Apartments in Barcelona
Archive for the ‘Work in Barcelona’ Category
While finding a job can be difficult, you can always find a job if you look. It may not be the most ideal or proper job, but being an au pair can be an exciting and adventurous option. An au pair is a foreign-national domestic assistant working for and living with a host family. An au pair is very similar to being a nanny or a baby sitter. 
However you also live with the family, take care of the children, and do some work around the house. You are not paid a large amount of money, but you get paid a personal allowance. Keep in mind that you do not have to pay for meals and housing, which saves you a lot of money. The au pair becomes part of the family, and can be seen as an older sister, since most au pairs are young women. Many Spanish families find this a great option for their children, because they learn about other cultures as well as learn English. It is easier to learn a language when you are younger, and therefore the parents surround the kid with another language to learn. You can also learn a lot about another country and improve your Spanish by being an au pair. Many families in Barcelona look for young, English speakers to take care of their children. The commitment is usually for 2 years, and the au pair gets 2 full days off a week. An au pair is a great opportunity for people who love children and are between the ages of 18-26.
Here are some more useful tips for working in the Spanish workforce, whether it be in Barcelona or not. The first point of useful piece of information is to keep in mind that the Spaniards don’t usually consider themselves just that. There is a sense of national pride, for sports, and special events, but in general it is more important to focus on the regions. In the past, it was a great honor to be born, live, and die in the same city or region their entire lives. Now, there is still a greater importance to the region, so it is better to know information about certain regions, rather than generalizations. Each region is different and unique. Conversation is another useful aspect to know when in Barcelona, or any other part of the country. The inhabitants of this country usually are passionate conversationalists. They can talk for several hours, and can go pretty late, since they do hold the latest hour out of any European country. Things they like to talk about are the family, food, or other subjects. Yet, subjects to avoid are politics, religion, and the Spanish civil way. Also, if you are a woman, and you find yourself being complimented by men on the way you look, there is no need to worry or be on guard, this is normal in Spain. It is a form of gallantry to compliment all women on how they look. Government offices in Spain usually do not work as fast and effectively as one may hope, so it is useless to show irritation in any way. It is just customary here, to take one’s time, which in my opinion is more relaxing, and appreciative of time.
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain, and within the past few years have experienced an ecomonic boom. In Spain, Barcelona is one of the stronger and more imporatant areas economically. There are many different job oportunities in Barcelona, due to the fact that the city has a lot to offer. It is important to know what the minimum wage is as you do not want your employer to take advantage of you. The minimum wage is regulated by the Spanish government so countries in the European Union all have different minimum wage laws. Minimum wage is the same through out the country of Spain. As of January 2009, the minimum wage in Spain is 624 euros/month. People in Barcelona are paid each month, rather than every two weeks. Six hundred and twenty four euros is based on 40 hours a week. Many Spanish workers receive a bonus salary twice a year, one in summer and the other in Christmas. When deciding the minimum wage, the Spanish government takes into acount the standard cost of living and inflation. Overall, the cost of living in Barcelona is comparatively cheap to other European cities. With the minimum wage, many people can get by comfortably.
For those of you interested in going to Med school, or knowing how well off doctors are here in Barcelona, here is some information. First it may be prudent to mention a bit about the education one has to go through for being one. With the choice of either going to a private or public school, as in most of the western countries of Europe, medical studies usually last 6 years. They are known to be as rigorous and difficult as most other high lever medical studies in some countries of Europe, as well as the States. Some of the best schools are La Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Universidad de Sevilla, Universidad Complutense in Madrid, Unidad Docente de Medicina Donostia- San Sebastian, Universidad del Pais Vasco, and others.
After their studies, graduates are ready to face the real world, which has changed a bit in Spain’s case. Currently, the Spanish health service is on the lookout for English as an extra quality. This is due to the large amounts of immigrants and UK citizens that actually fly over to Spain for a lower cost for really advanced services. With doctors being paid nearly 70,000 euros to start off with, it would make for a good living here in Barcelona. Actually, right now in Spain, there is a shortage of general practitioners, and other kinds of doctors. There just aren’t enough doctors for the waves of patients that seem to never end. Another thing to keep in mind is that more and more doctors are opening their own practice, but the difficulty here is that people do not hear from them as much. Thus they are forced to sell themselves and rely on such means as word of mouth and recommendations. Therefore, if you are interested in medicine, and you are looking to work in Barcelona, do not hesitate.
In Barcelona, when establishing business relations, it is very important to know the character of the other person. As previously mentioned, good character is valued in the Spanish culture. People in Barcelona like to get to know you before doing business with you. To learn more about the person that they may possibly do business with, they will go out for lunch or dinner. Be prepared to be asked about your family and your background, so they can learn more about you as a person. While at lunch dinner, do not drink too many beers or glasses of wine, and do not smoke, as they may disapprove. Lunch is more popular for business decsions, and the decsion is most likely to be saved until the end during coffee. Establishing relations is a longer process in Spain, than any many other countries, remain patient, and do not rush the decsion. After a business negotiation it is common to give a gift, such as chocolate or flowers. In Barcelona, if you make friends with the people, there will be a strong relation, and they will continue doing business with you. Business relations are more like personal friendships. Always appear warm and welcoming, because if you are seen as untrustworthy they will not do business with you. Always remember when making a business negotiation appear “simpatico.â€
As mentioned earlier, it is important to know the customs and manners of the Spanish Culture. If you do not know the customs of people in Barcelona, you can come off as being rude. When working in Barcelona it is helpful to know and understand their culture. While in Barcelona, you want to make sure you present yourself in a proper manner, because you are representing yourself and your country. The following will mention, how to address someone, communication and smoking in the workplace.
As many people know, the word for Mr. is Señor and the word of Mrs. is Señora. People of Barcelona are very traditional people as seen in the way they dress and behave. Since, they are traditional use the title señor and señora unless you know the people very well, they are younger, or they told you not to do so. Another way of addressing someone is Don or Doña, however these are very formal, and are used before the first name of an individual. In the Spanish language, they use “usted†and “tuâ€. “Usted†is more formal, and used with older people to show respect, as compared to “tu†which is informal and used with younger people. If you are unsure as how to refer to someone, it is better to be more formal or else you may be seen as rude and disrespectful.
Respect and indivivdualism are traits that are highly valued. Modesty is valued over showing superiority. When talking to your boss make sure that you do not show power over him, because showing superiority and ability is looked down upon.
When someone in the office, especially your boss, make sure you have direct eye contact. Eye contact is very important in Barcelona, however be careful with making eye contact with strangers as this can be translated as sexual interest. When having a conversation in Spanish, it is not considered rude to interrupt or have two people talking at the same time. Having people talk at the same time, means that they are very interested in the subject. So do not take it the wrong way, and begin talking back to them to show your interest. Similarly, if you are not talking, people will begin to think that something is wrong, and will show concern. When talking with people in the office, make sure you do not mention politics, religion or Civil War in Spain.
When walking along the streets, or sitting in a bar or café in Barcelona it is hard to not notice all the smokers. As smoking is very popular in the city, there are now laws to minimize the amount of smokers in public places. Smoking is no longer allowed in businesses, as well as shopping centers, supermarkets, and airports. If you are a smoker, make sure you that smoke in designated places.
So today we will be talking about the idea of law and the way lawyers are in Spain. To start off with, it is true that legal studies in this country are as challenging as in most countries with high level education. With at least four years of study, and the option of more education afterwards, it is a respectable path to take as a career. Since law is not different around the country, this applies mostly for Barcelona as well, besides city-specific laws the exist. So, fortunately for English speakers, there are actually a great deal English speaking “abogados.†Also, there are specialized lawyers in almost any field you can think of. From civil to household violence, they usually do have a lot of work, and there are usually private or government run practices. The average income for these abogados is 5, 000 euros per month or 60, 000 a year. Since law itself is not as clear, or as easy to deal with as in countries such as other countries, it is best to acquire the services of an experienced lawyer to be safe. This is especially sure for people from other countries. A good tip is to always obtain an estimate of the costs that they require in advance, and in writing if possible. The best way to choose someone experienced is to find out as much as possible about the abogado, since that is how the Spanish will do it themselves. They rely on word-of-mouth information regarding the person, and then proceed to making the decision. Further, there are areas where it is highly recommendable to search for such services, for instance, in the purchase of a house or land, making a will or defending a lawsuit. With search engines online, such as <www.elabogado.com> , you should be able to get a head start, if you were looking for a lawyer, but remember, do some more research afterwards. Well, that’s a wrap for some law pointers in Spain. Hope it helps.
When working in Barcelona, it is important to know the behaviors and dress code for where you are working. The manners of people in Barcelona are very similar to the rest of Europe, but they do have their own etiquette which they follow. When working in Barcelona, you want to present yourself in a good manner, because you are not only representing yourself, but also your country. There are many tips and points to covers, so there will be two differernt blogs, which will have very useful information.
The first point is how to greet someone. Non verbal communication is very important, and if not done correctly it can be seen as rude. If you do not know someone in the business world, it is proper to shake hands with someone. On the hand, if a woman offers their cheek, you should gently give 2 kisses, one on the right cheek and the other on the left cheek. It is not exacly a direct kiss, but more of touching the cheek and kissing the air. However giving a kiss on the cheek is a more appropriate in a social setting, then in the business world. A hug is only given if you know someone very well, and occasionally two men will kiss each other as a greeting, but only if they are very close friends or family. When leaving, it is polite to shake hands or give a kiss.
In Barcelona, there is a difference between in what they percieve as being formal, since they care a lot about appearance. An informal outfit will still be nicer than wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Since you always want to present yourself in a postive manner, wear solid darker colors, and try to stay away from bright colors and patterns. Even during the summer, men will wear dark, designer brand suits. For work, woman will wear skirts, dresses, and pants. Similar to most woman, the shoes are a very important part of the attire. Barcelona is known for their well made leather shoes, which must always be cleaned. Shorts are hardly worn, except for going to the beach. In Barcelona, how you present your self is very imporant, so remember to accessorize with jewelry and scarfs, and dress formal.
In Barcelona as well as the rest of Spain, personal space is not as well as respected. It is not uncommon for a boss or worker to talk very close to your face. It is considered rude to back away, creating more space. In a bussiness setting, they will not violate your personal space in an uncomfortable manner, however on the streets this may be different. Knowing proper etiquette is very important in the business world.
The Spanish health and medical care is equal and sometimes even better than what is available in Europe. In big cities, such as Barcelona health care is better. In the country of Spain, very few people are in nursing and retirement homes. Rehibilitation and terminal illness is treated differerently, as they rely on their family to talk care of them. Overall the Spanish are very healthy, and live a long life as mens average life expectancy is around 80 years, and 74 years for women. Many say that it is beause of the Mediterranean diet, which is why the have the lowest heart disease in the world. Similar to the rest of the European Union, Spanish health care is free or low cost for those who have social security. The system also includes people from the EU. So if you are living in Barcelona, but from another European Union country, you are still covered by health care. In popular cities such as Barcelona, there are many english-speaking health partioners. I f you are not part of the Spanish social security system, it is a good idea if you want to be covered by health care. To become part of the Spanish state healthcare, you must register with the Spanish Security office. When you go to the office you must take you work contract, and NIE. Once this is completed, healthcare will cover you, your spouse, and child.
There are many different qualifications when applying for jobs in Spain. In some cases one of those requirements is the ability to speak English. There are many international companies located in Barcelona, and therefore want international employees. Barcelona is a city full of tourists, and for this reason many businesses look for English speakers. There are many jobs available for English speaking professionals, with many opportunities in the tourism and hospitality area. Since Barcelona has two main languages, Catalan and Spanish, it makes it difficult if you do not know one of those languages. Many of the temporary English speaking jobs are by no means “proper†and may consist of passing out flyers or being a receptionist at a hotel or company. However for English speakers there are other formal jobs available, but they are harder to find and may require a permanent stay. Of course, knowing another language is very useful, and in most cases basic Catalan and/or Spanish is a requirement. There are many programs in Barcelona that offer English, Spanish and Catalan classes, as well as other languages. These classes are a great way to improve your language skills as well as improve your CV. For more information on where to take language classes, visit www.barcelona-home.com.
The first impression is very important when applying for a job. They say that the employer knows within the first 5 minutes of the interview if they are going to hire you or not. You want to appear put together and presentable. Similarly, your CV, curriculum vitae, should do the same. The CV is an essential tool and the first step in the job search. If you have a poorly organized and written CV, the job hunt will end right there. Take your time when creating a CV, because it is a reflection of you. It should include your life and job history, special skills and achievements, and what you are looking for in a job.
Since an employer is looking at many different CVs you want yours to stand out from the rest. Give accurate information about yourself, because many employers do background checks. Also remeber to keep them short too much information can be overwhelming, causing them to overlook important information, or may even bore the reader. In the heading, do not forget to put your name, surname, local address, e-mail, and phone number. On the internet there are many websites that give you examples that can guide you while writing your CV, like http://www.cvtips.com/ as well as many others.
If you are looking for a job in Barcelona, or anywhere else in Spain, it is necessary to know about the banking system here, and what to expect. Although universally it is similar all around the world, there are important differences in details that you should know. First banking hours, they normally go from 8:30 to 13:30. It is very important to be fully understood here, and that all the “laws†of the bank, or the way it works are very clear to you. It is recommended to open an account in a bank that has at least two English speakers. In general, interest rates are lower, but charges are way higher. Spanish banks will charge for money transfers on property purchases and openings of new accounts.  People usually complain for not knowing that these charges are high. Now here are some other important things to keep in mind. Cheques should always be written in ink with ball point pens, do not write in pencil ever. Banks are usually stricter on making sure that the cheque is specifically and clearly written to the person or business to receive it. It is important to write “A abonar en cuenta†before the name of the person of business so that in this way, the bank knows exactly to whom the cheque can be deposited. Do not leave spaces between letters or digits on the cheque, since this could confuse the bank regarding the recipient, or because the bank to believe that the amount is greater than it truly is. Of course, be careful with blank signed cheques. So I hope this information can be useful for you. Just use caution, and remember that things don’t always go the way we plan.
For those of you who do luckily find a job in Barcelona, which is already a very difficult ting to do, it is important to know how the tax system works, so that you are prepared for any unexpected circumstances.When talking about a company in Spain, there will always be a company or coporate tax, which is a national tax on all types of Spanish companies (as well as nonresident companies here as well). There is actually an exception to the rule, just for your information, and it is sole traders. Anyway, the standard company tac rate is 30%, but for smaller companies it is different. Those that are considered corporations with a turnover of less than 3 million euros per year, are taxed 25% on the first 100 euros earned. The national spanish tax authorities are who a company’s tax return should be filed with. That is the Agencia Estatal de Administracion Tributaria. This is done at about 6 months and some 20 days from the end of the company’s fiscal year. Yet, those companies with a higher annual turnover rate then 6 million euros pay advance tax payments in April, October, and December. Spanish companies are taxed on their worldwide income. Nonresident companies on the other hand are only taxed on their Spanish income. Just to give you a little formula of the Spanish income tax. It is all capital gains less expenses and VAT payments. Well, that is the tax lay-out for the great country of Spain. Hope this information may be useful for you, and that you do not hestitate to look for jobs here if that is something you would enjoy.
Looking for a job in Barcelona? Check out some of these jobs.
A PLACE TO SLEEP IN EXCHANGE OF NIGHT SHIFT IN HOSTEL (CITY CENTER)
Hostel is looking for a person to sleep at the hostel and the keep it quiet during the night.
The job is very simple: just sleep there and if you are awaken by the noise, just ask them to be quiet.
In exchange we will provide you with a big room to
live. The room has a big balcony. You will have access to a fully equiped kitchen. The room is shared with two more people that work at the hostel.
The person MUST:
Be older than 25 years old.
Speak english fluently.
Have lived in Barcelona for a minimum of 2 years.
Have references from other jobs.
Start to work immediately.
Receptionist, Apartment Rental Agency (Barcelona)
Apartment rental agency is looking to fill full-time receptionist position. Applicants MUST speak and write English and Spanish fluently. Other languages are a bonus. Good organising skills are absolutely essential. Sales experience and knowledge of travel industry is desired, but not a must.
Please send your C.V to elaine@friendlyrentals.com
WAITRESS (HOSPITAL SANT PAU)
English tavern is looking for a waitress from :
12:00 to 17:00.
English is requered.
If you are interested, please call (from 17:00 to 19:00) to 655774693 .
English teacher for private classes needed (Sant Andreu de Llavaneres)
We need a native English teacher for an 11 years old boy who lives in Sant Andreu de Llavaneres. He needs a 1’5h class per week for next school year (from September/October to June).
PUBLIC RELATIONS and MARKETING TEAM required
Hey guys,
We are Looking for a group of 8 to 10 girls or boys to join our Public
Relations and Marketing team during this summer in Barcelona.
You will be distributing Flyers at the La Ramblas, Metro Stops
(barceloneta, Vila Olympicas) and at the beach. Very nice offer and
great opportunity.
We are interested in people with very outgoing personality, especially
if you do not hesitate to talk to strangers and explain them details
about the party. If you are good , we can also give you more flyer
jobs and guest lists in many other Clubs.
If you are interested in this job, Please send us your CV and photos
at shaz@barcelonaparties.com
Looking forward to hear from you soon,
Shaz
shaz@barcelonaparties.com
For more jobs, check out Loquo.com
Planning on working in Barcelona? As you may know, there are 2 prominent languages in Barcelona and the rest of Catalonia- Catalan and Castillian Spanish. Approximately 7 million people speak Catalan, and contrary to popular belief, it is not the same in appearance or pronunciation as Castillian Spanish. Locals in the Catalan district have a reputation for disliking Castillian Spanish, and it is often said they will even refuse to speak it with you, preferring to speak in English. However, foreigners rarely meet hostility when trying to communicate in Spanish, and you should feel welcome to practice your Spanish skills while living and working in Barcelona. Nearly everyone living in Barcelona is bilingual, if not trilingual, speaking fluent Catalan and Spanish, as well as some English. This can lead to some confusion when trying to decide which language to speak upon entering a store, restaurant, or even your office building. Just to be safe, its a good idea to learn a few key phrases in both languages, just to get you started.
In case you’re not a language aficionado, here are a few helpful phrases in Catalan and Spanish that should help you get by during your time here in the city! After all, locals and tourists alike appreciate when others attempt to speak their language, and breaking down the communication barrier is always a good thing, especially at work. These phrases should help you get to know your coworkers and show them that you are making an effort to get to know their culture a bit better.
Enjoy!
English                  Spanish             Catalan
Welcome                Bienvenidos          Benvingut
Hello                     Hola                Hola
How are you?           Cómo estás?          Com estas?
What is your name?    Como te llamas?      Com y santi?
Nice to meet you       Mucho gusto          Encantat
Good morning           Buenos dÃas           Bon dia
Good afternoon        Buenas tardes        Bona tarda
Good evening/night    Buenas noches       Bona liendres
Bye                      Adiós                Adéu
Cheers                   Salud           Salut/Txin txin
Excuse me             Con permiso        Dispensi/Perdoni
Thank you               Gracias             Grà cies
Leave me alone!      Déjame en paz!      Deixa’m en pau!
There are some people, that because of their interest and desire to move to Barcelona, Spain, would like to create their own business here. Well for those of you who do want to come over to this kingly land and do business, here is a template in case you just have no clue of where to start. It can all be boiled down to 6 steps. We will talk about the first three in this entry. Firstly, it is important to choose a name for the business and register it or patent it. This is easily seen as an important step for it is the name for a new idea that will be “brought to life†in a sense. One can do this through the, Registro de Nombre Comercial, or the Spain’s Business Name Registry. This further gives the name holder exclusive right to use that name for commercial purposes. When a business name is registered, it will be necessary to provide proof of registration for a tax on economical activities, (Impuestos de Actividades Economicas). Next, one should delve into the structure, or entity. Each entity option have different fiscal or legal responsibilities. Some business entities are: Sole trader or proprietor, a partnership, new enterprise limited company, limited partnership, limited liability company, and many others. This entity will define the way in which the nature of your business will carry on. For the next step, a business plan is necessary, so a lay out, and description of what your business will actually do. Here it is important to know what language you will do business in. If it is international it is better to have both Spanish and English involved in your business at least. Also, it is possible to get help for business plans. Spain’s local chambers of commerce (las camaras de comercio) offer free advice on business plans, so it would be good to locate a chamber of commerce near in or near Barcelona. So this is a good start to the way in which starting a business in Spain, would be more organized and secure.
Learning an language can be one of the most enjoyable studying experiences, you are surrounded by people who also want to learn, the classes are generally relaxed with a fun atmosphere to them and you can make some life long friends. An increasingly popular thing to do is have a ‘learning spanish’ holiday. There are lots of schools and organisations, all over the counrty, that offer different intensities of language learning. In most cases your accommodation is taken care of, either in flats or apartments, you timetable is worked out according to how intensive you want your learing experience to be and the courses contains day trips and cultural excursions so you not only learn a language but the traditions and history that comes with it
Why you should learn Spanish!
Almost 400 million people speak Spanish worldwide.
Spanish is the 4th most spoken language in the world
.
Spanish is becoming the 2nd most important language in Europe, after English.
About half of the population in the Western Hemisphere speak Spanish.
Learning Spanish makes learning other romance languages easier.
In some areas of the U.S., Spanish language TV stations have higher ratings than the country’s major networks, ABC, CBS, and NBC.
26.7 million people use Spanish on the internet.
In less than 10 years, demand has doubled for Spanish language programs.
How Spanish Courses Work…
Depending on the program or school, courses normally start every Monday. When you arrive, you are placed in the appropriate class level usually after you take a placement test. Programs typically divide students into at least three levels, beginner, intermediate, or advanced.
Classes will be scheduled for the morning, afternoon or both, depending on the level of intensity at which you plan to study. Upon completion of your program, you will receive a certificate of participation if you have fulfilled all designated requirements. Look for accommodation and Spanish schools in Barcelona!
Beginners:
Command of linguistic and cultural basics. Able to formulate and understand short sentences relating to basic necessities and forms of politeness.
Intermediate:
Able to express oneself, perhaps sometimes with a little difficulty, but usually spontaneously and independently, in everyday situations.
Advanced:
In this level you have advanced communication skills, even in complicated situations.
Superior:
Clearing up minor imperfections. Refining pronunciation and intonation. Communicating, without difficulty, with people who are native Spanish speakers.
–
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Viladomat 89-95 entlo.3
08015 Barcelona. España
Tel. +34 934 231 270
Fax. +34 932 893 630
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Barcelona appears to be as booming as ever, with people rushing off to work, tourists roaming the streets, and shoppers carrying bags around the city daily. However, the financial crisis has had a greater impact than appearances would indicate. While there is greater demand for physical, task-related jobs such as mechanics and repairmen, the demand for highly educated workers with college degrees is dropping. Finding a job as a lawyer, doctor, or engineer is far more difficult now than in the past, and as long as this crisis continues, the difficulties will continue.
The crisis affects people of all ages, throughout the world, but in Spain the affects are visible in the youth of the country. Students wishing to work in order to pay rent or save for the future are out of luck in the current job world. Whether still in school or graduates, young people are struggling as a whole to find something to do in their free time. This lack of work has led to vandalism, gangs, and a very pessimistic attitude about the government and the world. In order to fix this situation, businesses must be willing to hire students and young adults, to keep them off the streets and forcing them to stay productive.
Not only does the current crisis affect the unemployed, but it greatly affects the employed as well. Raises have been put on hold indefinitely, vacation time has been decreased, and long lunch breaks are a thing of the past. Unlike many other cities in Spain (especially in southern Spain), Barcelonans seem to live to work. The work day has become longer, with less breaks, and stress levels have increased as a result. This longer, more hectic work day in addition to the financial strain being placed on citizens throughout Spain, Europe, and the world, will eventually take its toll. We must hope that the economy begins to take a rapid turn for the better, so that companies may stay open, new companies may be built, and new jobs may be produced. Without this, Barcelona as a business place may cease to exist as we know it.
What is the DELE? The Diploma of Spanish as a Foreign Language is the official accreditation of level of fluency of the Spanish language. The DELE is frequently requested by companies as proof of language proficiency and is an excellent way to gauge your level of fluency. The DELE is the official accreditation of the level of mastery of the Spanish language for citizens of countries where Spanish is not the official language. The DELE is issued by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Culture. This degree is very important in both the education and business world. The DELE is recognized predominantly by companies, universities and other educational institutions.
The DELE is Divided into 3 Levels:
The Certificado Inicial (Primary level) accredits the most basic level of knowledge of the language and that the basic needs of everyday life can be communicated.
The DELE Básico (Intermediate level) accredits a level of knowledge for communicating ability for daily life, excluding specialized use.
The DELE Superior (Superior level) accredits a level of advanced knowledge of the language, including its cultural background and specialized communication.
The DELE Exam
The exam for the DELEs is broken down into five tests: reading comprehension, written expression, listening comprehension, grammar and vocabulary, and oral expression. In order to pass the exam, the test taker must at least pass all sections. If one section is failed, all parts must be retaken.
Section Duration Structure
Reading Comprehension 60 min. The test taker must answer 12 multiple choice questions based on 4 texts. The texts will not exceed 450 words.
Written Expression 60 min. The test taker must write a personal letter and an essay, each consisting of 150-200 words.
Listening Comprehension 30 min. The test taker must answer 12 multiple choice questions based on 4 oral texts (audio recordings). The recordings will consist of advertisements, news, conversations and interviews.
Grammar and Vocabulary 60 min. The test taker must complete the following exercises: • Incomplete text (20 gaps) choosing the appropriate option. • 40 brief dialogues choosing the appropriate option.
Oral Expression 10 – 15 min. The test taker must engage in a conversation lasting 10 to 15 minutes.
When to Take the Exam The DELE exams are typically in mid-March and mid-November.
How Much the Exams Cost Depending on where you take the exam, the cost varies a bit. In Spain, the cost (2005) of the Inicial Level is €88, the Intermedio Level €109, and the Superior Level €120. The costs in other countries range from about €30 – €150.
DELE Testing Centers in Barcelona
In Barcelona there are three official testing centers for the exams:
Universitat Pompeu Fabra Plaça de la Mercè, 10-12 E-08002 Barcelona Sr. D. Ernesto MartÃn Peris / Sra. Dª Carmen Pérez Vidal Tel.:935 421 921 Fax:935 421 702 www.upf.edu/pei pei@fun.upf.es
Universidad Ramón Llull – ESADE Escuela de Idiomas Avda. Pedralbes, 60-62 E-08034 Barcelona Sra. Dª. MarÃa Delia Castro Carrillo Tel.:932 806 162 / 934 952 191 Fax:932 048 105 delia.castro@esade.edu
Universidad de Barcelona Estudios Hispánicos Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 585 E-08007 Barcelona Sr. D. Salvador Claramunt RodrÃguez Tel.:934 035 519 Fax:934 035 433 http://www.ub.es/ieh info@eh.ub.es
This course is aimed at business men and women who have limited time to learn a basic knowledge of the Spanish spoken in a business environment. This course is largely attended by university students who wish to live and work in Spain or by active professionals who are taking the course to create more opportunities in the labour market. The Intensive Business course comprises 20 specific business classes per week and runs for a 4 week period. If your time is particularly limited there is the option of attending for 1, 2 or 3 weeks. The advantage of attending a full 4 weeks course is that you can take the Basic Certificate exams of the Madrid Chamber of Commerce. This course is guarenteed to open a wider range of employment opportunities for those who choose to take it.
Practical Information
Duration: 1 to 4 weeks
Required level: B1
Frequency: 30 classes per week
Group size: A maximum of 16 students per group
If you are interested in taking this course contact barcelona-home by clicking here, or use the information below.
www.barcelona-home.com
Viladomat 89-95 entlo.3
08015 Barcelona. España
Tel. +34 934 231 270
. +34 932 893 630
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