The DELE B2 listening paper (Comprensión auditiva) has 5 tasks and 30 questions, lasts 40 minutes, and every recording is played twice, including Task 5. The traps keep repeating: paraphrases, words copied from the recording that throw you off, changes of mind and similar-sounding figures. To avoid them, read the questions and their options before each recording (finishing the reading paper in 60 minutes so you have 10 spare) and leave nothing blank, because wrong answers don't lose points.

At B2 you're no longer listening to someone speaking slowly so you can follow: there are conversations full of colloquial expressions, interviews and talks. Here's what you'll hear in each task, which traps come up and how to train for them.

What does the DELE B2 listening paper look like?

  • Task 1: six short conversations (40-60 words), formal or informal. One three-option question per conversation. Each conversation is played twice in a row before moving on to the next.
  • Task 2: a conversation between a man and a woman (250-300 words). You decide whether each of six statements is said by him, by her or by neither.
  • Task 3: a radio or TV interview (400-450 words) with six three-option questions.
  • Task 4: six short monologues or conversations (50-70 words) on the same topic. You match each one with a statement; there are ten, one is used in the example, so you choose from nine and three are left over.
  • Task 5: a talk, speech or monologue (400-450 words) with six three-option questions.

That's 30 questions in 40 minutes, and every recording is played twice. In Tasks 1 and 4 each recording is repeated straight away; in Tasks 2, 3 and 5 you hear the whole recording and then it's played again. Between tasks you get about 30 seconds to copy your answers onto the answer sheet (in pencil) and start reading the next task.

When do I read the questions?

This is what makes the biggest difference. Reading and listening are in the same booklet and taken back to back. If you finish reading in 60 of its 70 minutes, you have 10 minutes to read and underline the listening questions and options before the first recording starts.

On top of that, the instructions for each task are always the same. While the recording reads them out, you can already be reading the questions. In Task 4 they also play an example recording: don't listen to it, use that time to keep reading the statements.

A tip that works for many people in those 10 minutes: read the tasks you find hardest first (often 3 and 5), or read them in reverse order, from 5 to 1, so Task 1 is fresh in your mind when the recording starts.

Task 1: how do I get the short conversations right?

Six short dialogues, sometimes very colloquial. The typical trap is that someone suggests or states something and then cancels or corrects it.

An example. The question is “What are they going to do on Saturday?”. She says: “¿Vamos al cine el sábado?” (Shall we go to the cinema on Saturday?). He replies: “Uf, el sábado ceno con mis padres… ¿Y si quedamos el domingo para ir a la playa?” (Ugh, I'm having dinner with my parents on Saturday… How about the beach on Sunday?). She says: “¡Hecho!” (Deal!). The cinema is mentioned, but it isn't the answer.

What to do: underline the key verb in each question and who it's about. Listen to the end of the dialogue, especially when people are negotiating. And pay attention to intonation, exclamations and unfinished sentences: they carry meaning too.

Task 2: how do I know who says what?

A conversation of about two minutes with two clearly different voices, a man's and a woman's. Three options for each statement: she says it, he says it, or neither of them does.

The traps:

  • “Neither”. This is the hardest option, because those statements sound logical for the conversation: they could have said it, but they don't. Check at the end that each option (him, her and neither) has at least one statement.
  • Changes of mind. If she says “Al principio me pareció buena idea, pero después de escucharte ya no lo tengo tan claro” (At first I thought it was a good idea, but after hearing you I'm not so sure) and the statement is “she thinks it's a good idea”, it isn't her: she's changed her mind.
  • Synonyms. The statement and the recording almost never use the same words.

What to do: note next to each statement who says it as you listen. Some people focus on one voice during the first listening and on the other during the second; try it at home and keep whatever works for you.

Task 3: how do I follow the interview?

An interview of about three minutes. The questions follow the order of the recording, and an answer tends to come roughly every half minute.

The traps:

  • Who says it? Tell the interviewer and the interviewee apart, and check which of the two each question is about.
  • Words from all three options. It's normal to hear words from all three options. If an option says “now lives in Madrid”, the speaker may mention Madrid because they were born there and then say they live in Seville. If you go with the first mention, you'll get it wrong.
  • Answers you have to work out. Not every answer is said directly: sometimes you have to infer it from what the person describes.

If you're sure of the answer to question 3 and haven't heard anything for question 2, then 2 was somewhere in between: mark it and recover it on the second listening.

Task 4: how do I match the recordings with the statements?

Six people talk about the same topic (the instructions tell you which) and you have nine possible statements. Here you're not listening for specific details, but for the main point of each speaker: are they describing a good experience? Giving advice? Complaining about something?

The trap: the statements are similar and sometimes two seem to fit the same recording. Only one truly sums up what that person says.

What to do: before the task starts, read the nine statements and underline the idea that makes each one different. If you're torn between two, write both letters on the first listening and decide on the second, but don't keep thinking about it while the next recording starts.

Task 5: how do I get through the talk?

A monologue of 400 to 450 words: a talk, a speech, someone describing a project or an experience. It's played twice, like every recording in the exam. The six questions tend to be quite specific and come in order.

The traps:

  • Similar figures. “30% of young people and 70% of older people”: an option may give you the figures the wrong way round. Jot down numbers as you listen.
  • Negatives and nuance. “No es que sea imposible, pero…” (It's not that it's impossible, but…) doesn't mean “it's impossible”.
  • Quotes. The speaker quotes an opinion only to argue against it. If you go with the quote, you'll get it wrong.

What to do: read the questions and their options before listening and underline what makes them different. On the first listening, mark what you're sure of; on the second, focus on what's missing.

Which traps come up most often?

  • Paraphrase: the correct answer almost never repeats the words in the recording.
  • Copied words that mislead: hearing “Madrid” doesn't mean the option with “Madrid” is right.
  • Negatives and nuance: “No es que no me guste…” (It's not that I don't like it…) doesn't mean “I don't like it”.
  • Changes of mind: what counts is what the person thinks in the end.
  • Numbers, percentages and dates: jot them down as you listen.

How do I train listening at home?

  • Listen actively, not in the background. A series on in the background won't train you for the exam. Use short recordings with a specific task: answer three questions or summarise in two sentences.
  • Spanish news radio and podcasts. They get you used to the pace and vocabulary of interviews and talks.
  • For Task 4, listen to several people talk about the same topic and sum up each person's main point in one sentence.
  • Full practice exams, timed. Once a week, do reading and listening back to back, just like on exam day.
  • Review with the transcript. Find where each answer was and which words replaced the ones in the question.

For more ideas on training your ear, here are 10 keys to improving your Spanish listening comprehension.

Wrong way and right way: tackling a Task 3 question

Wrong way: the recording starts and you mark options as you hear words you recognise. On the second listening you change two answers because you're unsure, and you finish with three questions blank.

Right way: before the recording, you read the six questions and their options and underline what makes them different. On the first listening you mark what you're sure of; on the second, you confirm and settle your doubts. You finish with everything marked, even if some answers are by process of elimination.

Frequently asked questions about the DELE B2 listening paper

How many times do I hear each recording?

Twice, in all five tasks. No task is played only once.

Can I take notes?

Yes, in the booklet. Jot down names, numbers and key words, but not whole sentences: while you write, you stop listening.

How much time do I get to read before each recording?

A few seconds before each task and between recordings, which isn't always enough. That's why finishing the reading paper in 60 minutes and reading the listening questions calmly before it starts is so useful.

What if I get lost?

Let that question go, mark it and focus on the next one. Recover it on the second listening. If you still don't know at the end, mark the most likely option: one lost question won't make you fail; freezing and losing three might.

How many points do I need to pass listening?

There's no minimum for listening on its own. Listening (25 points) and speaking (25 points) make up Group 2, and you need at least 30 out of 50 across the two. Within the group, one paper makes up for the other; the two groups don't compensate for each other.

Do wrong answers lose points?

No. Always answer: if you get it right by elimination, you gain a point.

In short

  • 5 tasks, 30 questions, 40 minutes. Every recording is played twice.
  • Finish reading in 60 minutes and use 10 to read the listening questions and options.
  • T1: conversations with plans that get cancelled; listen to the end.
  • T2: him, her or neither; “neither” always has at least one statement.
  • T3 and T5: the questions come in order; watch who says what, the figures and the quotes.
  • T4: listen for each person's main point, not the details.
  • Copy your answers onto the sheet, in pencil, task by task, and leave nothing blank.

If you want to prepare listening and the rest of the exam with a clear method, my DELE B2 course gives you strategies for each paper, commented examples, a community, a Q&A chat and group calls. Not sure whether B2 is your level or B1 would suit you better? Take the level test. And if you'd like free resources and reminders before each exam session, sign up for the newsletter.

¡A por el DELE! 🇪🇸