 minutes on the topic of the previous task.
• The task 3, consists of exchange opinions with him interviewer about press headlines for 5-6 minutes.

The 15 tips to pass the DELE oral exam

everyone wants to know how to study quickly and well for an oral exam Spanish and I'm sure you too.

You are looking forward to knowing the tips for DELE exercises, right? You don't have to wait any longer, here we go.

Here are the steps to prepare for the oral test of the DELE exam successfully!

1. Go to the DELE exam on time and without rushing

Be well organized, don't leave everything until the last minute. 

If you have to take the bus or subway, check the schedules in advance.

Try to choose a time that gives you a margin of time in case there is a traffic jam or any incident. There is nothing more unpleasant before an exam than going with the fear of being late.

If you are late for the DELE oral test, the words will not come out well because you will be nervous, maybe even the examiner won't let you do it.

2. Always carry the call sheet and the NIE or passport

Take the call sheet and the NIE or the passport with you to the DELE exam. The call sheet you can show it with mobile.

The NIE and passport they have to be the original, copies are not worth it. 

It may seem logical, but you can't imagine how many students forget and cannot take the exam.

3. Practice before preparing for the DELE oral exam

Do not take the DELE exam without having prepared beforehand.  Surely you speak Spanish very well, but if you don't know what the oral test consists of, it will be very difficult to pass.

You must have very clear instructions and know how to do it.  Ideally, you should do some test exams and exercises to practice the different tasks.

For example, have you ever done photography homework and talked about it?

It always appears in some task in the oral test of the DELE exam.

It is also good practice to get into the habit of evaluating proposals and talking. 

Do you need someone to lend you a hand to gain these skills? 

In Hispania, Spanish school we have DELE preparation courses so muchin person like online that can help you give your best.

4. Examiners don't want to fail you  

Are you scared of examiners?  Don't be afraid of them!

They are there to guide you through the tasks and assess your oral competence. 

They love that you are interested in Spanish! 

5. Prepare the informal talk at the beginning of the exam 

Officially it is not part of the oral test of the DELE exam, but it can help you relax and show that you are able to express yourself naturally. 

A “hello, how are you?” It's sure to bring a smile to your face. 

And a “I wish I passed the exam” can leave the examiners at the exam center open-mouthed.

6. Don't read your notes

This is very important. During the preparation time you can take notes, jot down ideas, make an outline... but in the DELE exams you cannot read those notes, only look at them.

Remember that It is an oral test, not reading or written expression.

7. It's okay if you get confused: self-correct

Have you made a mistake?  

Don't panic! 

Self-correct.

You will show that you are capable of identifying your mistake and correcting it. 

The mistake is not bad, take advantage of it to earn points. 

8. Rephrasing is wise: If you don't remember a specific word, don't get stuck

Don't you remember a word? Don't say it in another language!

It is much better to rephrase, use “relative clauses” for it. 

9. Always answer the examiner's questions

Answer the examiner's questionsof DELE and do not hesitate to return any questions as well, it will be very natural. 

If you don't understand something well, don't bite your tongue and ask.

Say “Can you repeat the question, please?”

 or “How do you say?”

Even the Spanish use this resource sometimes.

10. It is not necessary to speak quickly

Fast is not better. 

Many times candidates think that speaking quickly shows a higher level, but that is not the case. 

The really important thing is to have a clear pronunciation. 

11. Do not respond with monosyllables: Speak, invent your life

Don't answer with “yes” or “no”, always add a “because.”

If you don't know what to say, don't be afraid to invent and imagine.

Learning to improvise to describe an imaginary situation is a very interesting skill that will help you a lot.

The important thing in this oral test is to speak. 

Be careful, don't try to be Tolkien either. 

12. Have phrases prepared that make you look good

¿How to memorize for the oral exam?

Do you want some tips for this?

Prepare fillers who can help you when you remain blank or that show that you express yourself naturally.  Here are some examples: 

• “The truth is that I had never thought about that, but…”
• “I don't know much about this topic, but…”
• “I wish in the future people would care more about this issue”…

13. It is normal to be nervous: Breathe and smile

Imagine that they ask you to describe an imaginary situation and suddenly you go blank and don't know what to say... then you start to get nervous.

Nerves are not bad, but you have to control them. 

Do you want to know how to get rid of your nerves before an oral exam?

When you feel that nervousness, Think about everything you have worked for, take a deep breath and believe in yourself.

You can do everything!

14. Live it as another experience 

The DELE exams They are not a matter of life or death (thank goodness).

If it doesn't turn out as well as you wanted, don't worry. 

You can try again in the next session at any exam center.

Stay with the experience and learn from it!

15. Bring water 

You can't drink water during the exam, but carry a bottle with you so you can drink before and after the oral test.

It is very important for your brain to keep it hydrated.

The DELE exam is a challenge, but its preparation is an adventure. 

Good luck with your exam, I'm sure you'll ace it!

If you want to enjoy the path of DELE preparation, ask us.

Join the adventure with Hispania, Spanish school!

Article written by Marta Gasco for Hispania, Spanish school 

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