The 10 Best Podcasts to Learn Spanish: Beginner to Advanced

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Listening to podcasts to learn Spanish is a smart choice because it offers a flexible and effective method to improve your language skills. In this article, you’ll see the 10 best Spanish podcasts to learn the language.

I break them down into different levels that go from beginner to advanced. I’ve also included podcasts that cover different topics, like grammar and vocabulary, as well as others that cover things like the news, history, and everyday situations across Latin America and Spain. 

Each podcast has been chosen for its effectiveness in teaching Spanish. You’ll learn what makes each podcast stand out, ensuring you find the right fit for your learning style and goals. If you’re looking to improve your Spanish for travel, work, or personal enrichment, these podcasts give you valuable resources to learn and improve your Spanish skills!

5 Strategies to Improve Your Spanish Fluency with Podcasts

Before you jump in and start listening to podcasts, there are some strategies you can use to make the most of your study time. To get started on the right path, take a quick look at these tips:

1. Choose podcasts according to your level: Choosing podcasts that match your Spanish proficiency level helps ensure the material is appropriately challenging. This will keep you engaged and help you build your language skills.
2. Listen actively and take notes: Avoid just listening to the podcast as a background. Rewind when you miss something, and try to take notes of the meaning of new Spanish phrases and words. 
3. Repeat and shadow: Pause after a sentence and repeat it out loud. This is called shadowing, and it helps improve pronunciation and fluency. 
4. Use transcripts: If you find the transcripts feature available, use it. Transcripts allow you to follow along with the audio, aiding in understanding spoken content and learning correct spelling.
5. Look for variety: Listen to different podcasts that cover a mix of topics and have various formats. This variety exposes you to vocabulary, various Spanish dialects, and accents.

The Best Podcasts to Learn Spanish

This selection of podcasts starts with options ideal for beginners and moves towards those better for more advanced Spanish learners. These Spanish podcasts provide a painless introduction to the basics and help you progressively develop the skills you need to understand and speak Spanish.

Here’s my list of the best Spanish podcasts:

1. SpanishPod101

SpanishPod101 is a good option because it offers a wide range of episodes that cover everything from basic vocabulary to advanced grammar. The podcast is designed to help learners at all levels, but it’s also one of the best Spanish podcasts for beginners. It has a lot of interesting beginner lessons that are easy to follow, and they also have a YouTube channel for learning Spanish, as well.

The platform is regularly updated with new lessons, so you always have access to new material every once in a while. SpanishPod101 also offers a variety of ways to practice Spanish, including transcripts and quizzes, to complement the audio lessons. The website provides a user-friendly interface where you can navigate through the different levels and topics, making it easy to find content that matches your level and interests.

The free account is pretty limited, but it’s enough for you to explore SpanishPod101’s content before you make the decision to get a subscription. The lessons also show user reviews to help you determine if it’s a good option for you.

For more information, you can check our complete SpanishPod101 review.

2. Coffee Break Spanish

Coffee Break Spanish has over 200 episodes aimed at beginners and those at an intermediate level. It offers an absolute beginner’s level too, which is perfect if you’re starting from scratch. Each episode is about 15 to 20 minutes long, so it’s easy to fit into your daily routine or during your coffee break (hence the name!). The podcast focuses on Spanish from Spain but also introduces other dialects, giving you a broad view of the language.

Each episode’s style is casual and conversational. This makes it more relaxed and enjoyable. In fact, I like the episodes because it feels like you’re sitting down for a chat instead of sitting in a classroom. If you want to practice more, you can find transcripts to help you follow along with the episodes on the Coffee Break Spanish’s website.

3. Spanish Obsessed

Spanish Obsessed is a podcast that’s good for beginners and people who know a bit of Spanish. There are more than 100 episodes and each episode lasts about 10 to 30 minutes. This makes it easy to listen to them when you are driving to work or just have a little free time.

Rob and Liz host the podcast, and they talk about their own experiences with learning Spanish. I like that personal aspect because they can guide you more effectively since they’ve learned Spanish themselves. 

The podcast effectively sharpens your Spanish listening skills and speaking confidence by diving into specific topics like everyday language and cultural expressions. Transcripts are also available on the Spanish Obsessed website to help you track and reinforce what you learn.

4. Duolingo Podcast

For those who are just starting out, the Duolingo Spanish Podcast is a useful resource as it teaches Spanish through stories. These stories are often personal experiences shared by native Spanish speakers from various regions, which provide cultural insights and real-life context to the language lessons. 

In the Duolingo Spanish Podcast, episodes cover a wide range of interesting topics, from personal triumphs and everyday challenges to cultural events and historical moments. These provide you with a deep dive into life in the Spanish-speaking world. Throughout the episodes, you’ll hear slow Spanish mixed with some English to make things easier for you to follow along with. They also have quite a few episodes (more than 70), so you have a lot of options. In addition to listening to Duolingo’s podcast, you can also study its Spanish course (although there are a lot better Spanish courses available).

You can listen to them on the Duolingo website. They even offer free transcripts!

5. Unlimited Spanish

With almost 200 episodes lasting between ten and fifteen minutes each, Unlimited Spanish is a podcast that caters to beginning to upper-intermediate Spanish learners. It uses a pretty neutral Spanish accent, which makes it appropriate for a broad range of listeners.

If you want to improve your Spanish fluency quickly, this is the perfect podcast because the broadcaster concentrates on common discussions and useful language to improve your listening comprehension. Episodes address a wide range of subjects that are relevant to everyday life and Spanish culture. For every episode, there are free transcripts available to aid in your understanding and education.

The podcast is available on the Unlimited Spanish website.

6. News in Slow Spanish

News in Slow Spanish discusses the most recent news at a slower pace. This makes it one of the most ideal podcasts for intermediate learners who can use the slower speed to better understand complex vocabulary and sentence structures. The episodes not only delve into current events around the world, but they also provide language tips, explain grammar points, and talk about cultural topics. This is really helpful because you’ll be able to apply what you learn directly to real-life situations.  

The episodes are available on their website, where each one offers fresh insights to learn. It’s a useful method to stay current on global events while honing your listening comprehension skills in Spanish. There are transcriptions too, but unfortunately not for free.

7. Spanish Language Coach – Intermediate podcast

Spanish teacher Cesar González hosts the Spanish Language Coach: Intermediate Spanish podcast and offers a structured approach in each episode. He’s an awesome teacher, and the episodes build on previous episodes to enhance your language skills. Each one typically begins with an exploration of a specific grammatical issue, followed by practical dialogues that incorporate the grammar in realistic scenarios. 

Cesar discusses a wide variety of topics such as travel situations, business negotiations, or cultural celebrations. And the best part is that he does it from his own personal perspective. This means he speaks more informally, like he’s talking to a friend. By doing this, he’ll help you speak more naturally with native speakers. That’s probably why you’re learning Spanish in the first place, right?

There are 160+ episodes available online, and the episodes are packed with practical advice to improve your conversational Spanish skills. The podcast has complimentary transcripts that can help you follow along with the lessons and practice on your own too. 

You can start listening to this podcast on the Spanish Language Coach website.

8. Español Automático Podcast

Hosted by Karo Martínez, a seasoned Spanish teacher with a passion for making learning Spanish easy, the Español Automático Podcast is best for intermediate Spanish language learners. It focuses on improving comprehension and fluency in Spanish using real-world situations and useful examples. Each episode is approximately twenty minutes, and each one dives into specific challenges learners face. These include idiomatic expressions, regional dialects, and practical phrases for navigating social interactions. You will also learn about cultural topics like Spanish traditions, holidays, and everyday customs.

Because of Karo’s simple and clear style of speaking, you will be able to understand even difficult grammar topics. Transcripts are available for free to help with practice and comprehension too. You can find all the episodes on the Español Automático website.

9. Radio Ambulante

The Radio Ambulante podcast is a series of Spanish-language stories from across Latin America, showcasing a variety of perspectives and experiences. With a range of accents and dialects from several Spanish-speaking countries, the podcast is ideal for advanced learners. It’s good for longer listening practice because the episodes are usually between 20 and 60 minutes and Spanish is spoken at a normal rate.

The episodes delve into a diverse range of non-fiction stories, including personal triumphs, cultural insights, and significant historical events. Each story is carefully selected and presented by host Daniel Alarcón and often features the original voices of those involved. This method enriches your listening experience by bringing authentic narratives directly to you. This is something you won’t find in most Spanish learning apps.

Thanks to the transcripts that are available for following along, you can improve your comprehension abilities by listening to and engaging with complex storylines and a variety of linguistic expressions in the podcast.

10. TED en Español Podcast

TED en Español aims to share ideas throughout the Spanish-speaking world by offering succinct and impactful speeches on a wide range of topics, like science, business, and global challenges. This podcast provides an original blend of ‘thoughts worth spreading’ and is completely in Spanish. 

If you’re trying to continue building your advanced Spanish language skills, this is an ideal choice. You can expect to hear from speakers in different fields, providing a range of vocabulary and complex sentence structures.

Because the episodes are somewhat brief, they’re ideal for listening to quickly while on the go or during a break. Given the variety of subjects covered in the presentations, you can increase your knowledge of subjects you’re passionate about or even discover new interests.

For more information or to dive into an episode, you can visit the TED en Español website.

Can Podcasts Actually Help You Learn Spanish?

Podcasts are an excellent tool for learning Spanish because they help you learn the language through immersion. They can easily fit into your routine, allowing you to absorb Spanish as spoken by native speakers, even while doing your daily activities. While you can learn Spanish grammar from books, podcasts are what will really improve your conversation skills.

Podcasts are accessible and free (at least most of the time!), and you can find most of them available on many different platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. They’re a practical solution that helps you improve your listening skills, exposing you to the diverse accents and cultures within the Spanish-speaking world. 

Podcasts can also boost your learning by exposing you to a variety of accents and colloquial expressions, providing a more authentic and diverse understanding of the Spanish language across different regions and cultures. This diversity can prepare you for real-life conversations and interactions, making your language skills more adaptable and robust.

What’s the Best Podcast for You?

It’s important to take your learning style, interests, and skill level into account when selecting the best Spanish podcasts for you. You also need to make sure to meet your learning needs and your attention level should be constant. Don’t forget to try a few until you find the one that fits the best. This will help you select the one that best fits your needs:

1. Recognize Your Level and Objectives: Select podcasts based on your competence level (beginner, intermediate, or advanced) and objectives (e.g., vocabulary, understanding).

2. Follow Your Interests: Interesting material adds to the enjoyment of learning. Select podcasts that discuss subjects that interest you.

3. Learning Style Matters: Make a decision based on whether you would rather take naturally occurring talks or courses that are organized.

4. Sample and Explore: First try listening to a few episodes of various podcasts to determine which ones fit your learning style and grab your interest.

5. Read Reviews: Gain knowledge by perusing the suggestions and evaluations of other students.

6. Explore Online Resources: Use websites like Spotify to find podcasts, music, and other audio content that can help with your learning objectives.

Podcasts are Only One Way to Practice Spanish

Regardless of your level, podcasts are an excellent approach to becoming fully immersed in Spanish. They are adaptable, so you can learn while being at home or while you’re on the go. You can greatly improve your listening comprehension, increase your vocabulary, and hear various accents and dialects by including podcasts in your study routine. Additionally, podcasts cover many different topics, which makes learning engaging and applicable to everyday life.

But they aren’t the only way! Check out Langoly’s Spanish Hub to learn more about the Spanish language and the best tools to reach fluency.

Best Podcasts to Learn Spanish: FAQ