A DELE B2 Preparation Plan
Short answer
Prepare for DELE B2 by working back from the exam date: a full timed model exam in week 1, several weeks of grammar, vocabulary and untimed practice in all four papers, then timed practice paper by paper, two full mocks and a light final week. Remember that APTO depends on two groups of papers, so neither group can be neglected.
DELE B2 is the Instituto Cervantes diploma that many universities and employers ask for. It is demanding not only in language but in stamina: three written papers in one session, then an oral test with its own preparation time.
This guide summarises the official format, explains how the result is decided, and sets out a twelve-week plan you can shorten or stretch to your own date.
Key points
- DELE B2 has four papers of 25 points each: reading, listening, writing and speaking.
- To be APTO you need the required score in both groups: reading with writing, and listening with speaking.
- The written papers take 190 minutes in one session; the oral test is 20 minutes plus 20 minutes of preparation.
- Practise the three oral tasks aloud, timed, from the first month.
- Use the official model exams for your diagnostic and your final mock.
The DELE B2 format
The Instituto Cervantes publishes the structure of each level on its DELE B2 page. We read it on 20 October 2026 from an archived copy of February 2026, because the live site was showing a maintenance page that day, so check it again before you book.
The reading, listening and writing papers are taken on the official exam date in one sitting. The oral test can be on the same day or a day before or after, depending on your exam centre.
| Paper | Time | Format | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comprensión de lectura | 70 min | 4 tasks, 36 items | 25 |
| Comprensión auditiva | 40 min | 5 tasks, 30 items | 25 |
| Expresión e interacción escritas | 80 min | 2 tasks | 25 |
| Expresión e interacción orales | 20 min, plus 20 min preparation | 3 tasks | 25 |
How APTO is decided
The four papers are grouped in two. Group 1 is reading and writing; group 2 is listening and speaking. According to the official DELE FAQ, you need the required score in each group to be awarded the diploma: a high total is not enough if one group falls short.
This matters for planning. If your speaking is weak, strong reading will not rescue it, because they are in different groups. Your plan should make sure that the weaker paper in each group gets extra time.
How long to prepare
If your Spanish is already at B2 in daily use, ten to twelve weeks at 6 to 8 hours a week is usually enough to learn the tasks, the timing and the kinds of mistakes that cost points. If you are still at B1, build the language first and add exam practice in the final months. As a rough guide, Cambridge English estimates about 200 guided learning hours to move up one CEFR level, and the same order of effort applies to Spanish.
The diagnostic model exam is the best guide. If you understand most texts and recordings but run out of time or lose points on details, you are mainly learning the exam, and timed practice will pay off quickly. If many answers are wrong even without a timer, put more weeks into the build phase: grammar such as the subjunctive and connectors, vocabulary by topic, and plenty of listening at natural speed.
A twelve-week schedule
This schedule assumes about 7 hours a week over four or five days. Each phase has one job; keep the order even if you change the length.
| Weeks | Phase | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diagnose | Full model exam, timed; error log; weakest paper in each group |
| 2 to 6 | Build | Grammar (subjunctive, connectors), vocabulary by topic, untimed practice in all papers |
| 7 to 9 | Timed practice | One paper per session on the official time; oral tasks with 20 minutes of preparation |
| 10 to 11 | Mock exams | Two full mocks a week apart, each with a review |
| 12 | Taper | Short timed tasks, error log, useful phrases; light last two days |
Plan it with Fluentpace
DELE: every study day dated up to your exam, timed practice, mock exams and logs. €19 once.
Practising the written papers
Reading at B2 includes long texts and tasks that test whether you understand opinions and structure, not just facts. Read opinion columns and reports regularly, and practise summarising each paragraph in a few words. In the timed phase, aim to finish with a few minutes to check your answers.
In writing, the two tasks ask for different text types. Plan each answer for a few minutes, cover every point in the instructions, and keep a bank of connectors and phrases for giving opinions, comparing options and concluding. Check your text against a simple list: task covered, clear structure, varied vocabulary, accurate grammar, correct length.
Time management is part of the skill. Eighty minutes for two tasks sounds generous until you plan, write and check both. In the timed phase, practise a fixed routine: a few minutes to read the task and plan, most of the time to write, and the last five minutes to check verb endings, agreement and accents, which are easy points to lose.
Practising listening and the oral test
Listening at B2 covers conversations, interviews and talks at natural speed. Mix everyday audio, such as radio and podcasts, with exam-style tasks. Dictation of short extracts sharpens your ear for endings and small words that change the meaning.
The oral test has three tasks: evaluating proposals and discussing them, describing an imagined situation from a photograph, and giving your opinion on survey data. Each needs a different kind of language, so practise all three aloud, with the 20 minutes of preparation timed, and record yourself.
- Proposals: practise weighing advantages and disadvantages and saying which you prefer and why.
- Photograph: practise describing what you see and imagining what happened before and after.
- Survey: practise comparing figures and giving your view in clear, connected sentences.
- After each recording, note one improvement and use it in the next attempt.
Mock exams and the last week
Use an official model exam for your diagnostic in week 1 and keep another for your final mock. Sit the written papers in one go, with breaks only where the real exam has them, and the oral test separately. Review each mock thoroughly; regular retrieval practice with careful review is one of the best-supported study techniques.
In the final week, do short timed tasks, reread your error log and phrase bank, and check your exam centre’s instructions: the time, the address and the ID you registered with.
Between the two mocks, focus on the patterns the first one revealed rather than doing another full test. If listening tasks with numbers or names went wrong, practise exactly those; if the oral survey task felt weak, prepare phrases for comparing figures and use them aloud every day that week.
Questions
How long is the DELE B2 exam?
The three written papers take 190 minutes in total: 70 for reading, 40 for listening and 80 for writing. The oral test lasts 20 minutes, with 20 minutes of preparation before it.
What is the pass mark for DELE B2?
Each paper is worth 25 points. To be APTO you need the required score in each of the two groups of papers: reading with writing, and listening with speaking. Check the current requirement in the official exam guide before your exam.
Can I take the oral test on another day?
Yes, the oral test can take place on the official exam date or on a day immediately before or after it, depending on your exam centre.
Where can I find official practice material?
The Instituto Cervantes publishes a model exam and an exam guide for each level on its DELE pages. Use them for your first and last full mocks.
Is 12 weeks enough for DELE B2?
It is a common choice if your Spanish is already at B2 in daily use. If you are still at B1, you will need longer, because the extra time goes into building the language itself.
Do I need to know Spanish from Spain for DELE?
No. DELE accepts all varieties of Spanish, and the recordings and texts can come from different Spanish-speaking countries. Expose yourself to several accents in your listening practice so that none of them surprises you on the day.
Sources
Try it with your own dates
Download week 1 of your DELE plan for free, no email needed. The full plan dates every study day up to the exam (€19, full refund within 14 days).