Beaches Hall of Fame       

The best moments always happen on the beach. Hollywood has made it pretty clear in a ton of films and no one can tell us otherwise. That’s just the way it is.

It’s the place where Danny and Sandy met and spent those unforgettable Summer Nights worthy of a musical, the place that gave us that Daniel Larusso’s unmatched scene doing the “Crane Kick” under the watchful eye of Mr. Miyagi, and the place where Colonel George Taylor, on his so-called simian adventure, realizes that he actually isn’t so far from his home planet after all and can’t help but let out a few hot-headed curses making for another iconic scene.

Well, we have good news because Spain has almost 5,000 miles of coast filled with beaches lapped by the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. 4911.939 miles to enjoy their geological and climatic peculiarities and, why not, just imagine running by the seashore at slow motion while you hear in your head the mythical Vangelis’s Chariots of Fire.

I’m sure that you´re already picturing your skin sun-kissed and the sea ​​breeze in your face. If so, then I’d say we’re on track, so don’t stop, keep reading in English, or click here to switch to Spanish and don’t miss this list with the best beaches in Spain.

Granadella Cove, Valencian Community

The first destination to enjoy your holidays in Spain is found along the Mediterranean seashore, in the province of Alicante. Located near the coastal town of Xàbia and crossing the road that meets La Granadella Forest Park, you’ll find a beach that has been elected on several occasions as the best beach in Spain. Its seabed is renowned and admired for is beauty among diving, scuba diving, and snorkel enthusiasts.

Macarella and Macarelleta Cove, Menorca, Balearic Islands

It’s time for the trendiest beach on Instagram. This virgin, isolated, and “u” shaped cove is the most photographed beach in Spain, and for good reason. You can only reach it by sea or on foot and, once you’re there, it’s as if you were in the Caribbean itself. You’ll get to walk through the soft white sand to the seashore and gaze over its turquoise waters framed by pine-covered cliffs.

Benijo Beach, Canary Islands

If you’re a person that is always looking for something different and unconventional, stop by the Canary Islands archipelago, most of its beaches have a volcanic origin. In North Tenerife you will find this incredible wild beach composed of black sand. Remote from urban centers, it is the perfect place to disconnect from all the noise and take in nature’s beauty.

El Bombo Beach, Mijas, Malaga

With 683 miles in length and 65 feet in width, this beach is characterized by its moderate waves, its dark sand, and its crystal waters, perfect for the scuba diving lovers. If this is not enough to awake your interest, imagine yourself arriving to the beach riding on the back of a traditional burrotaxi (donkey-cab).

Valdevaqueros Beach, Cadiz

When the wind blows in this little corner of ours, the Valdevaqueros’s 2.48 miles of beach becomes so much more, it transforms into a multicolor universe painted by the sails of the kitesurf and windsurf enthusiasts. If in addition, you’re looking for good company, this is the place! The beach has, as permanent residents, cows that don’t hesitate to feel at ease by the seashore while you catch up on that tan and enjoy the abundance of restaurants and chill out bars.

While the seventh art has its world-renowned Academy Awards, these Spanish beaches have received awards of their own that guarantee exceptional quality. Among them is the Blue Flag, an international classification that certifies that the beach meets and maintains environmental, educational, safety, and accessibility criteria. Spain tops the world list of countries with Blue Flag awarded beaches. An authentic treasure of nature.

Speaking of treasures, we can’t part ways without first referring to the lucky ones that are always surrounded by sand and water, the pirates. If you want to travel the Spanish beaches in Jack Sparrow’s style, take a Spanish course and discover the treasure of learning a new language.

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If you study Spanish you have probably heard this verb more than once in your classes, in a conversation, on TV..., although it is quite possible that you still do not understand what it means exactly or how you should use it. If so, don't worry! Your doubt is the same as that of many other students, because the verb quedar has many uses and meanings.

In this article we want to help you better understand the verb quedar in Spanish. So read on or click here to switch to the English version of the article.

Quedar con alguien

Quedar con alguien means to meet a person intentionally, usually at a certain time and place. In other words, it is the verb we use to meet someone.

• Los domingos quedo con mis padres y vamos a comer fuera (On Sundays I meet up with my parents and we go to eat out).
• ¿Quedamos mañana para ir al cine? (Shall we meet tomorrow to go to the movies?)

Quedar as a result

In these sentences, quedar expresses the result or state in which something is found after an action or process.

• Después de la reforma, la casa ha quedado preciosa (After the renovation, the house has become beautiful)
• No quiero que uséis el móvil en clase. ¿Queda claro? (I don't want you to use your cell phone in class. Is that clear?)

Quedar for an agreement

Quedar en algo expresses 'to agree on something'. We can use this structure to express that we come to an agreement with someone.

• ¿Por qué no me has enviado todavía el informe? ¿No quedamos en que lo terminarías ayer? (Why haven't you sent me the report yet? Didn't we agree that you would finish it yesterday?)
• Para la boda, hemos quedado en que él se encarga del restaurante y yo del fotógrafo (For the wedding, we agreed that he would take care of the restaurant and I would take care of the photographer)

From this sense, we derive the question “¿En qué quedamos?” (What did we agree on?), an expression that we use to ask someone to decide between different options or alternatives:

• Ayer me dijiste que quieres empezar a ahorrar para tus vacaciones y ahora estás pensando en comprarte un coche nuevo. ¿En qué quedamos? Decídete. (Yesterday you told me that you want to start saving for your vacation and now you are thinking of buying a new car. What shall we agree on? Make up your mind)

Other uses

In these contexts, quedar indicates the point at which a process is at or the amount left over of something, as happens in the second sentence.

• Esta mañana me he gastado casi todo el dinero en el supermercado. Solo me quedan 20 € (This morning I spent almost all my money at the supermarket. I only have €20 left)
• Quedan 20 minutos para terminar la clase (There are 20 minutes left to finish class)

Quedar resembles in these cases the verb haber, since it expresses the existence or non-existence of something:

• No queda leche. ¿Puedes comprar antes de venir a casa por favor? (There is no milk left. Can you buy before you come home please?)
• ¿Queda alguna persona en la sala o ya han salido todos? (Is there any person left in the room or has everyone already left?)

The verb quedar can be used with adjectives and adverbs such as bien, mal, genial, etc. to indicate that a color, an article of clothing, or the like does or does not aesthetically favor a person or thing.

• Esa camiseta no te queda bien. No es tu talla. (That shirt doesn't fit you. It's not your size)
• Yo creo que el azul queda genial en este salón (I think the blue looks great in this living room)

While, when we use quedar bien/quedar mal con alguien, we express the idea of causing a good or bad feeling in a person:

• No puedes quedar bien con todo el mundo. A veces, alguien puede pensar que no eres simpático. (You can't look good to everyone. Sometimes, someone may think you are not nice)
• Estoy muy nervioso porque hoy voy a conocer a los padres de mi novia y no quiero quedar mal ante ellos (I'm very nervous because I'm going to meet my girlfriend's parents today and I don't want to look bad in front of them)

After all these examples and explanations, we hope that now the verb quedar has finally become clear to you and you have no doubt.

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A Brand-New World

Imagine the situation. It’s been no longer than two days since you set foot on British soil and you’re taking a stroll around the famous Camden Town accompanied by your new Londoner best friend. You’re enjoying its atmosphere, its alternative shops, and its music when your mohawked friend asks you: “Do you fancy Walkers?” At this point, you have no idea if he is talking about Chuck Norris or if he is asking you if you’re a fan of Game of Thrones. Thankfully, before you open your mouth, he takes a bag of chips out of his backpack that looks suspiciously familiar. The classic Lay’s.

Calm down! You’re like flan, but this is not a conspiracy to make a fool of us when we travel to other countries. The reasons why brands change their names depending on the country they’re selling to range from legal, cultural, and linguistic issues to marketing strategies.

Keep reading in English, or click here to switch to Spanish, and learn about some “shape-shifter” brands so you won't get caught off guard during your next getaway abroad.

Lay's/Walkers

The misunderstanding that we experienced at the beginning of this post was due to commercial reasons. The PepsiCo multinational corporation, owner of the brand Lay’s, bought the British company Walkers and decided to keep the brand’s name to keep customer loyalty.

Moreover, it’s a brand whose name differs from country to country: “Sabritas” in Mexico, “Tapuchips” in Israel, “Poca” in Vietnam, and “Chipsy” in Egypt.

Mr. Clean

The history of Mr. Clean, Don Limpio, or Mr. Proper, as it was originally named, is stained by some European distributors’ opportunism. The problem began when some distributors started to send products from countries where they were cheaper to countries where they were more expensive to increase their profit margin. This caused a big internal crisis in the company.

Solution: Name the product differently in each country and negotiate its price in each one of them as if they were different products.

Dunkin' Donuts/Dunkin' Coffee 

The issue with the U.S. police force’s most representative food could only have legal reasons. The arrival of Dunkin' Donuts to Spain was anything but sweet because they found out that the word “donuts” had been a registered brand of the Panrico company for several decades. The North American brand took the decision to partner with Panrico to run the business in Spain and to keep its original name.

Some years ago, Dunkin’ broke off this agreement and changed its name in Spain to Dunkin’ Coffee.

Danone/Dannon

To end, we have a change of name done for linguistic reasons. When the Spanish brand first arrived to the U.S. in 1937, it decided to change its name to Dannon to make it easier to pronounce. (This way, Americans wouldn’t have to argue over whether to pronounce Danone as “Dan won” or “Dah–no–nay.”)

If you want to taste an authentic Danone, to enjoy an exclusive Dunkin' Coffee, or to open a bag of delicious “Sabritas,” take a Spanish course abroad and keep discovering firsthand the many other examples that we can find about the fascinating world of commercial naming.

As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, so don’t forget to take a look at this video we've put together.

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It is well known that there’s a Spanish saying for just about any kind of situation. There’s a phrase that fits today’s topic perfectly (“como anillo al dedo”): “Hombre prevenido vale por dos.” (A well prepared man is worth two — or as we say in English, forewarned is forearmed).

The meaning of this popular saying is that a person who is informed and well organized has an advantage over the others. With this in mind, let’s take good note of the next official DELE exam dates in 2019. You can keep reading this article in English or, if you want to be well prepared and train your Spanish skills for the exam, click here to change to the Spanish version.

While it is true that we have talked before about how to sign up for the DELE exam in 5 easy steps, today we will be focusing strictly on what to do before you sign up. To have things clear as crystal, we will take a look at the exam dates and registration deadlines because, unlike SIELE, DELE is more strict in terms of timing when you want to get a date for the exam. That’s why we have to take a glance at the calendar from time to time.

SEPTEMBER

Levels: ADULTS A2.

Registration Deadlines: until July 24^th.

Exam Dates: Friday September 13^th.

OCTOBER

Levels: ADULTS A2, B1, and B2.

Registration Deadlines: until August 21^st.

Exam Dates: Friday October 4^th.

NOVEMBER

Levels: YOUNG LEARNERS A1 and A2/B1. ADULTS A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, and C2.

Registration Deadlines: until October 9.

Exam Dates: Friday November 22 and Saturday November 23.

Now that you have the exam dates saved in your mind, you just need to decide which one suits you best, register, and make sure you’re 100% ready on the day of the exam. At this point it’s clear that you like to be well prepared, and at don Quijote we can help you out with that. Choose one of our DELE exam preparation courses, DELE 20 or DELE 30, and you’ll pass the exam with flying colors. Our students’ success rate is 95%.

And don’t forget to take a look at the video that we've put together about DELE and other official Spanish exams.

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Be quiet for a second. If you listen carefully, you will surely be able to hear what is about to come. If you’re a music lover, we have something important to tell you.

The Spanish summer is much more than just sun and beach (although it does have a lot of both!). With the arrival of this season, Spain becomes a territory where you could hop from north to south traveling from festival to festival.

Keep reading in English or, if you’d like to change your tune, click here to switch to Spanish and discover some of the music festivals that we have ahead this 2019.

DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL

On June 28^th, 29^th, and 30^th, Madrid will host one of the most important events for rock and heavy metal lovers, the Download Festival. This festival’s third edition can be enjoyed in La Caja Mágica (a multipurpose stadium) at the rhythm of some of the most legendary bands of the genre: Slipknot, Scorpions, Tool, and Sum 41, among many others.

A special meeting, without any doubt, for Slipknot and Tool fans because it will be the first time that both bands play in the Spanish capital in more than a decade.

CRUÏLLA

If you read the names Black Eyed Peas, Kylie Minogue, and Vetusta Morla and you can’t help but move your feet as you remember one of their songs, pop rock is your thing, and this is your festival. During July 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th, several special guests come together to celebrate the tenth anniversary of this festival set in Barcelona.

But Cruïlla is much more than music, it’s also all the art created offstage with different artistic offers that go from dance and theatre to painting.

LOW COST FESTIVAL

Don’t let its name confuse you, this festival has hosted top names like The Chemical Brothers. This year, it does not lag behind as it’s bringing groups as important as New Order, Foals, and Bastille. If you’re looking for a non-overcrowded and more affordable musical event, stop by Benidorm (Alicante) on July 26^th, 27^th, and 28^th.   

STARLITE

A stellar lineup for a luxury location. After seven editions, Starlite has become one of the world’s longest festivals with more than 46 days of concerts. This year, from July 5^th to August 23^rd, music, culture, and gastronomy unite in a single place: Marbella (Malaga). Enjoy a starlit stage: Jason Derulo, Luis Fonsi, and Sting, among many others, will be, for sure, the delight of the audience.

FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE BENICÀSSIM (FIB)

We conclude the festival route with the season’s classic, a festival that turns 25 summers old this year. A pop, rock, indie, and electronic music parade located in Benicàsim (Castellón, Comunidad Valenciana) that will allow you to enjoy the good atmosphere, and some paella too, on July 18^th, 19^th, 20^th, and 21^st. Just in case these reasons are not enough to awake your interest, maybe the names Lana del Rey, Fatboy Slim, and Kings of Leon will change your mind.

If this is music to your ears, take a Spanish course in Spain and drop by one of these music festivals. Improve your Spanish skills and stop sounding like a broken record using the same Spanish expressions over and over again.

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If you are reading these words, maybe you find yourself in one of these turning points where you have to make a decision that could change the rest of your life. Perhaps you are about to go to university, or want to undergo a radical change of work, or maybe you just want to embark on a new adventure.

If any of these options have a Spanish-speaking country as destination, and you need to get an official Spanish certificate as soon as possible, the key that will bring your objectives within reach has a name: the SIELE exam. Keep reading this article in English or click here to change to the Spanish version.

The SIELE is recognized and promoted by several international language education organizations: the Instituto Cervantes, the Universidad Autónoma de Mexico, the Universidad de Salamanca, and the Universidad de Buenos Aires.

These organizations guarantee standards for quality and linguistic varieties in the tests.

The exam offers several specific characteristics that make SIELE different from other certificates: it has a validity of 5 years, the exam can be taken the day, time, and place of your choice by electronic means, and something that will make you happy, it’s not possible to fail the test! You will always come away from the exam with a certificate or report for one Spanish level or another.

SIELE offers you up to 4 tests that cover all the areas of knowledge of the Spanish language: reading comprehension, listening comprehension, written expression and interaction, and spoken expression and interaction. There are 2 ways to take the exam:

• SIELE GLOBAL:  It’s a single multilevel exam that includes 4 tests.  With this exam, you will get the SIELE certificate.
• INDEPENDENT MODALITIES: Choose from 5 exam modalities based on a combination of the 4 tests. Taking one of these exams will allow you to obtain the SIELE Report.

5 STEPS TO ENROLL

Visit the SIELE page.

STEP 1

Choose the exam mode you’re interested in (SIELE Global or the independent modalities) and the country where you want to take the exam.

STEP 2

Select the date and the accredited center of your choice. Remember that you can take the test at any of our schools in Spain.

STEP 3

Register by creating your user account.

STEP 4

Enter your personal information.

STEP 5

Review that your purchase was successful.

When the day of the exam arrives, be cautious! Go to the center 15 minutes before the time of the test and do not forget the official ID that you used to book the exam and your siele.org user account information (email and password).

In a maximum period of three weeks you will receive an email notifying you that you are able to download your SIELE certificate or report from “My page.”

And yes, it’s true that this is an exam you cannot fail, but if you’re getting this certificate in order to reach your goals, that means you are a person that refuses to tolerate mediocrity. At don Quijote we offer  a SIELE preparation course so you can get the highest mark.

Make the beginning of this new adventure official!

If you'd like to learn more about SIELE and other official Spanish exams, take a look at this video we've put together.

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When you travel to Spain, the first thing you discover is that the Spanish climate invites you to spend a large part of the time outdoors, and most Spaniards maximize the good weather by enjoying one of their most typical customs: the tapeo.

If you visit a Spanish tapas bar and want to feel like an authentic expert in the field, keep reading in English or click here to switch to Spanish, and discover everything about the wonderful world of tapas.

To become familiar with the topic, we must begin by knowing what a tapa is. According to the Royal Spanish Academy, it is a small portion of food that goes with a beverage.

Origins

This symbol of Spanish gastronomy is surrounded by an aura of mystery as there exist diverse theories about its origin.

Some stories trace it back to the era of King Alfonso X “The Wise,” who decreed that in Castile, wine could not be served without something to eat. The food was usually a slice of ham or a wedge of cheese, and it was placed over the wine glass, covering (tapando) the vessel and keeping flies from touching the liquid inside.

Another possible origin is attributed to another monarch who was also named Alfonso, but lived several centuries later. It is said that on an official trip, King Alfonso XIII stopped to rest in the Ventorrillo del Chato inn, a place that still exists nowadays and that you can visit in Cádiz. The King asked for a glass of wine and, as it was a windy day, the waiter decided to put a slice of ham over the glass to keep the sand from blasting in from the beach. The King liked the idea so much that he ordered another round for himself and all the Court members.

Nowadays

Today, the tapa has grown into something more than just some food that goes with a beverage. It has become a tourist attraction that has crossed borders and that has its own celebration day: World Tapas Day.

During several days, from June 20^th to 30^th, the tapa becomes the star of simultaneous events in cities across Spain where you will be able to enjoy the local tapas, from the patatas bravas of Madrid, passing through the squid - Orly shrimp duo in Zaragoza to Almeria's octopus.

If your mouth is watering just by reading this, do not hesitate! Take a Spanish course in Spain and taste all the tapa possibilities while you get the skills you need to order them by their real name.

What is clear is that, knowing the origin of the tapa, it’s not surprising that it’s considered a food worthy of a king.

¡Que aproveche!

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One of the most magical nights of the year is coming: a night when fire, water, and ancestral traditions join to welcome Midsummer's Eve on the shortest night of the year. La noche de San Juan or St. John’s Night is here.

If you want to be ready for everything this June 23^rd offers to you, keep reading in English or, if you dare to “poner la mano en el fuego” for your Spanish skills, click here to switch to Spanish.

St. John’s Night captivates both youngsters and adults for reasons that go beyond the Christian celebration it’s named after. While it is true that it’s called “St. John’s Night” to commemorate the birth of St. John the Baptist, the origin of this festival goes back to pagan rituals in which people celebrated the arrival of Midsummer's Eve by lighting bonfires to “strengthen” the sun as, from this date, the sun “weakens” as the days get shorter and shorter until the winter solstice.

For one reason or another, in the countries where it’s celebrated, the festivity maintains its most distinguishing characteristic, the lighting of bonfires to purify, to keep away evil spirits, and to move away from negativities. There are different rituals to achieve these ends, such as the burning of old stuff or dummies, but each place has its own traditions.

Alicante, Valencian Community

If we are going to speak about bonfires, we must begin with Las Hogueras de Alicante, also known as “Les Fogueres de Sant Joan". The region of Valencia is famous for its Fallas tradition, a festival full of flames and fireworks. So, it’s not hard to believe that they celebrate St. John’s Night for a full 4 days, from June 20^th to 24^th. This days the city turn into the epicenter of a celebration that has been recognized as a Festival of International Tourist Interest. Besides the burning of huge statues made of papier-mache, cardboard, or wood in the bonfires, the festivity also has an offering of flowers, parades, gastronomy events, and fireworks at Postiquet beach.

Malaga, Andalusia

It’s the night of the moraga beach parties, and the Malagueños know it. Thousands of them go to the beach equipped with wood for the bonfires, food, good music, good company, and the desire to have a good time. At midnight, with the bonfires already burning, the rituals begin: the jumping contests, the burning of the “júas” (rag dolls filled with paper or sawdust and made to look like famous people and characters), the burning of papers where people write down their wishes, and a dip in the sea for anyone who wants to preserve their beauty until the following year. All this is accompanied with a tasty traditional skewer of sardines in Malaga.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

However, if we celebrate St. John’s Night in Buenos Aires, they will have more hours to enjoy it as they will be celebrating the longest night of the year, the winter solstice. Besides that, the traditions brought over to the new world by the Christians retain the essence of the celebrations on the old continent.

In the neighborhoods of Buenos Aires, bonfires are lit to burn dolls called “Judas,” to set wishes aflame, and to cook delicious boniatos in the company of friends and family.

What about you? If you are wishing to get caught up in the magic and the mysticism of this celebration, you have two options: you can either burn a paper with your wish written on it and wait to see if it comes true, or you can take a Spanish course and live your dream firsthand.

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Learning a new language requires much time and effort. It can seem unfair that students who have worked so hard over time to develop these language skills must gamble it all on an exam that declares the validity of their skillset. Regardless, this is an unavoidable process. Whomever needs to obtain official certification to apply to a university, attain Spanish citizenship or simply fulfill other legal obligations, has only one choice: to take the DELE.

Luckily, don Quijote is here to make this whole process easier for you. In this article, we would like to guide you through steps necessary for enrolling in the world's most popular Spanish exam. Keep reading this article or click here to change to the Spanish version.

5 Steps to Enroll

The DELE is a Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sport of Spain exam. The Cervantes Institute holds authority over the exam since 2002, which is why you'll have to go through their site to enroll and receive your diploma. Though unfortunately, if you have yet to master your Spanish, navigating through their page may be a bit difficult as it is only available in Spanish.

But don't fret! Below, you’ll find the 5 very simple steps that'll guide you through the enrollment process. Now, first things first, let's remind you that you'll have to sign up at 8 weeks before the official date of the exam.

Step 1

Visit the exam page on the Cervantes Institute site and create a profile there. They will ask you to provide your first name, last name, passport number and a few other personal details.

Step 2

Once you've created your profile, you'll receive a welcome email asking you to log in. Click the link found in the email and create a password for your new account.

Step 3

As you log in, click on Mis Inscripciones and after that on Nueva Inscripción.

Then, a new window will appear where you will be able to enter you residency info. and choose a date for the exam. But warning! Not all dates offer the same levels for the exams.

Step 4

Drag the mouse down until you find one of our don Quijote accredited centers and select the date that you prefer and then go ahead and click Inscribirse.

Step 5

Confirm that all the information provided is correct and explain the reason why you would like to take the exam. After that, you may go ahead and complete the required payment. 

You're finally done! Now, all that's left is to await the day of the exam. In don Quijote, we offer plenty of DELE preparation courses so that you can feel totally prepared. Our rate of success is 95%. Sign up for either of our courses, DELE 20 or DELE 30 to get rid of the stress and be fully equipped to take that exam!

If you'd like to learn more about DELE and other official Spanish exams, take a look at this video we've put together. Good luck!

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Are you a Spanish student wanting to certify your level? Do you wish to attend a university in Spain or Latin America? Do you have to present a certain level of Spanish to study abroad or participate in Erasmus? Are you doing paperwork to get your Spanish citizenship?

There are plenty of reasons for why you might want to take an official Spanish exam. There’s a sea of possibilities when it comes to types of tests you can take, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But thanks to us, you’ll no longer have to worry about that! We´ll help you find the Spanish exam that best fits your needs. Read this post in Spanish or keep reading in English so you don’t miss any of the important details to come. Let’s get started!

Do I need an official exam?

It depends on why you want to certify your Spanish level. If all you’re simply looking to substantiate your Spanish skills without any legal claim, then the certificates attained upon finalizing a don Quijote Spanish course are more than enough. These certificates reflect the number of class hours you’ve attended and the level of Spanish you’ve reached, amongst other things.

All our schools have the Cervantes Institute accreditation and form part of the FEDELE association. Therefore, if you’re looking to give yourself a boost in your academic or professional career by adding a new language to your college application or résumé, this can be done through the don Quijote certification. For students under 18 who are moving to Spain, a don Quijote certificate will be useful in getting into primary or secondary schools in the national school system. Get informed on the requirements in your specific case. If you can use the don Quijote certificate, you’ll be able to save on costs by not taking an official exam.

Differences between DELE and SIELE

Now if what you need is an official certification, you’ll need to look into DELE or SIELE. Both exams have been designed by the Cervantes Institute and they have international recognition. Below, we will touch on their biggest differences, so you can choose the program that may be in your best interest.

Levels

DELE is a diploma that certifies Spanish proficiency according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Before taking the exam, you’ll have to choose which level you’d like to test for: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, or C2. In each part of the exam you’ll be asked to demonstrate that you are in fact at that level in all the language skills: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. And just like that, you either pass or fail.

On the other hand, SIELE is a certificate indicating one’s Spanish skillset based on a point system. The number of points you are awarded depends on how many questions you get right. You also don’t have to demonstrate all of your language competencies. Instead, you have the choice of selecting which part of the exam you would like present. For example, if you’d like to only do the writing portion of the exam, that’s fine. Through this system, it’s impossible to fail the exam: everyone who takes the exam will earn a certificate stating the Spanish level demonstrated. If you get all the questions wrong, you will receive an A1 certificate. If you get all the questions right, you will receive a C2 certificate.

Dates

If you’d like to do the DELE, you must strive to stay on top of your calendar. This exam can only be taken on official exam dates, and each exam date only has certain level exams available.

When it comes to timing, SIELE is the more flexible option. You can get an appointment to take the exam, wait for it.. anytime. Just choose the date and time that works best for you.

Place

In order to take the DELE, you’ll have to go an accredited center, where you’ll be given a paper exam. If you are a don Quijote student, you’re in luck! You can take the DELE at any of our schools in Spain and save yourself the trouble of looking for a center.

If you end up deciding to go for the SIELE, you’ll also need an accredited center to take the exam. Again, you’ll be able to choose from any our schools in Spain. There is just one slight difference with this exam: instead of being on paper, it is done on a software application.

Validity

This is one of the most important aspects when it comes down to choosing which of the two exams you would like to take. While the DELE diploma never expires, the SIELE certificate is only valid for two years. So, we think it’s safe to say that if you know you’ll be needing to use your certification for a long period of time, it should be obvious which option you should go with, don’t you think?

Prepare for the exam

With a pass rate at about 95%, don Quijote students have a fairly easy time. We offer courses that are specifically designed to for students preparing for the DELE and SIELE, with options of 20, 25, or 30 hours of weekly classes in small groups. Our teachers share all their expert tips and advice about the exam, and you’ll even be able to take the exam itself in your classroom.

In this video you’ll find a summary of the most important differences between the DELE and SIELE. If you still aren´t sure which you should take, visit our website and contact us. We will help you choose which exam is your best fit and meets all your needs!
 

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