The DELE B2 oral exam is the one my students fear the most, and rightly so. You have to evaluate proposals, argue, imagine situations, interpret data and debate, all in 20 minutes and in Spanish. The good news is I have a free DELE B2 oral exam sample PDF ready for you, with the three tasks set up just like in the real exam, so you can start practising today.
This isn't just any PDF. It's material I've been polishing for years with candidates who showed up to the exam thinking "I already know what they'll ask me". In this post I'll walk you through, from an accredited examiner's perspective, what the exam looks like, what's being assessed, which mistakes come up the most and how to get the most out of the sample.
No jargon, no empty promises, the truth up front.
Download the free DELE B2 oral exam sample
Before we go on, here's the link so you have the sample next to you as you read. That way you can look at the real tasks and follow each explanation better.
Download it here: https://recursos.aporeldele.com/oralb2
It's a free PDF with a complete DELE B2 oral exam sample: the three tasks, the prompt cards, the proposals, the photograph and the survey. You can print it, open it on a tablet or on your phone and practise when you have a moment.
My advice: read the whole post first to understand what's behind each task, then sit down with the sample and take your time with it.
What the DELE B2 oral exam looks like
The DELE B2 oral exam (Prueba 4: Expresión e interacción orales), according to the Instituto Cervantes, lasts 20 minutes. You also get 20 minutes of preparation beforehand, no dictionary allowed, for the first two tasks. The third one is done directly, with no preparation.
There are three tasks and, even though it's fewer than in B1, don't get too comfortable: the demand goes up quite a bit here. It's no longer about talking about your routine or your hobbies, but about evaluating, arguing and debating.
It's important to be clear on how it works before getting into the detail.
You're alone in a room with the examiner. Sometimes there's a rater sitting in silence. Your examiner reads you the instructions, presents the situations and, especially in Tasks 2 and 3, takes on the role of a real conversation partner: they challenge you, ask for examples, raise hypotheses.
Don't panic. It's not an interrogation. It's the only way to show that you can argue in Spanish at a B2 level. Without that interaction, the exam couldn't measure what it needs to.
It's good to know in advance so you don't get thrown off when the moment comes.
Tarea 1 (Task 1): evaluating proposals and discussing them
Task 1 lasts between 6 and 7 minutes in total. It's the longest of the three.
You're given a situation with a specific problem (for example, a company wanting to improve workplace atmosphere, a school wanting to reduce absenteeism, a city wanting to encourage recycling) and between six and eight proposals to solve it.
You have two steps.
First, monologue: you speak for about 2 minutes on the advantages and disadvantages of the proposals you choose. You don't have to evaluate all of them, not by a long shot. Three or four is fine.
Then, conversation: the examiner asks you questions, asks you to justify, asks which one you think is best and why, what you would do in that situation.
What the examiner is looking for here is very clear. They want to hear you argue: give reasons, provide examples, counter-argue, reach a conclusion. They want to see if you can handle the abstract B2 vocabulary ("eficacia", "implicación", "rendimiento", "sostenibilidad") and if you organise your speech with real connectors ("por una parte", "por otra", "ahora bien", "en cambio").
Quick tip: in those 20 minutes of preparation, don't try to evaluate every proposal. Pick three, write down a couple of pros and a couple of cons for each, and think about which one you believe is best. That's enough to get by.
Watch out for this: don't memorise your monologue. It shows. And besides, the conversation part will dismantle your script in thirty seconds.
Tarea 2 (Task 2): describing an imagined situation based on a photograph
Task 2 lasts between 5 and 6 minutes. They show you a photograph of a scene (a group of people at an airport, a couple arguing, a work meeting, someone in an interview).
You have to imagine what's happening and describe it for about 2 minutes. Then the examiner asks you questions to go further: personal experiences related to that situation, your opinion, comparisons with your culture or your country.
They're not asking you to guess the "truth" of the photo. They're asking you to imagine. To build a story with internal coherence.
A good B2 description includes: who the people are, where they are, what their relationship is, what you think they're thinking or feeling, what happened before and what you think will happen next.
Key B2 structures come into play here: conditionals ("si estuviera en esa situación, yo…"), hypotheses ("debe de estar nervioso", "parece que…", "diría que…"), past tenses to reconstruct the prior story.
My advice: don't stay on the surface ("there are three people, a table, papers"). That's A2. At B2 you have to interpret.
Tarea 3 (Task 3): giving your opinion on survey data
Task 3 lasts between 3 and 4 minutes. And, heads up, this task isn't prepared in advance. You walk into it with no notes.
The examiner shows you the data from a survey (for example: reading habits in Spain, social media use, opinions on remote work). They ask which figures stand out, what you think, whether they surprise you, whether the same thing would happen in your country.
It's the shortest task but a demanding one because you have to react on the spot. No script.
What the examiner is looking for: that you can read data, comment on it spontaneously, compare and give your opinion with arguments. That you use the language of evaluation ("me sorprende que", "me llama la atención", "no me extraña porque").
Quick tip for Task 3: don't try to comment on every figure. Pick two or three that interest you and develop them. Better to go deep on a few than to skim everything.
Watch out for this: percentages and comparisons have to be phrased correctly. "El 40 por ciento de los españoles…", "el doble que en…", "frente a un 20 por ciento que…". If you can't handle this vocabulary, build up a repertoire before the exam.
How the DELE B2 oral exam is graded
The DELE B2 is split into two groups, just like the B1. Grupo 1 (reading and writing) and Grupo 2 (listening and oral). To pass, you need a minimum of 30 points out of 50 in each group. No compensation: if you fail one, you fail the entire exam.
The oral exam is graded with two scales. An analytical one (with four criteria) and a holistic one (an overall assessment).
The four criteria are:
Coherencia (coherence): well-organised speech, clear ideas, real connectors, easy to follow.
Fluidez (fluency): spontaneous communication, no excessive pauses, clear pronunciation and natural intonation. At B2 they expect you to speak with some ease.
Corrección (accuracy): high grammatical control, few errors that don't impede understanding, precise vocabulary.
Alcance (range): broad enough repertoire to express yourself without restricting what you want to say. This is very important at B2: if you keep going round in circles because you can't find the word, your range drops.
On the holistic scale, level 2 is the pass and level 3 is outstanding. Levels 1 and 0 mean you haven't reached B2.
They're not going to ask you for newsreader Spanish. They're going to ask you for Spanish that works in formal and semi-formal contexts, with clear argumentation and abstract vocabulary. You will make mistakes, that's guaranteed. What you can't have are long blocks or disorganised speech.
How to get the most out of the sample
Having the free DELE B2 oral exam sample PDF is just the starting point. What makes the difference is how you work with it.
Here's my mini method, the one I use with my students.
First, read it all the way through without setting any timers. Get familiar with the instructions, the proposals, the photo and the survey. Don't let the format surprise you on exam day.
Then simulate the real situation. Set the clock: 20 minutes to prepare Tasks 1 and 2, no dictionary, just paper and pen. Then 20 minutes to do all three tasks in a row.
Record yourself. Don't skip this step, please. It's uncomfortable to listen to yourself, but it's the only way to spot filler words, unfinished sentences and long silences.
Repeat Task 1 with two or three different situations until you're comfortable with the "advantages, disadvantages, conclusion" structure.
And if you can, ask someone to play examiner during the conversation parts. Even on a video call. Real interaction can't be replaced by solo monologues.
If you're not yet sure your level is B2, before diving into the oral exam, you can take the level test: https://nivel.aporeldele.com/
And, in case you need to come back, the sample is here: https://recursos.aporeldele.com/oralb2
Common mistakes in the DELE B2 oral exam
After many years grading oral exams, certain mistakes come up again and again. If you know them, you avoid them.
Confusing B2 with "talking about your routine in long sentences". B2 asks you to argue, evaluate, hypothesise. It's not B1 with extra words, it's a different thing.
Memorising whole monologues. It sounds rehearsed and, the moment the examiner asks an unexpected question, it really shows.
Trying to evaluate all eight proposals in Task 1. Better three well done than eight poorly done. You don't have time.
Sticking to a literal description of the photo in Task 2. "Veo una mesa, tres personas, papeles" is A2. At B2 you have to interpret and build a story.
Talking very fast to "show fluency". Fluency isn't speed. And besides, that's how you make more mistakes.
Throwing in fancy connectors for no reason ("no obstante", "asimismo", "habida cuenta de"). If they're not yours, the examiner will hear it. Better "sin embargo", "aun así", "por eso", well placed.
Not having vocabulary to talk about data in Task 3. "El 40 por ciento", "la mayoría", "frente a", "en cambio", "casi el doble". Get them ready.
Forgetting that the examiner will push back. Don't take it personally. It's part of the exam.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the DELE B2 oral exam?
20 minutes of exam plus 20 minutes of preparation beforehand. 40 minutes in total from the moment you enter the preparation room to when you leave the exam.
Can I use a dictionary or my phone during the 20 minutes of preparation?
No. No materials. Just paper and a pen for notes.
Is Task 3 prepared in advance?
No. Task 3 is done directly. You only prepare Tasks 1 and 2 in the previous 20 minutes. That's why it's important to practise it a lot at home.
How many points do I need to pass the oral?
The oral exam is part of Grupo 2, along with the listening. You need a minimum of 30 points out of 50 in that group. No compensation from Grupo 1.
What if I go blank in Task 1?
Breathe and go back to the proposals. You have six or eight in front of you. Pick one, say whether you think it's good or bad and why. Once you get going, it tends to be easier to continue. The examiner can help you out of the block if you need it.
Is the freebie sample exactly the same exam I'll be sitting?
No, real exams are confidential until each session. But the sample follows the official Instituto Cervantes structure: three tasks, the same timings, the same type of proposals, photograph and survey. Practising with it prepares you for the real format down to the millimetre.
The essentials
The DELE B2 oral exam has three tasks and lasts 20 minutes, with 20 minutes of preparation.
The first two are prepared in advance. The third is done without preparation.
You're graded on coherencia, fluidez, corrección and alcance, with an analytical and a holistic scale. The pass is level 2 on the holistic scale.
To pass, you need a minimum of 30 points in Grupo 2 (oral + listening). No compensation from Grupo 1.
B2 isn't B1 with extra words. You're asked to argue, evaluate, hypothesise and debate. No memorised script, with abstract vocabulary and real connectors.
If you want to keep this up with a real method and not just wing it, here are a couple of things that can help.
You have the free DELE B2 oral exam sample PDF here: https://recursos.aporeldele.com/oralb2
If you're preparing for the DELE B2 and want a task-by-task guide ("tarea por tarea") with strategies for every section and commented examples, here's my online course: https://b2.aporeldele.com/
And if you want to get free resources and useful reminders before each exam session, you can sign up to the newsletter: http://recursos.aporeldele.com/boletin
