Study guide
9.1 Personal Identity, Physical Description & Family Relations
DELE A2 — Spanish Language Diploma Elementary
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1 Chapter 1: Exam Overview, Format & Scoring Structure
1.1 DELE A2 Identity, Purpose & Nationality Requirements 1.2 Four Pruebas & Official Test Administration 1.3 Scoring System: The 30/50 Group Rules & Pass Criteria
2 Chapter 2: Prueba 1 — Reading Comprehension Tasks & Strategies
2.1 Reading Tarea 1: Personal Correspondence & Informational Texts 2.2 Reading Tarea 2: Notices, Bulletins & Short Announcements 2.3 Reading Tarea 3: Matching Statements to Thematic Texts 2.4 Reading Tarea 4: Long Narrative Text & Changes of Topic
3 Chapter 3: Prueba 2 — Listening Comprehension Tasks & Auditory Techniques
3.1 Listening Tarea 1: Six Short Conversations with Picture Options 3.2 Listening Tarea 2: Radio News, Ads & Programme Extracts 3.3 Listening Tarea 3: One Conversation – Man, Woman or Neither 3.4 Listening Tarea 4: Seven Messages Matched to Ten Statements
4 Chapter 4: Prueba 3 — Written Expression & Interaction
4.1 Writing Tarea 1: Replying to a Personal Message (60–70 Words) 4.2 Writing Tarea 2: Option A (Personal Life) or Option B (Photos/Data) 4.3 The Official Writing Scale, Cohesion & Common Errors
5 Chapter 5: Prueba 4 — Oral Expression & Interaction
5.1 Oral Test Structure, 12-Minute Preparation & Official Scales 5.2 Oral Tarea 1: Prepared Presentation on a Personal Topic 5.3 Oral Tarea 2: Describing a Photograph (Monologue) 5.4 Oral Tarea 3: Simulated Conversation Linked to the Photo
6 Chapter 6: Essential A2 Grammar — Verb Systems & Tenses
6.1 Present Indicative Regulars, Stem-Changers & Irregulars 6.2 Reflexive Verbs & Verbs of Preference (Gustar, Encantar, Doler) 6.3 The Past Tenses: Pretérito Perfecto vs. Pretérito Indefinido 6.4 Pretérito Imperfecto & The Three-Way Past Tense Contrast
7 Chapter 7: Essential A2 Grammar — Syntax, Periphrases & Operators
7.1 Expressing the Future: Ir a + Inf, Present & Simple Future 7.2 Verbal Periphrases of Obligation, Ability & Desire 7.3 Direct & Indirect Object Pronouns and Position Rules 7.4 Affirmative Imperative: Tú & Usted Commands
8 Chapter 8: Foundational Contrasts & Sentence Building
8.1 Ser vs. Estar: Attributes, Locations, States & Gerunds 8.2 Por vs. Para: Causes, Destinations, Deadlines & Exchanges 8.3 Comparatives, Superlatives, Quantifiers & Negatives 8.4 The Noun Phrase: Gender, Articles, Demonstratives, Possessives & Relatives
9 Chapter 9: Thematic Vocabulary — Daily Life, Housing & Surroundings
9.1 Personal Identity, Physical Description & Family Relations 9.2 Home, Housing Types, Furniture & Household Tasks 9.3 City Navigation, Places in Town & Giving Directions
10 Chapter 10: Thematic Vocabulary — Services, Transactions & Health
10.1 Food, Dining Out, Supermarket Shopping & Ordering 10.2 Shopping for Clothes, Sizes, Prices & Commercial Transactions 10.3 Health, Body Parts, Illnesses & Pharmacy Visits 10.4 Work, Professions, Workplace Routines & Job Applications 10.5 Studies, Courses, Phones & Everyday Services
11 Chapter 11: Thematic Vocabulary — Leisure, Travel & Environment
11.1 Free Time, Hobbies, Sports & Entertainment 11.2 Travel, Accommodations, Transport Modes & Bookings 11.3 Weather, Climate, Seasons & Natural Environment
12 Chapter 12: Exam Day Strategy, Time Management & Final Review
12.1 Timing, Answer Sheets & Pacing on Exam Day 12.2 Identifying Distractors, False Friends & Traps 12.3 6-Week Structured Study Plan & High-Yield Checklist
9.1 Personal Identity, Physical Description & Family Relations
Key Takeaways Explain This Topic AI
Personal identification documents and administrative forms in the Hispanic sphere distinguish between first names (nombre de pila) and two surnames (primer y segundo apellido), requiring candidates to navigate terms such as estado civil, fecha de nacimiento, lugar de origen, and código postal.
Physical descriptions require selecting the correct governing verb: ser expresses permanent stature, build, and skin tone (ser alto, delgado, moreno); tener governs facial features and eye color (tener ojos marrones, pecas); while llevar applies to alterable styling, facial hair, and accessories (llevar barba, bigote, gafas).
Hair typology combines three distinct descriptive dimensions: length (largo, corto, media melena), texture or shape (liso, rizado, ondulado), and color (rubio, moreno, castaño, pelirrojo, canoso), frequently assessed in Prueba 4 Tarea 2 photograph descriptions.
Personality adjectives normally take ser to communicate enduring traits, organized into high-frequency CEFR A2 antonym pairs such as simpático/antipático, trabajador/vago, abierto/tímido, and tranquilo/nervioso, avoiding false friends like educado (polite).
Kinship vocabulary spans nuclear family members, extended generational relations, and in-laws (la familia política: suegros, yerno/nuera, cuñados), governed by essential prepositional verbs such as llevarse bien con, parecerse a, casarse con, and divorciarse de.
Last updated: September 2026
Quick Summary: In the DELE A2 examination, personal identity, physical description, and family relations form the foundational lexical toolkit for everyday communication. Candidates read personal letters and profiles (Prueba 1), write about people and their own lives (Prueba 3), give personal presentations (Prueba 4 Tarea 1), and describe people in photographs (Prueba 4 Tarea 2) using the distinct governing verbs ser , tener , and llevar , rich character adjectives, and precise kinship vocabulary.
1. Personal Data and Administrative Forms ( Datos Personales )
In DELE A2 reading texts, and in real administrative tasks in Spain or Latin America, you meet sign-up notices, registration forms ( formularios de inscripción ) and personal data sheets ( fichas personales ). Understanding Hispanic naming conventions and administrative vocabulary is essential to avoid costly misunderstandings.
Hispanic Naming Conventions: Nombre and Apellidos
In Spain and most Spanish-speaking nations, individuals carry dos apellidos (two surnames):
Primer apellido: traditionally the father's first surname.
Segundo apellido: traditionally the mother's first surname. (In Spain, parents can now choose the order.)
For example, if a person is named María González Blanco , María is the nombre de pila (first name), González is the primer apellido , and Blanco is the segundo apellido . When filling out official forms, candidates must never compress both surnames into one field or confuse apellidos with middle names.
High-Yield Administrative Lexicon
- Spanish Term Context / Definition English Equivalent Authentic Form Example
- Nombre Nombre de pila del solicitante First name / Given name Nombre: Carlos
- Apellidos Los dos apellidos familiares Surnames / Family names Apellidos: Gómez Ruiz
- Fecha de nacimiento Día, mes y año de nacimiento Date of birth (DD/MM/YYYY) Fecha de nac.: 14/08/1992
Lugar de nacimiento / origen Ciudad y país de procedencia Place of birth / Origin Lugar de nac.: Bogotá (Colombia)
- Nacionalidad Vínculo jurídico con un Estado Nationality Nacionalidad: colombiana
- Estado civil Situación jurídica conyugal Marital status Estado civil: casado
- Profesión / Ocupación Actividad laboral o empleo Profession / Occupation Profesión: enfermero
- Dirección / Domicilio Vía pública, número, piso y puerta Residential address C/ Mayor, n.º 14, 3.º B
- Código postal (C.P.) Identificador postal de 5 dígitos Postal code / ZIP code C.P.: 28013 (Madrid)
- Teléfono de contacto Número móvil o fijo Contact telephone number Móvil: +34 612 345 678
- Correo electrónico Dirección de e-mail Email address Email: carlos.gomez@email.es
- Marital Status Options ( El Estado Civil )
On official forms and during oral interaction, five legal states are commonly referenced:
Soltero / Soltera: Single / Unmarried.
Casado / Casada: Married ( estoy casado / casada ).
Divorciado / Divorciada: Legally divorced ( está divorciado ).
Viudo / Viuda: Widowed ( es viudo / se quedó viudo ).
Pareja de hecho: Registered civil partner / common-law partnership.
Exam Tip: Marital status often takes estar in Spain ( Está casada ), but ser is also common and correct ( Soy soltero , Es viudo ). In administrative forms, only the adjective appears without a verb.
2. Physical Description: The Tripartite Verb Framework ( Ser, Tener, Llevar )
One of the most frequent candidate errors on the DELE A2 is using the wrong auxiliary verb when describing people's appearance. Spanish divides physical description across three primary verbs: Physical Description Framework:
- ├── SER --> Inherent stature, build, race, complexion, and general appearance
- ├── TENER --> Anatomical features, facial parts, eye color, and natural marks
- └── LLEVAR --> Alterable styling, garments, facial hair, and accessories
- 1. Inherent Characteristics with SER
Use ser with qualifying adjectives that describe a person's general physical build, stature, or permanent physical attributes:
La estatura (Height): alto/a (tall), bajo/a (short), de estatura media (of medium height).
La constitución física (Build): delgado/a (slim/thin), gordo/a (fat/heavy), corpulento/a (stout/heavily built), fuerte (strong), atlético/a (athletic).
La edad percibida (Perceived age): joven (young), mayor (elderly/older), anciano/a (elderly). Note: viejo is often considered impolite when referring directly to people in spoken Spanish; use persona mayor .
La belleza general: guapo/a (good-looking/attractive), atractivo/a (attractive), feo/a (ugly).
2. Anatomical Features with TENER
Use tener followed by a quantified or qualified noun to describe body parts, facial features, or natural marks:
Los ojos (Eyes): tener los ojos azules (blue), verdes (green), marrones / castaños (brown), negros (black), grandes (big), pequeños (small).
La cara (Face): tener la cara redonda (round), alargada (long/oval), cuadrada (square).
La piel y rasgos distintivos: tener la piel clara / morena / oscura (fair / tan / dark skin), tener pecas (freckles), tener arrugas (wrinkles), tener una cicatriz (scar).
3. Styling, Facial Hair, and Accessories with LLEVAR
Use llevar (or llevar puesto ) for alterable styling, facial hair, and accessories:
Vello facial (Facial hair): llevar barba (beard), llevar bigote (mustache), llevar perilla (goatee). (Alternatively: tener barba/bigote is accepted, but llevar emphasizes current grooming).
Accesorios (Accessories): llevar gafas / lentes (glasses), llevar gafas de sol (sunglasses), llevar pendientes (earrings), llevar sombrero (hat).
El peinado (Hairstyle): llevar el pelo recogido (hair tied up / in a bun), llevar una coleta (ponytail), llevar trenzas (braids).
3. Hair Typology ( El Pelo / El Cabello )
Hair description is useful in Prueba 4 Tarea 2 (describing photographs of people in daily scenes). A thorough description requires combining adjectives across three distinct axes:
Axis Descriptors (Spanish) English Equivalents Model Exam Sentence
1. Longitud (Length) corto , largo , media melena Short, long, shoulder-length Tiene el pelo corto y moderno.
2. Forma (Texture / Shape) liso , rizado , ondulado Straight, curly, wavy Mi hermana lleva el pelo muy rizado.
3. Color (Color / Tone) rubio , moreno , castaño , pelirrojo , canoso Blonde, dark/black, chestnut/brown, red/ginger, gray El hombre es pelirrojo con pecas.
4. Ausencia (Baldness) calvo/a , rapado/a Bald, shaved/buzz-cut Mi tío es completamente calvo.
Syntactic Note: You can describe hair with either tener ( Tiene el pelo largo y castaño ) or ser when referring to the person's coloring as an adjective ( Es morena , Es rubio , Es pelirrojo ). Note that es moreno can describe either dark hair or tan skin depending on context.
4. Psychological Character and Personality Traits ( Carácter y Personalidad )
In Spanish, personality and character traits are intrinsic attributes, meaning they are normally expressed with the verb ser ( Mi compañero de piso es muy trabajador ). Using estar with these adjectives either creates a temporary emotional state ( está alegre hoy = he is cheerful today) or alters the meaning entirely ( ser abierto = open/extroverted vs. estar abierto = to be open, as a door or store).
Essential CEFR A2 Antonym Pairs
Positive Trait Negative / Contrasting Trait Nuance & Usage Notes
Simpático/a (Friendly, nice, pleasant) Antipático/a (Unfriendly, unpleasant, aloof) High frequency; essential for social descriptions.
Abierto/a (Outgoing, open, extroverted) Tímido/a / Cerrado/a (Shy, reserved, introverted) Abierto refers to sociability; tímido implies hesitation.
Trabajador/a (Hardworking, diligent) Vago/a / Perezoso/a (Lazy, idle) Trabajador takes regular feminine form trabajadora .
Alegre (Cheerful, joyful) Serio/a / Triste (Serious, somber / Sad) Invariable ending for gender: un chico alegre / una chica alegre .
Tranquilo/a (Calm, relaxed, quiet) Nervioso/a / Impaciente (Nervous, high-strung, impatient) Tranquilo describes someone who remains composed under stress.
Divertido/a (Amusing, fun, entertaining) Aburrido/a (Boring, dull) Ser divertido (to be fun) vs. Estar divertido (amusing state).
Generoso/a (Generous, giving) Tacaño/a (Stingy, cheap, tight-fisted) Tacaño frequently appears in informal spoken narratives.
Educado/a (Polite, well-mannered) Maleducado/a (Rude, ill-mannered) Warning: Educado means polite, NOT university-educated!
Inteligente (Smart, intelligent) Tonto/a (Foolish, silly) Invariable ending for gender: inteligente .
Puntual (Punctual, on time) Impuntual (Consistently late, unpunctual) Crucial for workplace and appointment contexts.
5. Extended Family Kinship Networks ( La Familia y Parentesco )
Kinship vocabulary on the DELE A2 extends well beyond parents and siblings to incorporate multi-generational family trees and in-law relationships ( la familia política ). Kinship Generations:
- [Abuelos: Abuelo / Abuela]
- │
- [Padres: Padre / Madre] ──── (Hermanos de los padres: Tío / Tía)
- │ │
- [Ego & Hermanos] [Primos: Primo / Prima]
- │
- [Hijos: Hijo / Hija] ──── (Casados con: Yerno / Nuera)
- │
- [Nietos: Nieto / Nieta]
- Comprehensive Kinship Inventory
Generación previa (Ascendientes):
Los abuelos: el abuelo (grandfather), la abuela (grandmother), los bisabuelos (great-grandparents).
Los padres: el padre / papá, la madre / mamá.
Misma generación (Colaterales y Pareja):
Los hermanos: el hermano (brother), la hermana (sister), el hermano mayor / menor (older/younger sibling), los gemelos / mellizos (twins).
Los primos: el primo (male cousin), la prima (female cousin).
El cónyuge / La pareja: el marido / esposo (husband), la mujer / esposa (wife).
Generación posterior (Descendientes):
Los hijos: el hijo (son), la hija (daughter), el hijo único (only child).
Los sobrinos: el sobrino (nephew), la sobrina (niece) — children of one's siblings.
Los nietos: el nieto (grandson), la nieta (granddaughter).
La familia política (In-Laws):
Los suegros: el suegro (father-in-law), la suegra (mother-in-law) — spouse's parents.
El yerno / La nuera: son-in-law (daughter's husband) / daughter-in-law (son's wife).
Los cuñados: el cuñado (brother-in-law: spouse's brother or sister's husband), la cuñada (sister-in-law).
Familias reconstituidas (Blended Families):
El padrastro (stepfather), la madrastra (stepmother), el hijastro / la hijastra (stepchild), el hermanastro / la hermanastra (stepbrother / stepsister).
6. Relationship Verbs and Prepositional Syntax ( Verbos de Relación )
Expressing interpersonal dynamics requires four essential verbs, each featuring a fixed prepositional dependency:
1. Llevarse bien / mal con (To get along well / badly with)
This reflexive verb governs the preposition con (with) and is qualified by evaluative adverbs ( bien, mal, fenomenal, regular ):
Me llevo muy bien con mis suegros porque son muy comprensivos. (I get along very well with my in-laws...)
¿Cómo te llevas con tu hermana menor? Nos llevamos un poco mal a veces.
2. Parecerse a (To resemble / look like someone)
To express physical or psychological resemblance, use the reflexive parecerse followed by the personal preposition a :
Mi hijo se parece mucho a su abuelo materno: tiene los mismos ojos. (My son looks a lot like his maternal grandfather...)
No me parezco a nadie de mi familia en el carácter.
3. Casarse con (To marry / get married to)
Spanish uses casarse con , NEVER *casarse a (a common transfer error from English "married to"):
Mi prima Laura se casó con un médico sevillano el año pasado. (My cousin Laura married a doctor from Seville last year.)
4. Divorciarse de / Separarse de (To get divorced / separated from)
Governs the preposition de :
Mis tíos se divorciaron de mutuo acuerdo tras veinte años de matrimonio.
7. Practical DELE A2 Exam Applications & Strategy
Prueba 4 Tarea 1 (Oral Monologue): You may be asked to talk about your family or someone important to you. Structure your presentation clearly:
Identify the person: Voy a hablar de mi abuela Carmen. Es la madre de mi madre.
Describe physical appearance: Es una mujer de mediana edad, de estatura media, con el pelo corto y rizado...
Describe character with examples: Es muy cariñosa y trabajadora. Siempre ayuda a los demás.
State relationships: Me llevo genial con ella y me parezco a ella en su sentido del humor.
Prueba 4 Tarea 2 (Photo Description): When describing people in a picture, systematically address:
Placement: En primer plano / al fondo hay un hombre joven...
Appearance: Lleva barba, gafas y una camisa azul; parece alegre y relajado.
Probable relationship: Creo que son compañeros de trabajo o amigos cercanos porque están sonriendo.
Prueba 1 Tareas 2 and 3 (notices and short texts): Look for administrative keywords like lugar de nacimiento , apellidos , and estado civil in sign-up notices and personal profiles.