The Best DELE A2 Preparation in Madrid (2026 Review)

The DELE A2 is four papers, and only one of them answers back: the speaking test, twelve minutes across a table from an examiner. The best preparation depends on which of the four worries you. Some candidates have never seen the exam, some want a classroom in Madrid and a teacher who knows it, and some read Spanish perfectly well but go quiet the moment the examiner asks a question.

If speaking is the worry, a speaking course you can do at any hour is the closest fit. On Echoa you hear an English cue, build the Spanish sentence and say it out loud, and Sam answers every sentence you say: around fifty spoken answers in a 15-minute lesson. The speaking test is you, an examiner who talks with you and a second who only listens and marks.

It is worth getting the speaking right. It is marked together with listening, and that pair has to pass on its own, so a strong reading paper cannot rescue a weak conversation.

This guide is for adults in Madrid preparing for the DELE A2, for Spanish nationality or otherwise, and compares ways to prepare by price, hours, group size, schedule and speaking time. For an evening course in general Spanish rather than exam preparation, see Spanish classes in Madrid compared.

How we chose the best DELE A2 preparation in Madrid

Each option was compared on what most helps someone pass, with the speaking test in mind.

Evaluation criterion	What we evaluated
Speaking practice	How much of each lesson a learner could spend speaking Spanish: for a class, at most the lesson length divided by the group size
Feedback	Whether someone answers or corrects what you actually said
Closeness to the exam	Whether the course works on the DELE A2 itself: its four parts, its three speaking tasks and its timing
Price	The published price, from each provider's own website, and what is extra, such as registration and the exam fee
Hours and group size	How many hours the course gives you, the price per hour that works out to, and how many people share the teacher
Location and schedule	In person in Madrid or online, which days and times, and when the next course starts

Prices were checked in November 2026 and may change; confirm the current price on each provider's website before booking. The exam fee is the same whichever preparation you choose. Each option gets a "Best for" label as an editorial recommendation, not an overall ranking.

Online vs. in-person DELE A2 preparation in Madrid: which should you choose?

Whichever you choose, the exam itself is sat at an exam centre, and its fee is the same. The question is how you get ready for it.

Factor	Speaking course online (Echoa)	DELE preparation course (online or in Madrid)
Flexibility	Any time, on your phone or computer	Fixed times: afternoons at International House, mornings or evenings at Hablamos, Mondays at the city's offices
Individual attention	Sam, Echoa's AI teacher, answers every sentence you say	Shared with a group (Hablamos: average 4-6, maximum 8; AIL online: average 6, maximum 10), or one-to-one at Inhispania
Speaking time	Every answer in the lesson is yours	In a group, at most the lesson divided by the group size
Exam practice	None of the exam's own tasks	Works through the exam's parts, the written ones included
Cost	€39 a month, first 3 lessons free	€230 to €290 for a school course here; the city's course is free for those who get a place
Start	Today	On the school's dates

• Choose a speaking course online if you can read the questions but struggle to answer them out loud, or your days are already full.
• Choose a preparation course if you want a teacher to take you through every part of the exam, the photo description and the writing tasks included.

If you are weighing self-study apps as well, see Babbel vs Pimsleur for Spanish.

The two fit together: a course for the four papers, and daily speaking in between, so the answers come out when the examiner across the table is waiting for them.

Which DELE A2 preparation is best for you?

• Choose Echoa if you understand Spanish but freeze when you have to speak, and want to practise every day for €39 a month.
• Choose International House Madrid if you want a course on the A2 and nothing else, and can make two afternoons a week.
• Choose Escuela Hablamos if you want the lowest course price among the schools and can clear two weeks of mornings or evenings.
• Choose AIL Español online if you want a group and a teacher from home, timed to finish just before your exam.
• Choose the city council's course if you are a migrant in Madrid, have Monday late mornings free and can wait for a place.
• Choose Inhispania if you want one-to-one lessons on your own timetable and can pay by the hour.

If you are applying for nationality, read the questions below before you book anything: some applicants do not need the DELE at all.

Preparing for another language's exam? We also compare preparation for the fide test for German in Switzerland, the DELF for French, the CIPLE for Portuguese, the inburgeringsexamen for Dutch and the CILS for Italian.

Ready to speak Spanish with confidence in the DELE A2?

Spanish. Accelerated. Your speaking practice starts with lesson 1: about 15 minutes, ending with you saying, out loud and in Spanish, that you would rather not eat in here: you want to eat outside and drink water. The first 3 lessons are free. No card needed.

FAQ

What is in the DELE A2?

Four parts: reading 60 min, listening 40 min, writing 45 min, speaking 12 min plus 12 min preparation; 2 h 49 min in all. Reading 4 tasks, 25 items; listening 4 tasks, 25 items; writing 2 tasks; speaking 3 tasks. The speaking test can be held on a different day from the written papers. There is also A2-NA: an adapted version of the A2 for candidates who cannot read or write.

What happens in the speaking test?

Task 1: a short prepared talk on a topic you choose from two (2-3 min); Task 2: describe one of two photos (2-3 min); Task 3: a role-play conversation with the examiner based on that photo (3-4 min). Contact questions open the test. You get 12 minutes to prepare tasks 1-3 beforehand, with notes you may consult during the test. Two examiners: one interviews and talks with you, the other scores and does not take part.

How is the DELE A2 marked?

Each of the four parts is worth 25 points, 100 in all. They are scored in two groups, reading with writing and listening with speaking, and to pass ("Apto") you need at least 30 of the 50 points in each group.

How much does the DELE A2 cost, and how do I register?

The fee is about €140 for the DELE A2 in Spain in 2026; the 2027 fee had not been published when we checked. In Spain you register and pay online, on the Instituto Cervantes website. Madrid exam centres include the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid and the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, which hold A2 sessions; the fee is the same at every centre.

When are the next DELE A2 exam dates?

13 November 2026 is the last A2 date of 2026; its registration closed on 30 September 2026. A2 written exams in 2027: 5 March, 2 April, 22 May, 9 July, 10 September, 15 October, 13 November. DELE 2027 registration opens 18 November 2026; CCSE 2027 registration opens 23 November 2026.

Do I need the DELE A2 for Spanish nationality?

Spanish nationality by residence needs the DELE at A2 or above and the CCSE test, both run by the Instituto Cervantes. The CCSE has 25 questions: 60% on the Constitution and how Spain is governed and organised, 40% on its culture, history and society. It costs €85 for the CCSE test in 2026, the same worldwide, and the Instituto Cervantes publishes a free preparation manual and a free app for it.

Who does not need to take the DELE for nationality?

Exempt from the DELE: anyone who already holds a DELE A2 or higher, and nationals of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Equatorial Guinea, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela. An official A2 (or higher) certificate in Spanish as a foreign language from an Escuela Oficial de Idiomas also exempts you from the DELE.

Do I need a preparation course?

No preparation course is required to sit the DELE. The Instituto Cervantes exam website is being rebuilt; the official DELE A2 model exams and guide are not online there at present, so a course or a published preparation book is the easiest way to meet the tasks before the day.

Which Spanish does the DELE expect?

Any variety of Spanish is accepted in speaking and writing if used consistently. Spanish learned in Madrid, Mexico City or Buenos Aires counts, as long as you stick to one. Echoa teaches Spain Spanish (castellano).

Does the DELE A2 expire?

No. The DELE never expires.