9 Fine Spanish Podcasts Every Spanish Learner Should Listen To
9 Good Spanish Podcasts Every Spanish Learner Should Listen To
So many Spanish podcasts, so little time!
Which ones should you be listening to?
With so many good Spanish podcasts, it can be a bit terrific to choose the right one for you.
We’ve provided an overview of seven excellent ones, and provided some in-depth descriptions so that you can review and pick ones that suit your needs and tastes.
Why Listen to Spanish Podcasts?
In case you’ve been living under a rock, podcasts are awesome.
Spanish podcasts are flawless if you want to learn Spanish, but don’t have a Spanish-speaking person who can talk with you 24/7 in their native tongue. Picking up textbooks and flashcards is a good commence, but they are not going to get you conversing loosely and naturally. You need to get your head out of your textbook and commence hearing real Spanish, the kind that is spoken by millions of people all over the world.
One of the most effective ways of doing all this is with Spanish podcasts. They can indeed help you to hone your listening and speaking abilities. What’s more, they put the joy back into learning because you can listen to audio anywhere. You can sit at your desk and listen to them online or you can download them to your smartphone. That way you can listen any place any time. Perhaps when you’re walking the dog, jogging round the neighbourhood or standing in the shower – assuming your digital device is waterproof!
The Main Benefits of Spanish Podcasts
The principal benefits of Spanish podcasts are:
- You can learn at your own speed
- You are hearing native speakers speaking real Spanish
- You will broaden your vocabulary
- You will learn how the words are being used
- You can learn lots of fresh topics
- You can choose to listen to as much or as little as you want depending on your schedule
7 Fine Spanish Podcasts You Should Be Listening To
So without further ado, here are seven truly superb podcasts for your learning and listening pleasure.
1. Audiria (website)
Audiria is fresh, joy and fabulous. This upbeat and engaging podcast series for all levels of Spanish language learners was conceived by two Malaga-based brothers as a non-profit enterprise. Their aim is to promote the Spanish language and culture and all the podcasts are free. Audiria is a rich source of material and when we say rich we truly mean it. There is a fresh Spanish podcast every single day! Each one is tagged on the basis of language complexity so the student can know whether it’s suitable for their current level. The podcasts are in Spanish and cover a large multiplicity of real-life situations. Nothing sounds artificial or staged, and the learning is supported by exercises and other resources.
Two. Coffee Break Spanish (iTunes – website)
One of the big leaders of the Spanish language podcast field is Coffee Break Spanish. This award-winning language course has a large legion of followers and is aimed squarely at beginners and intermediates. It features eighty joy lessons of 15-20 minutes each. Your hosts for these conversational classes are Mark, an experienced language teacher, and his student Kara – so there’s someone sitting in the learner seat right by you. Both are Scottish, but their accents are good. Each podcast is themed with topics such as finding your way around town and ordering a coffee. And there are lots of opportunities to repeat the phrases.
Three. SpanishPod101 (iTunes, App Store, Google Play, website)
One of the truly neat things about SpanishPod101 is that you are learning the language from a host of native speakers from different parts of the Spanish-speaking world, including Peru, Costa Rica and Mexico.
This helps you to learn about the way the language is spoken in different regions you may be traveling to or are interested in. The gigs are upbeat and pleasant with the language spoken at normal speed. The dialogues are repeated several times and a wealth of supporting material is provided. SpanishPod101 has lessons for beginners all the way up to advanced Spanish language speakers. Sign up for free!
Four. Spanish Obsessed (iTunes – website)
Spanish Obsessed offers excellent language-learning programs by a real-life duo who are Spanish speakers. Rob is from London and Liz hails from Colombia, and they have put a lot of thought and charm into their work. Both sound like they are truly liking the lessons. The podcasts are for beginners, intermediates and advanced speakers and use conversational Spanish, the type you will hear on the street and in the shops and bars, not in the classroom.
Five. Language Trek (website)
Language Trek is an educational software program primarily designed for school students, but it’s suitable for any Spanish language beginner. Your hosts are Johnny Spanish and Christina, who both have colorful, engaging and infectious personalities. The podcasts breeze along at a good rhythm, but not so prompt that you get lost. Across the podcasts the listener is invited and encouraged to repeat words and phrases out noisy. The lessons typically last for about ten minutes and each one is divided into bite-sized chunks. Covered topics include: telling what you do for a living, asking and telling what language you speak, and voicing how you are doing.
6. Investigate Spanish.com (website)
The very first thing that grabs you when you listen to these comprehensive Spanish podcasts is the upbeat music. After the intro it’s a total immersion into the language for beginners, intermediates and advanced speakers. The lessons are fairly formal in structure and there are helpful explanations of the many different grammar rules. If you listen online there is a treasure chest of supporting educational material, including mini-quizzes and oral exercises. Just about everything is covered in the entire series.
7. Podcast in Spanish.org (website)
When you listen to Spanish.org’s podcasts it feels like you are eavesdropping on a genuine conversation inbetween friends. The dialogues are spoken at normal speed, and as the website says, this is “natural conversations real Spanish”. The trick is obviously to attempt and understand as much about what is being said as possible. But don’t worry if any or indeed most of it sounds alien to you. Each podcast is accompanied by a transcript, worksheet, answers and vocabulary tasks. Once you have a worked through those, go back and listen to the podcast again. All should be clear now. A lot of thought and effort has gone into making these Spanish podcasts as stimulating as possible since the conversations cover a broad range of subjects. For example, there are podcasts on how social networking has switched the way we relate to each other, neighborhood services and a journey to the zoo.
8. Notes in Spanish (iTunes – website)
Notes in Spanish is made by a spouse and wifey team based in Madrid. Ben is from England and Marina is a Madrileña, and together they suggest the next best thing to total immersion. That’s because they use real conversational phrases to talk about real life happenings. The podcasts are accompanied by worksheets and each program starts with a recap of the previous edition. There are editions for beginners, intermediates and advanced Spanish language learners. The dynamic language duo must be doing something right, as they have built up a large following. There have been more than fourteen million worldwide downloads of their Spanish audio since 2005.
9. FluentU
Examples of content: A Grandmother Explains Twitter, HBO’s The Pelayos, Your Emotions Are Contagious, Man and Science: From Myth to Reason, Antonio Bandera’s Beloved Word, Three Tips for Public Speaking, Frida Kahlo’s Daily Routine.
OK, so actually FluentU isn’t a regular Spanish podcast – it’s actually a learning platform where you can learn fresh words through real live movies and Spanish audio dialogues, check out annotated definitions, add fresh words to your own private vocabulary lists, and much more!
So, how does it work?
In a nutshell, FluentU has a big library of movies and brief audio dialogues that cover a multiplicity of situations. While the dialogues aren’t as long, they can be very topic specific, which is fine if you’re learning Spanish topic by topic.
The good thing about these audio dialogues is that they cover a range of levels – from accomplish Novice, all the way to Native if you’ve been around Spanish for a while, so you don’t have to feel left out whether you’re a novice looking for effortless audios, or you’re approaching native level and just looking for audios to brush up your listening abilities!
What makes FluentU unique is the platform’s design. Within every movie or audio dialogue, there’s a utter dialogue and vocabulary section covering the main vocabulary and grammar points.
And if you go into the audio lesson, the audio will embark playing, but alongside the audio track, there are interactive subtitles you can engage with. You can hover over the subtitles, which effectively pauses the audio and zooms in on a word definition, and if you click on the word, it’ll pull up extended examples, saving you the trouble from checking up every word in the dictionary!
Not to mention you can add these words to your custom-made vocabulary list if you want to, helping you keep track of what you learned in each lesson!
Within each lesson, there’s also a Learn feature. It’s sort of like vocabulary flashcards for you to review all the words you’ve learned up until now. What’s unique about this is that for each word that shows, numerous clips where that word is used are also displayed below. You can select any of these clips and they’ll play just the section containing that word.
So if you’re looking to learn vocabulary through context and actual examples, FluentU might be a good choice for you!
Other Resources on Spanish Podcasts for Learning Spanish
And if you want more information about learning Spanish with podcasts, here are some extra tips:
How to download free native-spoken podcasts & MP3s in almost any language: In case you’re an intermediate or advanced Spanish learner, then here’s a peak for quickly accessing a ton of native language Spanish podcasts.
If you liked this post, something tells me that you’ll love FluentU, the best way to learn Spanish with real-world movies.
9 Superb Spanish Podcasts Every Spanish Learner Should Listen To
9 Excellent Spanish Podcasts Every Spanish Learner Should Listen To
So many Spanish podcasts, so little time!
Which ones should you be listening to?
With so many good Spanish podcasts, it can be a bit tremendous to choose the right one for you.
We’ve provided an overview of seven good ones, and provided some in-depth descriptions so that you can review and pick ones that suit your needs and tastes.
Why Listen to Spanish Podcasts?
In case you’ve been living under a rock, podcasts are awesome.
Spanish podcasts are flawless if you want to learn Spanish, but don’t have a Spanish-speaking person who can talk with you 24/7 in their native tongue. Picking up textbooks and flashcards is a good begin, but they are not going to get you conversing loosely and naturally. You need to get your head out of your textbook and embark hearing real Spanish, the kind that is spoken by millions of people all over the world.
One of the most effective ways of doing all this is with Spanish podcasts. They can truly help you to hone your listening and speaking abilities. What’s more, they put the joy back into learning because you can listen to audio anywhere. You can sit at your desk and listen to them online or you can download them to your smartphone. That way you can listen any place any time. Perhaps when you’re walking the dog, jogging round the neighbourhood or standing in the shower – assuming your digital device is waterproof!
The Main Benefits of Spanish Podcasts
The principal benefits of Spanish podcasts are:
- You can learn at your own speed
- You are hearing native speakers speaking real Spanish
- You will broaden your vocabulary
- You will learn how the words are being used
- You can learn lots of fresh topics
- You can choose to listen to as much or as little as you want depending on your schedule
7 Superb Spanish Podcasts You Should Be Listening To
So without further ado, here are seven truly excellent podcasts for your learning and listening pleasure.
1. Audiria (website)
Audiria is fresh, joy and fabulous. This upbeat and engaging podcast series for all levels of Spanish language learners was conceived by two Malaga-based brothers as a non-profit enterprise. Their aim is to promote the Spanish language and culture and all the podcasts are free. Audiria is a rich source of material and when we say rich we truly mean it. There is a fresh Spanish podcast every single day! Each one is tagged on the basis of language complexity so the student can know whether it’s suitable for their current level. The podcasts are in Spanish and cover a large multitude of real-life situations. Nothing sounds artificial or staged, and the learning is supported by exercises and other resources.
Two. Coffee Break Spanish (iTunes – website)
One of the big leaders of the Spanish language podcast field is Coffee Break Spanish. This award-winning language course has a large legion of followers and is aimed squarely at beginners and intermediates. It features eighty joy lessons of 15-20 minutes each. Your hosts for these conversational classes are Mark, an experienced language teacher, and his student Kara – so there’s someone sitting in the learner seat right by you. Both are Scottish, but their accents are good. Each podcast is themed with topics such as finding your way around town and ordering a coffee. And there are lots of opportunities to repeat the phrases.
Trio. SpanishPod101 (iTunes, App Store, Google Play, website)
One of the truly neat things about SpanishPod101 is that you are learning the language from a host of native speakers from different parts of the Spanish-speaking world, including Peru, Costa Rica and Mexico.
This helps you to learn about the way the language is spoken in different regions you may be traveling to or are interested in. The scenes are upbeat and pleasant with the language spoken at normal speed. The dialogues are repeated several times and a wealth of supporting material is provided. SpanishPod101 has lessons for beginners all the way up to advanced Spanish language speakers. Sign up for free!
Four. Spanish Obsessed (iTunes – website)
Spanish Obsessed offers excellent language-learning programs by a real-life duo who are Spanish speakers. Rob is from London and Liz hails from Colombia, and they have put a lot of thought and charm into their work. Both sound like they are indeed liking the lessons. The podcasts are for beginners, intermediates and advanced speakers and use conversational Spanish, the type you will hear on the street and in the shops and bars, not in the classroom.
Five. Language Trek (website)
Language Trek is an educational software program primarily designed for school students, but it’s suitable for any Spanish language beginner. Your hosts are Johnny Spanish and Christina, who both have colorful, engaging and infectious personalities. The podcasts breeze along at a good tempo, but not so quick that you get lost. Across the podcasts the listener is invited and encouraged to repeat words and phrases out noisy. The lessons typically last for about ten minutes and each one is divided into bite-sized chunks. Covered topics include: telling what you do for a living, asking and telling what language you speak, and voicing how you are doing.
6. Explore Spanish.com (website)
The very first thing that grabs you when you listen to these comprehensive Spanish podcasts is the upbeat music. After the intro it’s a utter immersion into the language for beginners, intermediates and advanced speakers. The lessons are fairly formal in structure and there are helpful explanations of the many different grammar rules. If you listen online there is a treasure chest of supporting educational material, including mini-quizzes and oral exercises. Just about everything is covered in the entire series.
7. Podcast in Spanish.org (website)
When you listen to Spanish.org’s podcasts it feels like you are eavesdropping on a genuine conversation inbetween friends. The dialogues are spoken at normal speed, and as the website says, this is “natural conversations real Spanish”. The trick is obviously to attempt and understand as much about what is being said as possible. But don’t worry if any or indeed most of it sounds alien to you. Each podcast is accompanied by a transcript, worksheet, answers and vocabulary tasks. Once you have a worked through those, go back and listen to the podcast again. All should be clear now. A lot of thought and effort has gone into making these Spanish podcasts as stimulating as possible since the conversations cover a broad range of subjects. For example, there are podcasts on how social networking has switched the way we relate to each other, neighborhood services and a excursion to the zoo.
8. Notes in Spanish (iTunes – website)
Notes in Spanish is made by a hubby and wifey team based in Madrid. Ben is from England and Marina is a Madrileña, and together they suggest the next best thing to total immersion. That’s because they use real conversational phrases to talk about real life happenings. The podcasts are accompanied by worksheets and each program starts with a recap of the previous edition. There are editions for beginners, intermediates and advanced Spanish language learners. The dynamic language duo must be doing something right, as they have built up a large following. There have been more than fourteen million worldwide downloads of their Spanish audio since 2005.
9. FluentU
Examples of content: A Grandmother Explains Twitter, HBO’s The Pelayos, Your Emotions Are Contagious, Man and Science: From Myth to Reason, Antonio Bandera’s Dearest Word, Three Tips for Public Speaking, Frida Kahlo’s Daily Routine.
OK, so actually FluentU isn’t a regular Spanish podcast – it’s actually a learning platform where you can learn fresh words through real live movies and Spanish audio dialogues, check out annotated definitions, add fresh words to your own individual vocabulary lists, and much more!
So, how does it work?
In a nutshell, FluentU has a big library of movies and brief audio dialogues that cover a multitude of situations. While the dialogues aren’t as long, they can be very topic specific, which is excellent if you’re learning Spanish topic by topic.
The good thing about these audio dialogues is that they cover a range of levels – from finish Rookie, all the way to Native if you’ve been around Spanish for a while, so you don’t have to feel left out whether you’re a novice looking for effortless audios, or you’re approaching native level and just looking for audios to brush up your listening abilities!
What makes FluentU unique is the platform’s design. Within every movie or audio dialogue, there’s a total dialogue and vocabulary section covering the main vocabulary and grammar points.
And if you go into the audio lesson, the audio will begin playing, but alongside the audio track, there are interactive subtitles you can engage with. You can hover over the subtitles, which effectively pauses the audio and zooms in on a word definition, and if you click on the word, it’ll pull up extended examples, saving you the trouble from checking up every word in the dictionary!
Not to mention you can add these words to your custom-built vocabulary list if you want to, helping you keep track of what you learned in each lesson!
Within each lesson, there’s also a Learn feature. It’s sort of like vocabulary flashcards for you to review all the words you’ve learned up until now. What’s unique about this is that for each word that shows, numerous clips where that word is used are also showcased below. You can select any of these clips and they’ll play just the section containing that word.
So if you’re looking to learn vocabulary through context and actual examples, FluentU might be a good choice for you!
Other Resources on Spanish Podcasts for Learning Spanish
And if you want more information about learning Spanish with podcasts, here are some extra tips:
How to download free native-spoken podcasts & MP3s in almost any language: In case you’re an intermediate or advanced Spanish learner, then here’s a peak for quickly accessing a ton of native language Spanish podcasts.
If you liked this post, something tells me that you’ll love FluentU, the best way to learn Spanish with real-world movies.