The DELE A2 speaking test has 3 tasks and lasts about 12 minutes, with another 12 minutes of preparation beforehand: in Task 1 you talk about a topic from your everyday life, in Task 2 you describe a photograph and in Task 3 you have a short dialogue with the interviewer in a situation related to that photo. Everything follows a set pattern, so you can prepare for it. Here I explain each task step by step, with typical questions like the ones asked in the exam.
If you're planning to sit the DELE A2 and the speaking test is keeping you up at night, that's completely normal. Speaking in front of an interviewer is intimidating, even if it's only for a few minutes. The good news is that this test follows a very set pattern: you know what's going to happen and what kind of questions you'll be asked, and with a bit of a mental template you can walk in feeling calm.
I won't promise you'll pass without putting in the work; it doesn't work like that. But if you arrive on exam day knowing exactly what's waiting for you, you get rid of half the nerves. And that's already a huge amount.
Why is the A2 speaking test scarier than it should be?
The same thing happens to a lot of people: they've been studying Spanish for a while, they write well, they understand what they read and, the moment they have to speak, they freeze.
Why? Because speaking means reacting live. There's no second attempt. You can't delete and start again. And that, added to the nerves, makes your mind go blank.
That said, the A2 speaking test is fairly kind. You're not asked to improvise on complex topics. You're asked to talk about your everyday life, to describe a photo of a perfectly ordinary scene and to hold a very practical conversation. And all of that can be prepared. The test is designed for you to show what you know, not to catch you out.
Bear in mind, though, that a small step up from A1 is expected: vocabulary for the everyday topics of the level, the present perfect and the preterite to talk about past experiences, and basic connectors to link ideas. No complex sentences, but more than just “yo soy, yo vivo, yo trabajo”.
What is the DELE A2 speaking test like? Structure and timing
The Expresión e interacción orales (speaking and spoken interaction) test of the DELE A2 lasts about 12 minutes, and before that you have another 12 minutes in a preparation room to prepare all three tasks. There you get the materials and a sheet of paper for notes. Your notes (and the materials) go with you into the exam room, so you can glance at them, but not read them out: the ideal is an outline of single words you can take in at a glance.
In the preparation room you make two choices: the topic for Task 1 (out of two) and a sheet for Tasks 2 and 3 (also out of two). Watch out here: Task 2 and Task 3 go together, because the Task 3 dialogue is on the same topic as the photo.
In the exam room there are two people: the interviewer, who talks to you, and the assessor, who observes and marks without taking part. That's completely normal; it doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong. Before you start, the interviewer asks you a few warm-up questions (“¿Cómo te llamas?”, “¿Dónde vives?”) just to break the ice. Those questions aren't assessed: breathe and answer naturally.
The test is divided into 3 tasks (not 4 like the A1; worth being clear on that). Let me go through them one by one.
Task 1: what is the topic presentation like?
The first task is a monologue of 2 to 3 minutes on a topic from your everyday life: your experiences, your likes, your habits or the people around you. The interviewer doesn't interrupt you; they'll only ask you something if you come up very short, to give you a second chance.
Topics are things like: “Tus vacaciones” (your holidays), “Tu trabajo o tus estudios” (your work or studies), “Tu familia y tus amigos” (your family and friends), “Tus fiestas favoritas” (your favourite celebrations), “Tu tiempo libre” (your free time).
The sheet gives you four or five points (pautas) you have to cover. For example, if the topic is your holidays, the points might be: where you usually go, who with, what you do, where you went on your last holiday and what you liked most.
Notice one thing: many A2 points ask you to talk about the past. That's why it pays to have the present perfect (“he viajado”, “he visitado”) and the preterite (“fui”, “comí”, “vi”) well practised. If you only speak in the present, you fall short of the level.
Mental template for Task 1: an introduction (“Voy a hablar de…”), a few sentences for each point on the sheet with basic connectors (y, pero, porque, también, después, antes, luego) and a brief close (“Y eso es todo sobre…”). Follow the order of the sheet and share out your time: roughly 30-45 seconds per point.
What's valued here isn't saying terribly original things, but covering every point, using A2 vocabulary, linking ideas with connectors and being easy to understand.
Example topic: “Hable de sus vacaciones. Puede hablar de: a dónde le gusta ir y con quién, qué actividades hace, dónde estuvo en sus últimas vacaciones, qué fue lo que más le gustó”.
Quick tip: don't learn a long text by heart. If you get nervous, you'll forget it. Better an outline with key words for each point and simple sentences you can say in lots of different ways.
Task 2: how do you describe the photograph?
The second task is also a monologue of 2 to 3 minutes, this time based on a photograph you've chosen out of two. The photos show two or more people in an everyday situation: a shop, a restaurant, a station, a market, a doctor's surgery, a park.
It isn't a free description: under the photo there are some questions that you work through in your monologue. The interviewer doesn't ask them; you build them in yourself. And they're always the same, so learn them before the exam. The first one is always about the people: what they look like and what they're wearing. After that come the place and the objects, what they're doing, what relationship you think there is between them, what they're thinking or how they feel, and what they've done before or are going to do next.
Mental template for Task 2: “En la fotografía hay dos personas… / La mujer es alta y lleva… / Están en… / A la derecha hay… y a la izquierda… / Están comprando… / Creo que están hablando de… / Me parece que…”.
With that skeleton and the questions in order, the task is done. That little interpretation at the end (“creo que…”, “me parece que…”) shows you can go a bit beyond the obvious.
Quick tip: revise the basic description vocabulary: clothes (camiseta, abrigo, falda, zapatos), physical appearance (alto, rubia, joven, mayor; ser, tener, llevar), position (al lado de, delante de, detrás de, a la derecha, a la izquierda) and estar + gerund (“está comprando”, “están hablando”).
Task 3: what is the role-play dialogue like?
It's the last task, it lasts about 3 to 4 minutes and it's the only one where you have a dialogue with the interviewer. It's a short role-play related to the topic of the photo: the interviewer plays one role (a friend, a colleague, a waiter, a shop assistant) and you play another.
You also prepare this task in the preparation room. The sheet gives you the situation, your role and the interviewer's, and four or five pautas, which are really the answers expected from you. The interviewer turns each pauta into a question. For example, if a pauta says “decir qué come el perro” (say what the dog eats), they'll ask you “¿Qué come tu perro?”. So when you prepare it, think about what you'll be asked and which tense you'll need to answer in.
Usually it's the interviewer who starts and asks the questions, and you answer. Sometimes the last pauta asks you to ask a question yourself; if it doesn't, it isn't compulsory, but asking something natural can help show that you're interacting.
These are typical questions if, for example, the situation is a clothes shop:
- “Buenos días, ¿qué desea?”
- “¿Qué talla tiene?”
- “¿Lo quiere en otro color?”
- “¿Cómo va a pagar, en efectivo o con tarjeta?”
- “¿Quiere algo más?”
And if it's a restaurant:
- “¿Tiene reserva?”
- “¿Qué va a tomar de primero?”
- “¿Y para beber?”
- “¿Le ha gustado la comida?”
- “¿Va a querer postre o café?”
Mental template for Task 3: listen carefully to the question, answer with two or three sentences that cover the pauta, use politeness formulas (“por favor”, “gracias”, “quería…”, “¿podría…?”) and, if it fits, ask something yourself (“¿Cuánto cuesta?”, “¿Tiene una talla más grande?”). The one thing to avoid is answering just “sí” or “no”.
If you'd like more questions like these for each task, they're all together in What does the examiner ask you in the DELE A2 oral test?.
How do you make the most of the 12 minutes of preparation?
These 12 minutes are your best ally, because you prepare all three tasks in them. Remember: glancing at your notes isn't reading them. If you read word for word, you don't show that you speak Spanish and your fluency suffers.
What I recommend:
- Read the two topic options (Task 1) and the two photo-and-dialogue sheets (Tasks 2 and 3), and choose the ones whose vocabulary you know best. Not the ones that look most interesting: the ones you're best prepared for.
- Share out the time: about 4 minutes per task. Start with the photo (Task 2), which is the easiest because its questions are always the same; go on to the dialogue (Task 3), which is on the same topic, and leave Task 1 until last so it's fresh when you go in. Wear a watch, because you can't use your phone.
- Note down only key words and concrete details, not whole sentences. If the topic is your holidays, note down place, date, people, activities.
- For Task 1, put the points on the sheet in order so you don't miss any.
- For Task 2, note down the vocabulary from the photo you find hard to remember: items of clothing, objects, places.
- For Task 3, turn each pauta into the question you'll be asked and think of your answer, in the right tense.
- Mentally conjugate the past-tense verbs you're going to need: “fui”, “estuve”, “comí”, “vimos”, “he viajado”.
- Note down three or four connectors so you don't keep repeating “y”: después, antes, también, pero, porque, luego.
What are the most common mistakes in the A2 speaking test (and how do you avoid them)?
Mistake 1: using only the present when you're asked about past experiences.
Wrong: “El verano pasado voy a la playa y como mucho pescado.”
Right: “El verano pasado fui a la playa y comí mucho pescado.”
At A2 you're expected to use the preterite and the present perfect. If you only speak in the present, you stay at A1 level.
Mistake 2: in Task 2, telling your life story instead of describing the photo. A photo of a café isn't an invitation to talk about your favourite café. First answer the questions on the sheet.
Mistake 3: reading your notes word for word. You can glance at them, but if you read, it really shows and it affects your fluency. Your notes are a safety net, not a script.
Mistake 4: lack of agreement. “Mi hermano es muy simpática” instead of “Mi hermano es muy simpático”. You don't have to be perfect, but basic gender and number agreement is worth taking care of.
Mistake 5: answering just “sí” or “no” in Task 3.
Wrong: “¿Quiere algo más?” “No.”
Right: “¿Quiere algo más?” “No, gracias, nada más. ¿Cuánto es todo? ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?”
Mistake 6: learning the monologue by heart. If you freeze, you forget the whole thing. Better to take in your key-word outline and fill it in with whatever you know how to say.
Mistake 7: speaking too fast because of nerves. Speak at your normal pace. If you rush, you make more mistakes and you're harder to understand.
Mistake 8: saying “no sé” and going quiet. If you don't know a word, describe it. If you don't understand the question, ask for it to be repeated. If you get nervous, breathe and start the sentence again. Anything but silence.
And if you'd like a daily habit to help you loosen up, try this 5-minute routine for the DELE A2 speaking test.
Frequently asked questions about the DELE A2 speaking test
How many tasks does the A2 speaking test have?
Three: Task 1 (a presentation on a topic chosen out of two, with pautas), Task 2 (describing a photograph) and Task 3 (a role-play dialogue with the interviewer, related to the photo). Watch out, because the A1 has 4 tasks and a lot of people mix up the two structures.
How long does the A2 speaking test last?
About 12 minutes, plus 12 minutes of preparation beforehand. Task 1 lasts between 2 and 3 minutes, Task 2 between 2 and 3, and Task 3 between 3 and 4. The interviewer keeps track of the time; you just concentrate on speaking.
Can I take my notes into the exam room?
Yes. The notes you make during the preparation (and the materials) go with you into the exam room. What you shouldn't do is read them: use them as occasional support, with key words, not as a text to recite.
What happens if I don't understand a question?
Nothing bad. Just ask naturally for it to be repeated: “¿Puede repetir, por favor?” or “¿Puede hablar un poco más despacio?”. Doing this now and then is normal and shows you have the resources to communicate.
What mark do I need to pass the A2 speaking test?
The DELE A2 is divided into two groups of papers. Group 2 is listening plus speaking, and you need at least 30 points out of 50 between the two. The two papers within a group offset each other, but the groups don't offset each other, so it's worth aiming for a good speaking mark.
How is the A2 speaking test assessed?
Two people assess you. The interviewer gives you one overall mark for the whole test, worth 40 %. The assessor gives you a mark for each task, worth 60 %. Both look at two things: task fulfilment (you cover all the pautas) and use of language (grammar, vocabulary, connectors and fluency appropriate to A2). Marks go from 0 to 3, and band 2 corresponds to A2 level. A foreign accent isn't a problem as long as you're easy to understand.
Does any task count for more than the others?
Yes: in the assessor's mark, Task 3 is worth 50 % and Tasks 1 and 2 are worth 25 % each. Even so, it's best not to neglect any of them, because all three count. Prepare all three well, especially the Task 3 dialogue, which is the part that makes people most nervous.
In short
- The DELE A2 speaking test has 3 tasks in about 12 minutes, with 12 minutes of preparation beforehand for all three.
- Task 1: a topic presentation (you choose out of two). Task 2: a guided photo description. Task 3: a role-play dialogue related to that photo.
- The photo questions are always the same: learn them.
- In Task 3, each pauta becomes a question from the interviewer: prepare it with those questions in mind.
- Your notes go in with you, but they're for glancing at, not reading out.
- At A2 the present perfect, the preterite and basic connectors are already expected.
- If you don't understand a question, ask for it to be repeated, and never answer in monosyllables.
If you'd like to see what a complete test looks like, here's a DELE A2 speaking test sample in PDF.
If you want to prepare task by task, my DELE A2 course gives you strategies for each paper, annotated examples, a community, a Q&A chat and group calls.
If you'd rather practise on paper, I also have the book with 4 exam-style models on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Tvylte
If you're still not sure whether your level is A2 or you're already at B1, take the level test to check.
And if you'd like free resources and useful reminders before each exam session, sign up for the newsletter.
¡A por el DELE! 🇪🇸
