Nowadays, apart from being able to learn with a good and certified teacher who will help you get over your struggles in a language, there are a million ways in which we can continue to improve our knowledge of a language: reading books, watching films and series in that language, practicing with language learning apps, listening to podcasts…
So, in today’s blog, we’re going to focus on this last way of learning a language, which this time will be Spanish! As you might have read in our blog Podcasts to learn English, this way of learning has become very popular lately, and today we’re going to tell you why you’re going to start using podcasts to learn Spanish.
Why should you learn Spanish through podcasts?
Podcasts are a new way of learning about a topic, which range from scientific or traveling topics to podcasts which will help you on your path to learn Spanish. There are many topics which you can choose from, and which will help you gain new vocabulary and practice grammatical structures. This way, you won’t have to listen to people talking only about grammar or vocabulary, you can listen to a podcast about a topic you’re really interested in and learn about it and in English, you get to kill two birds with one stone ?!
And the best thing is that you can be doing literally anything while you listen to them: going for a walk, working on the computer, washing the dishes, going to sleep… The only things you need are a pair of headphones, your podcasts app, and an internet connection (or you can download them so you can listen to them even if you don’t have Wi-Fi or internet).
Thanks to podcasts, you can finish your Spanish lessons and then go home and keep practicing your listening skills as well as your fluency and speaking skills. And you don’t have to worry if you have trouble understanding some things, you can rewind or listen again to it if you need or want to, or even take a look at the transcript!
Another thing you’ll like about learning Spanish through podcasts is that you won’t have to pay for them, as the vast majority of these are completely free.
What are the best podcasts to learn Spanish?
Below you will find a list with some of the best podcast stations, and a short description which will let you know what you can learn with them and the topics they cover:
1. A Zero to a hero: this is for beginners, and there are two hosts, a man who is a native Spanish speaker and a woman who is trying to learn Spanish. In each episode they will cover something different, such as pronouns, verb tenses, vocabulary, etc.
2. Auridia: this podcast was created to promote the Spanish language and culture, and it is tagged based on the difficulty of the language used, so that listeners will know which is best suited to their own level of Spanish. They talk about many real-life situations such as films, cooking lessons, vocabulary sessions, and Spanish culture.
3. Un día en Español: each episode (7 – 15 minutes) of this podcast follows a native Spanish speaker on a single day, mixing English and Spanish as they do. Just as the previous one, it follows real-life situations from which you can learn a lot of vocabulary. For more advanced learners, you can find a monolingual version of this podcast, in which everything is said in Spanish.
4. Nómadas: if you like travelling, this is the podcast for you. It’s recorded by Radio Nacional Española, and it talks about a different place every week, from London to Las Palmas de GC to Afghanistan. This podcast is recommended for learners who are at least at an intermediate level, as it has some advanced Spanish vocabulary.
5. Radio Ambulante: with this podcast you will listen to real news stories from South America, as it combines journalism with learning Spanish. It already has seven seasons, with its transcripts and English translations in case you need them.
How can listening to podcasts become an effective way of learning and improving my Spanish?
If you decide to choose to listen to podcasts to improve your knowledge of the Spanish language, you will need to make it a habit to listen to them at least a few days a week. You can choose any of the podcasts in the list above and insert them into your daily routine. Podcasts have many advantages, which we have already mentioned before, but remember:
1. You can learn at your own speed. You can go back or forwards, you can look at the transcripts and translations… no one is there to tell you how many times you can listen to the audio, you can do it as many times as you want!
2. You will hear both native Spanish speakers and people who are starting to learn and speak the language, so you will learn how to pronounce well and what mistakes you might be making without realizing it.
3. Don’t feel discouraged if you don’t understand everything, be patient and don’t stop! I’m sure you will notice your improvement in a few weeks.
4. Try to listen to podcasts that you find interesting. You don’t have to just listen to boring recordings talking about grammar, look for one that talks about something you love and are passionate about and you will become addicted to them!
5. You will broaden your vocabulary and learn how to use words and structures!
6. There are millions of podcasts, adapted to all the different levels of Spanish. Try to start with the most basic ones and when you notice they are becoming easier for you, look for one of a higher level and test yourself!
And if you really want to learn and improve your Spanish, you can leave us a message here and we will set up your first class in our academy! We will help you in your path to becoming fluent in this language, and if you want to, we will also help you prepare for your DELE exams certified by Instituto Cervantes.
Estefanía
