🍂 Our autumn offer is here! Enjoy our amazing deals on intensive Spanish courses 🇪🇸✨ Reserve your place today!
Want to access university in Spain? Prepare with our dedicated courses and get full guidance for your admission. Learn more here
Try our free online Spanish level test. Discover your strengths and areas to focus on before enrolling. Start the test now
Rated 4.9 stars on Google from 180 reviews and growing. Our students are our proudest ambassadors. Discover more
Logotipo Jaleo Madrid Spanish School

Exploring the benefits of SIELE exam (an alternative to DELE)

SIELE exam Spanish Language

Many students ask us about the advantages of taking an official Spanish exam. Most of them immediately mention “DELE” when referring to an “official exam,” unaware that there are alternatives to this well-known test in the Spanish-speaking world. That’s why today we’re going to talk about DELE’s best-known alternative: SIELE.

What is SIELE?

SIELE is an exam designed to assess your level of Spanish and has official status, making it accepted by institutions such as universities. Like DELE, it evaluates the usual language skills: reading, listening, writing, and speaking. Up to this point, everything is similar, but what are the differences?

Key differences between DELE and SIELE

1. Assessment method:

  • DELE: This exam assesses students based on a specific level, resulting in a pass or fail grade.
  • SIELE: This test establishes the candidate’s level, ranging from A1 to C1, meaning you cannot fail in SIELE.

2. Exam structure:

  • DELE: You must take the entire exam, covering all language skills.
  • SIELE: You can choose which parts you want to be examined on, allowing you to focus on specific skills.

3. Flexibility:

  • DELE: The dates and locations for taking the exam are limited.
  • SIELE: Offers more flexibility with dates and locations, and can even be taken from home.

4. Exam format:

  • DELE: The traditional exam uses paper and pen.
  • SIELE: Conducted entirely on a computer, speeding up the grading process with results available within a maximum of three weeks.

Pros and cons of SIELE

Advantages:

  • No Pass/Fail: Candidates receive a certificate indicating their proficiency level.
  • Customization: Students can choose which language skills to be tested on.
  • Convenience: Greater flexibility in exam dates and locations, including the option to take the exam from home.
  • Faster Results: Results are processed quickly, typically within three weeks.

Drawbacks:

  • Validity: Unlike DELE, which has no expiration date, SIELE is only valid for five years. This is understandable because language skills can deteriorate if not practiced.

Conclusion

Choosing between DELE and SIELE depends on your specific needs and circumstances. SIELE offers significant flexibility, a customizable exam structure, and faster results, making it an attractive option for many students. However, its limited validity period is something to consider. If you want more specific information about SIELE, you can visit our dedicated page or ask us directly. Jaleo Madrid is a certified SIELE center, so you can take the exam with us—and if you want, we will help you prepare for it.

Share it!

Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp

More blog posts

Jaleo Madrid cumple dos años y nos regalamos una nueva socia

Algo bueno de Jaleo es que nuestra escuela no tiene un único cumpleaños. En nuestra cabeza tenemos el registro del nombre en las redes sociales, cuando nos llevaron a firmar el vigésimo quinto papel, cuando abrimos la web… y, claro, el aniversario de cuando cerramos – forzosamente – nuestra anterior etapa laboral. Precisamente, en abril se cumplió el segundo aniversario de este hecho. Han pasado ya veinticuatro meses desde que salimos oficialmente del armario laboral y la verdad es que no podemos estar más contentos. Hemos conseguido resistir, aumentar nuestro número de estudiantes y crecer tanto a nivel laboral como personal. Jamás habíamos aprendido tanto. Aunque nuestra idea es la de estar en contacto personal con el estudiante, la mitad de nuestro camino ha sido a través de una pantalla.

Read more »

Cántame, me dijiste cántame (los distintos significados de “cantar”)

Tanto en una radio, como en una ducha, la música tiene una gran importancia en nuestra vida. Y más allá de que te guste bailar o tocar un instrumento, la otra acción con la que relacionamos las melodías es “cantar”. A los hispanos nos encanta la música y por eso hemos dado una multitud de sentidos a la acción de “cantar”. Si quieres saber cuáles, sigue leyendo. El significado original: “Cantar”, evidentemente, es producir un sonido (más o menos) melodioso con la voz. Depende de la persona. Por ejemplo: “La solista cantó genial en el concierto de ayer”. Relacionado con partes del cuerpo: “Cantar” referido a la voz suele ser algo bueno, aunque cuando lo relacionamos con partes del cuerpo es algo malo, ya que significa “mal olor”. Por ejemplo:

Read more »