AP Spanish Language vs AP Spanish Literature

March 29, 2021

AP Spanish Language vs AP Spanish Literature: Overview

Choosing between AP Spanish Language and Culture and AP Spanish Literature and Culture can be difficult for many students preparing their AP course schedule. Both are college-level Spanish courses, but they focus on very different skills.

Understanding the differences in course structure, exam format, and learning style can help you decide which class fits your strengths and future goals.

The guide below explains the key differences between AP Spanish Language vs AP Spanish Literature, including exams, difficulty level, and course focus.

The Basics

AP Spanish Literature & Culture and AP Spanish Language & Culture are college-level courses, which require a strong foundation in Spanish prior to entering these courses.

AP Spanish Language is similar in structure to traditional high school language courses, focusing on students’ ability to communicate effectively in Spanish while deepening their understanding of Spanish-speaking cultures.

AP Spanish Literature is often seen as the more difficult of the two courses because it moves away from traditional language learning. Instead, students focus on reading, analyzing, and interpreting literary texts from Spain, Latin America, and U.S. Hispanic writers.

Quick Comparison: AP Spanish Language vs Literature

Feature	AP Spanish Language	AP Spanish Literature
Focus	Communication & conversation	Literary analysis
Skills	Speaking, listening, writing	Reading & interpretation
Course Content	Media, conversations, culture	Poetry, prose, historical texts
Difficulty	Moderate	Generally considered harder
Ideal For	Students improving fluency	Students interested in literature

The Exams

Although many exams will have digital testing options in 2021, AP Spanish Literature and AP Spanish Language will be offered in paper format only.

AP Spanish Language Exam Structure

Multiple Choice: 30 questions in 40 minutes. [23% of score]
- Interpretations of print materials such as journals, maps, and letters.

Multiple Choice (Audio): 35 questions in 55 minutes. [27% of score]
- 2 sets of print and audio combined
- 3 sets of audio only

Free Response Written: 2 questions in 1 hour 10 minutes. [25% of score]
- Interpersonal Writing: read and reply to an email message.
- Presentational Writing: form and articulate an argument based off of provided sources.

Free Response Spoken: 2 questions in 18 minutes. [25% of score]
- Interpersonal Speaking
- Presentational Speaking

AP Spanish Literature Exam Structure

Multiple Choice (Audio): 15 questions in 20 minutes. [10% of score]
- 3 sets of questions based off authentic audio texts

Multiple Choice (Reading): 50 questions in 1 hour. [40% of score]
Free Response: 4 questions in 1 hour 40 minutes. [50% of score]
- 2 short answer questions: Text Explanation and Text and Art Comparison
- 2 essay questions: Analysis of a Single Text and Text Comparison

AP Spanish Exam Statistics

AP Spanish Language

187,133 students took the AP Spanish Language exam in 2019.
Of those students who took the exam, 88.7% scored a 3 or higher.
The means score was a 3.71.
25.2% scored a 5! (30.5% in 2020)

AP Spanish Lit

29,345 students took the AP Spanish Literature exam in 2019.
Of those students who took the exam, 72.3% scored a 3 or higher.
The mean score was a 3.10.
9.5% scored a 5! (17.6% in 2020. WOW.)

*All statistics are sourced from College Board 2019 & 2020 score distributions

Which AP Spanish Course Is Harder?

Many students consider AP Spanish Literature more challenging because it requires advanced reading comprehension and deeper literary analysis.

While AP Spanish Language focuses on communication skills, AP Spanish Literature requires students to understand historical context, literary devices, and complex texts.

Students who enjoy reading and analyzing literature may find AP Spanish Literature rewarding, while students focused on improving conversational Spanish may prefer AP Spanish Language.

Additional Course Facts

Spanish Lit and Spanish Lang are taken in either a student’s junior or senior year, without much preference for one or the other. It is worth noting, however, that approximately 6 times as many students take Language as take Literature.
Some colleges will accept a passing AP score as college credit, which can decrease college costs.
College Board is introducing some changes to most AP Exams in 2021, so make sure you’re looking at the new formats when you’re practicing!

Which course should you take?

Choosing between these courses really comes down to what sort of skills you want to explore within Spanish. AP Spanish Language focuses on communication. You watch films, respond to emails, and listen to music. This focuses on active speaking and interaction. AP Spanish Literature, on the other hand, focuses on reading comprehension and exposes students to a wide survey of Spanish-speaking authors.

Both courses have immense merits! AP Spanish Lang is excellent for students who hope to reach a daily level of fluent Spanish conversation or who hope to work in business or social careers that interact with a variety of cultures. AP Spanish Lit is perfect for the humanities enthusiast who wants to test out their skills in a different language or who hopes to major in fields like history, philosophy or comparative literature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is AP Spanish Literature harder than AP Spanish Language?

Many students consider AP Spanish Literature more difficult because it focuses heavily on literary analysis and complex texts.

Can you take both AP Spanish Language and Literature?

Yes. Some students take AP Spanish Language first and then AP Spanish Literature the following year.

Do colleges prefer AP Spanish Language or Literature?

Colleges value both courses equally, as they demonstrate advanced language skills and academic rigor.

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