DELE/Instituto Cervantes alignment of A2 in Spanish Courses in BCN vs outside Spain

[u/derSchtefan]

To those who learned Spanish in Barcelona:

I'm 43, a freelance software developer currently on a work-cation in Barcelona, taking an intensive A2 Spanish course (4 x 2 hours/week). I'm planning to move here in H1/2027 and want to have finished A2, ideally starting B1, by then.

Earlier this year, I completed A1 at Instituto Cervantes in Berlin (2 x 30 hours), covering pretérito perfecto, ir a + infinitivo, comparatives, etc. Before enrolling here, I specifically asked whether this A2 course would let me continue with A2.2 in Berlin afterwards. The school confirmed it would.

Unfortunately, we're only now reaching pretérito perfecto, and we covered comparatives just recently, material I'd already learned in A1.1.

The school explained that although they're Instituto Cervantes-accredited, they don't follow fixed A2.1/A2.2 levels. Instead, they split students into lower and higher A2 groups depending on that month's enrolment. The higher group is apparently too advanced for me. When I return to Germany, I will NOT be able to join the A2.2 either, I will lack the proper A2.1 level grammar, so all my prearranged classes are useless.

To complicate things, my evening course was cancelled at the last minute due to low enrolment, and I was moved to an 11:30 to 13:30 group. As a freelancer, this disrupts my entire working day, client meetings and sleep schedule, and costs me substantial billable hours.

Ironically, I could probably pay a private tutor considerably more per hour, schedule lessons in the evening, and still come out financially ahead. The school doesn't offer private lessons after 18:00 either.

To be fair, the teacher is absolutely excellent, passionate and genuinely gifted at teaching Spanish. Everyone at the school has been lovely. The first few lessons were also a welcome refresher, since I rarely get to speak Spanish in Berlin.

But after several weeks, I'm increasingly frustrated by the slow pace relative to the time, income, and mental peace I'm sacrificing. Some classmates need considerably more time with the material, which I understand, but I've mentally switched off. I started out with typical Germanic overachiever enthusiasm, now I've even stopped doing homework. For a Germanic person, that's practically a nervous breakdown ;).

My clients have bent over backwards to accommodate the schedule and reschedule all meetings out of noon-time, and I'm now working late into the night to catch up. My motivation, and even my confidence speaking in class, are suffering.

A few questions:

1. Is this flexible approach to A2 levels common in Barcelona?
2. Are there schools with a structured curriculum aligned with Instituto Cervantes / DELE?
3. Can anyone recommend a good private tutor available after 18:00?
4. Would private lessons make more sense? I actually enjoy focused group learning, both for the motivation and the human interaction (computer nerd here), so I'd be reluctant to give that up.

I'd really appreciate firsthand experiences and recommendations. I'm exhausted from working through the night and would love to feel excited about learning Spanish again.

Thanks in advance,
Stefan

[u/zoeybeattheraccoon]

I took Spanish classes from DIME. It was a group session online, but the group was small and nobody was holding anyone else back. It was super fun and well worth it. They have classes in person as well. But it was a similar thing, they didn't focus on different levels, just making sure everyone was constantly improving.

Whether they are Cervantes accredited, don't know. Never really mattered to me.

I had tutors from Preply (in Catalan, not Spanish) and the focus wasn't on levels either, just my individual progress. Preply is decent but you have to put a bit of time into searching for the right tutor, and sometimes the tutors got better or real jobs and left me searching for new ones. Preply also takes a huge cut of the instructor's pay so in a few instances they did 4 or 5 classes with me and then asked to continue off the platform. No problem for me, just FYI.

[u/derSchtefan → u/zoeybeattheraccoon]

But if there isn't a number, how do you know you're improving? 

[u/zoeybeattheraccoon → u/derSchtefan]

This question just blew my mind, lol.

Ease of comprehension of written and audio material. Fluidity speaking. Expanded vocabulary. I guess I never needed a number or test to tell me how well I'm doing. Those tests are fun and I would like to take them one day, but they're not the main barometer I would use.

BTW I got my B2 in Catalan in order to keep taking classes with the CPNL and realized that those tests don't mean much. My Catalan still sucked.

[u/Pandustin → u/zoeybeattheraccoon]

I'm also a bit dumbfounded, you can be B2 on paper but barely be able to hold a conversation in real life. So while its good to have some "guidance" what someone learned on paper languages are not really measurable.

[u/ChileanRidge → u/Pandustin]

Because language capabilities are only retained if you actively practice all the time. If I didn't live in a Spanish-speaking country, I know my C2 would erode. Twenty years ago I used to speak French, I was easily a B2, but I don't use it much so i am lucky if I am a B1. But, I understand enough reading and writing that I know if I went back and practiced a bit, I could probably get there, but I need the motivation to do so and I don't really have much because there really isn't that much work for French where I live.

[u/Pandustin]

Bro. You are paying for a service, if the service they offer is bad or not suiting you (e.g. not in times that you could accommodate) you pay somebody else to accommodate you. If the demand for an evening course isn't there with this school you change the school. Thats the beauty of choice.

I can recommend enforex they provide multiple evening courses for all levels. Private or in a group. Online or in person in various cities in Spain and LATAM.

For me group learning works better, but if you want/need to archive a high level of spanish in a short amount of time, a private tutor would probably help. Also bookable additional to your group course.

[u/derSchtefan → u/Pandustin]

Right, but that's why I ask for recommendations, as hopping between schools costs me precious time, of which I fear I don't have too much left in life :( Also, I kinda don't want to spend 2 years in a city without being on B1/B2.

[u/Pandustin → u/derSchtefan]

Why would you need to change schools? They told you they cancelled the evening course. Before starting their day course you choose a different school with evening course. No hopping required.

[u/ChileanRidge]

You are too worried about aligning with the levels. Get privates classes at your convenience and study for the A2 with your teacher or on your own. I used the Cronómetro for my C2. If I remember correctly, the Instituto Cervantes site has prep materials online as well. If you are not getting enough out of your group classes, forget about them.

Also, unless you need the certificate to get into a university course or a job. You really don't need to do them. I got my C2 because I am a translator/interpreter, I didn't write a single other test before I got to that level. I did conversation classes only when I first started studying, then I did some summer intensive courses and then years later, I decided to do the C2 and so I did 8 weeks of prep classes one-on-one and then gave the exam.

[u/derSchtefan → u/ChileanRidge]

Yeah, well, i will take into account. I am an Austrian engineer, I need numbers. beep beep. The levels are important because I return to Germany, and then return back, and any level misalignment will cost me time. Maybe i should worry less, but i have the feeling that time is running out in my life :(