SIELE Exam Guide: Format, Results and How to Book
Everything about the SIELE Spanish exam: what it tests, how results work, validity, taking it at home and how to book it at Jaleo Madrid, an official exam centre.
Learning Spanish doesn’t have to cost a fortune. There are plenty of free resources to get you started or help you grow your vocabulary. Here are the free apps and websites our teachers recommend, and how to get the most out of them.
Spanish has more than 580 million speakers and is an official language in over 20 countries, including Spain, Mexico and much of Central and South America. It opens doors to new cultures, friendships and jobs, as many employers look for bilingual candidates. And practical vocabulary often matters more than complex grammar: being able to ask for “pan” (bread) at the bakery is more useful than reciting grammar rules.
Duolingo is probably the best-known language app. Its game-like lessons, daily challenges and rewards keep you motivated, and you can connect with friends and compete with them. You won’t become fluent with Duolingo alone, but it is a great starting point for beginners. Want to go further? See our list of the best apps to learn Spanish beyond Duolingo.
Podcasts let you learn while doing something else. Coffee Break Spanish is divided into seasons by level, with practical dialogues that beginners can follow, plus cultural tips. Listen on your commute, at the gym or at home. For more, see our guide to the best podcasts to learn Spanish.
Language Transfer offers audio lessons that explain how Spanish works, in English. It guides you intuitively and encourages you to think about the language, which makes it ideal for building strong foundations.
LingQ is all about meeting Spanish in context. It has lots of audio with transcripts, on topics from everyday conversations to specialist subjects, so you can read along as you listen and pick up vocabulary.
The RTVE Play app from Spain’s public broadcaster gives you news, documentaries, series and films, many with Spanish subtitles. It is a brilliant way to improve your listening and pick up expressions you won’t find in textbooks. Read more in our article on RTVE Play.
Babadum offers games to practise vocabulary by listening, reading and writing, linking words to pictures. Forget studying as a “castigo” (punishment): it makes learning words feel like play.
Memrise uses spaced repetition to show you words just when you are about to forget them, and includes videos of native speakers so you get used to different accents.
For a more traditional approach, Cram has a huge library of flashcards, and you can make your own. Read, listen and play games to help words stick.
If you like word games, Apalabrados is a Spanish version of Scrabble. Playing against native speakers is a fun way to use what you’ve learnt and pick up new words.
Free resources are a great start. When you want to go further, a teacher can guide you through more complex topics, correct you and give you people to practise with. Have a look at our Spanish courses in Madrid, or read more ideas in how to improve your Spanish for free.
Everything about the SIELE Spanish exam: what it tests, how results work, validity, taking it at home and how to book it at Jaleo Madrid, an official exam centre.
Jaleo Madrid’s free Spanish book club meets on Tuesdays, in two levels, to read and talk about Hispanic culture. Here’s how it works.
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