PLIDA – Progetto Lingua Italiana Dante Alighieri Certification
The Dante Alighieri Society of Washington is one of the few institutes in North America authorized to offer PLIDA (Progetto Lingua Italiana Dante Alighieri – Dante Alighieri Italian Language Project) certification.
The Dante Alighieri Society of Washington in Seattle is an official examination center of the Società Dante Alighieri and provides its students and others the opportunity of taking PLIDA exams in order to obtain a PLIDA certificate.
The PLIDA Certificate
The PLIDA certificate is an official Diploma issued by the Società Dante Alighieri under an agreement with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the University of Rome La Sapienza. It is recognized by the Italian Ministry of Labor and Social Policies and by the Italian Ministry of University and Research as a qualification for the proficiency in the Italian language for foreigners.
The PLIDA certificates attest proficiency in Italian as a foreign language on a 6-level scale according to the parameters established by the Common European Framework for Languages (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2).
Why take the PLIDA exam?
Those who may wish to be certified include those who
- to obtain Italian citizenship (minimum PLIDA Certification level B1 as proof of proficiency)
- plan to study at Italian universities which accept a minimum PLIDA Certification level B2 as proof of proficiency (see application instructions).
- as an American high school or college student (may seek college credit)
- wish to be certified for obtaining an application for the Italian Permit of Stay in Italy (level A2 minimum)
- seek the examination as a capstone experience after taking their language courses.
Dates of Exam Administration
PLIDA certificate sessions are held each year according to the calendar set by the PLIDA office in Rome. In Seattle, PLIDA exams are usually offered in February, June and November. Check this page for updates or sign up on the Keep me Informed list below.
2025 Exams
PLIDA B1 – The exam consists of 4 sections (Ascoltare, Leggere, Scrivere, Parlare).
When: Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Time: Precise time will be communicated to the candidate at least seven days prior to the date of the exam. Tentative time to begin the exam is 10:30 a.m. (PT)
Length: 140 minutes + waiting time during the Parlare section.
Where: Casa Italiana – Italian Cultural Center, 13028 1st Ave. S., Burien, WA 98148
Cost: The registration fee for the PLIDA B1 is $ 200.
Refund: No refunds are issued for the PLIDA exam if a candidate withdraws or does not show on the date of the exam. Refunds are issued if the exam is cancelled by the Dante Alighieri Society of Washington.
How: In person.
Format: Ascoltare, Leggere, Scrivere & Parlare. The Parlare section begins with an introduction of the candidate followed by an interaction between the intervistatore/intervistatrice and the candidato/a (or in pairs) and a Monologue.
Evaluation: First evaluation in Seattle / Second evaluation for approval in Rome.
Sample exam: Samples of the exam are available here.
Registration: Registration for the February 19, 2025 exam is open. See registration instructions below.
Registration Deadline: February 3, 2025.
Capacity: Check our website before you register to verify if we can still accept registrations.
Test result: 60 workdays from receipt of the recordings at the headquarters in Rome.
Urgent correction: Yes.
Certificate: If a candidate successfully completes the exam, the candidate will receive a certificate with numerical scores. The certificate will be available and downloadable from dante.global.
Use of the Certificate: The certificate B1, among other uses, is valid for the purpose of applying for Italian Citizenship.
For more information and for inquiries about the possibility of enrolling for a different level of the exam, please contact the PLIDA Coordinator, Prof. Giuseppe Tassone at plida@danteseattle.org or call us at 206.289.0419. Thank you!
REGISTRATION
Prior to registering and paying for the PLIDA exam, the candidate must enroll with the Societá Dante Alighieri at dante.global. Detail on the enrollment process on dante.global is available here. You should use the same email to enroll on dante.global that you use to register for the PLIDA exam.
You are not required to be a member of the Societá Dante Alighieri in order to take the exam. In the enrollment on dante.global, answer the question according to your status.
Keep me informed/Put Me on the Waiting list
Fees
| PLIDA Level | A1 | A2 | B1 | B2 | C1 | C2 |
| Fee | TBD | TBD | 200 | TBD | TBD | TBD |
Registration
Registration for the February 19, 2025 Exam is open. See Registration section above..
Location
PLIDA Exams are held at: Casa Italiana – Italian Cultural Center, 13028 1st Ave. S., Burien, WA 98148.
Further Information
For more information contact the PLIDA Coordinator Prof. Giuseppe Tassone
Duration of the Exam
| Ascoltare | Leggere | Parlare | Scrivere | TOTALE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plida A1 | 20' | 30' | 10' | 40' | max 100 minuti |
| Plida A2 | 25' | 40' | 15' | 40' | max 120 minuti |
| Plida B1 | 40' | 40' | 15' | 60' | max 145 minuti |
| Plida B2 | 50' | 70' | 15' | 60' | max 195 minuti |
| Plida C1 | 60' | 100' | 15' | 90' | max 265 minuti |
| Plida C2 | 40' | 45' | 20' | 135' | max 240 minuti |
Definition of Level A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2
The Common European Framework divides learners into three broad divisions which can be divided into six levels:
- Basic Speaker
- A1 Beginner
- A2 Elementary
- Independent Speaker
- B1 Intermediate
- B2 Upper intermediate
- Proficient Speaker
- C1 Advanced
- C2 Mastery or proficiency
The Common European Framework describes what a learner is supposed to be able to do in reading, listening, speaking and writing at each level:
| Level | Proficiency Expectation |
|---|---|
 |
Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can introduce him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has. Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help. |
 |
Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need. |
 |
Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise while travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans. |
 |
Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialization. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options. |
 |
Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognize implicit meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organizational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices. |
 |
Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarize information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express him/herself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in the most complex situations. |
Click the image below to test your Italian
Preparati agli esami PLIDA to download sample exams to practice for the test.
For additional resources, check out Alma Edizioni Quaderni del PLIDA publications.
Gabriella Vagnoli was born in Pisa, Tuscany, home of the famous Leaning Tower. She grew up in a multicultural family thanks to her Brazilian mom and remembers teaching Italian for the first time as a child to her Brazilian cousins. She obtained a Laurea in English and Spanish Language and Literature at the Università degli Studi di Pisa and during her college years spent a year in the University of Reading, UK, studying mainly the works of Shakespeare. After obtaining a Certificate as a Teacher of Italian (DITALS II) at the Università per Stranieri di Siena, she has taught in a full immersion school in Florence, a children's full immersion program in Chicago and a Community College in Illinois.
Tiziana was born and raised in Sardinia, a beautiful Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea. She has always been passionate about foreign languages and cultures, and studied French and German at the Scuola Superiore Interpreti e Traduttori in Milan, where she obtained her first Foreign Languages and Interpreter BA degree. She then pursued her MA in English and German Language and Literature at IULM, one of the most prestigious universities in Milan, Italy for Language and Communication studies.
Nicla is a native of Napoli, Italy. She has a Laurea in Materie Letterarie (degree in humanities) and a Laurea in Pedagogia (degree in Education) from the Università degli Studi di Cassino. She earned her M.A in Italian and her PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of Washington. She has published articles and book chapters on gender and theater as well as politics and religion in Counter-Reformation Italy and in the last years, has been teaching Italian literature, language, and culture in different institutions. In addition to teaching in our program, Nicla is authorized to cover the role of esaminatrice and intervistatrice in our PLIDA Examination Board.