10 Best French Podcasts to Learn French [Beginner to Advanced]

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Listening to podcasts in French can be a practical and entertaining method if you’re looking to refine your French language abilities. No matter your level, beginner to advanced, this article shows you the 10 best podcasts to learn French. 

We’ll look at some podcasts that teach you the fundamentals of the French language, conversational skills, and others that cover more advanced topics. You can choose the podcast that best suits your learning style and objectives by looking at the length of the episodes, available transcripts, and what kind of content is available. With the help of this guide, you’ll be able to select the best podcast for your learning path.

How Learning French with Podcasts Can Help You

Learning French through podcasts is a modern and flexible way to enhance your language skills. Here are five key reasons why incorporating podcasts into your French learning journey can be incredibly beneficial:

Best Beginner Podcasts for French Learners

Podcasts are an excellent tool if you’re a beginner looking to learn the basics of French. It’s easy to pick up French because they start with basic words and phrases. They’re also the best way to train your ear to listen to native French speakers. If you can learn to decipher the different words from the beginning, you’ll set yourself up to become fluent in a lot less time! Here are our top podcasts for beginners:

1. Coffee Break French

The CoffeeBreak French podcast uses an engaging and useful method of learning French that improves your conversation skills. It also teaches you about French culture. In each episode, a French speaker talks about everything from simple phrases to more complex topics, making it ideal for beginners. The podcast makes studying French a fun hobby.

Episodes typically last 15 to 20 minutes for those with busy schedules, but there are longer 30-minute sessions available too. Each episode comes with a complete transcript, which are free transcripts for all listeners. If you’re looking to practice even more, the Coffee Break Academy offers a paid subscription with detailed courses, video lessons, and more. You can try out some of these premium features for free before subscribing.

You can find Coffee Break French on popular platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts, so it’s easy to listen to wherever you are. Make sure to check their website for more information!

2. News in Slow French

News in Slow French helps you improve your French listening skills through current events. The hosts speak clearly and slowly, making it easier to understand everyday French. Topics range from world news to cultural insights.

The podcast offers a variety of resources, including transcripts, vocabulary lists, quizzes, and grammar explanations. Some materials are free, while others require a subscription. You can also take advantage of a free trial to explore the content before committing. Listen on its website, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts, making it easy to fit into your daily routine.

3. French en Route

French en Route combines the adventure of exploring new places with studying French. You will learn conversational French in each episode, making it useful for visiting Paris, eating at French eateries, and relaxing in the countryside. Its emphasis on real-life situations and French culture is ideal for beginning and higher intermediate language learners.

You can easily fit 10 to 20-minute episodes into your day, and they include free transcripts to make following along easier. Learning French with French en Route is enjoyable and rich in culture. Listening to the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify is a simple way to study at your own pace and experience French culture.

4. Parlez Away 

Parlez Away is ideal for beginners since it combines language instruction with cultural understanding. You can learn the fundamentals of French from the episodes and understand how words and phrases are utilized in conversations and everyday settings.

Every episode lasts roughly twenty minutes, so you can fit it into your day whether you’re working, taking a break, or commuting. The emphasis is on comprehension and listening, with simple speech to help newcomers. Listening on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Spreaker makes it simple to develop your French in a methodical but adaptable way.

5. Animalia

Animalia is a lovely podcast for young children who speak French and it’s also ideal for those who are just starting to learn the language. Each episode presents a playful “interview” with an animal, and it introduces simple French vocabulary and expressions. 

Transcripts are not provided, but the straightforward and repeated material makes it easy to follow along with developing a solid foundation in French. As a Spotify Original, Animalia is exclusive to Spotify.

Best Podcasts for Intermediate French Learners

Once you’ve mastered the basics of French, you can continue to develop your listening and understanding in a more natural context. The podcasts below address complex topics and are spoken at a more natural speed, making them ideal for intermediate French language learners who want to continue to improve. You’ll go beyond basic French grammar rules and vocabulary, and listen to everyday speech, learn colloquial idioms, and pick up on new words in context.

1. FrenchPod101

If you want to improve your French language abilities, FrenchPod101 is a fantastic choice. It teaches words and how to apply them in real-life circumstances and conversations. It covers a wide range of topics, from grammar and vocabulary to cultural insights.

The podcast progressively expands on the fundamentals and presents a range of tasks to enhance your speaking and comprehension skills. It’s particularly beneficial for intermediate students who want to hone their abilities. Even though there are a lot of free materials accessible, you can pay for extra services like transcripts to practice in greater detail. FrenchPod101 is available for listening on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and their website.

2. One Thing in a French Day

Each episode of One Thing in a French Day centers on a single event from the host’s day. For this, it’s perfect for intermediate students who wish to practice comprehending common French at a relaxed pace. This method not only helps you understand the nuances of French language and culture, but it also makes learning engaging.

Although the episodes are available for free streaming on Podbean and Spotify, you can enhance your learning experience by purchasing transcripts from their website. As they let you go back and revisit any sections of the conversation you might have missed the first time, these transcripts are a terrific way to improve your comprehension skills in both reading and listening. Visit their website to improve your comprehension of authentic spoken French.

3. Histoires à Écouter

With each episode of the Histoires à Écouter podcast, you can immerse yourself in French through a range of stories told entirely in French. This podcast is an excellent method to improve your listening abilities, whether you’re listening to contemporary stories or ageless classics. It’s perfect for intermediate learners who want to improve their vocabulary and comprehension through interesting stories because of the simple and clear French.

Since each episode lasts between ten and fifteen minutes, you can easily fit it into your daily schedule to add a little French listening practice to your routine. You may easily follow along without the need for transcripts because of the narrator’s moderate speed and clear pronunciation. You can check out Histoires à Écouter on Spotify.

Best Podcasts for Advanced French Learners

If you’re up for a linguistic challenge, take a look at these podcasts for advanced learners. At this point, you’re ready to go beyond learning Since they cover difficult subjects and speakers speak quickly, these podcasts are excellent for advanced French language learners. This is beneficial if you want to learn challenging vocabulary and phrases as well as comprehending real-life French discussions. These podcasts will help you become more proficient by increasing your understanding of the language and culture. Most importantly, they help you understand French as it’s spoken in real life.

1. Une Histoire Intime

Une Histoire Intime presents the personal stories of its visitors, ranging from important life experiences to everyday activities. The program highlights the difficulties, successes, and lessons learned from these situations through reflective interviews.

This format is super helpful for advanced French language learners who want to interact with more complex and real French. It improves vocabulary and listening comprehension in a naturally conversational setting. Since there are no transcripts accessible, listeners are encouraged to improve their auditory comprehension just by listening to the different episodes. Une Histoire Intime is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and the France Inter website.

2. Blog Histoire 

This podcast is perfect for advanced French learners who enjoy history because it covers a wide range of historical topics. You can study events from ancient times to modern history with over 1200 episodes. 

Every episode is jam-packed with in-depth knowledge about many different historical events and personalities, all focusing on improving your French language proficiency. Although no transcripts are available, the clear presentation makes it easier to understand complex topics. You can listen to Blog Histoire through its website, where a large archive of episodes awaits anyone eager to learn more about history while improving their French.

What’s the Best French Podcast for You?

To pick up the best French podcast for you, you can start by determining whether you are at a beginner, intermediate, or advanced stage. Ask yourself what area you would like to progress in, which could be getting better in speaking, grammar, or maybe just learning about French culture. 

It would be better for you to opt for podcasts that fit how you study best, whether you like to learn using lessons or listening to conversations. Besides listening to different podcasts, you should also look for the ones that help you more with your learning style and your preferences.

No matter which podcast you choose, you’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll learn French. While there’s no “one-size-fits-all” rule for how long it takes, it’s pretty safe to say that everyone wants to learn as quickly as possible. To see how long it’ll take you to learn French, try out Langoly’s Fluency Calculator below:

Go Beyond French Podcasts to Improve Your Skills

Incorporating other strategies could help you improve your French outside of podcasts. Watch French TV shows and movies for a realistic language environment. Reading comic books and French grammar books can also help you increase the size of your vocabulary. Speaking exercises can be obtained through language exchange programs or conversation partners.

Including language learning apps in your daily routine offers level-appropriate, systematic instruction. Additionally, writing in French on social media or in a journal strengthens your command of the language. By combining these exercises, studying French will become more engaging and productive.

Learn French Faster with Langoly

Listening to podcasts to learn French is a realistic way to achieve your language goals. Listening to French podcasts gives you freedom during the learning process and you create your own schedule. And you can find podcasts for all levels, from beginners to advanced.

By actively engaging with podcasts while studying French, you will improve your listening comprehension and learn everyday French naturally. Podcasts give you the chance to taste and use the language, so they’re one of the best ways to start your French journey! Make sure to combine them with other resources to get the best out of your French studies.

To see more ways to learn French, be sure to check out Langoly’s French Hub.