How to Improve Your Language Skills With the Best Podcasts in Spanish From Spain

Let’s not fool ourselves! You cannot learn Spanish only by listening to podcasts.

We got you there, didn’t we?

Now seriously!

Just a month back we wrote about the best series to learn and improve your Spanish. Whether you want to practice conversation or boost your listening skills, movies, and series in Spanish can help you in the process. But so can the podcasts!

If you google the best podcast in Spanish, you will find a bunch of very good content. Even we will suggest some!

However, even when you think you found the right ones, you might change your mind when you start listening to the first episode.

This is totally fine! But if you want to avoid it, check out some of the tips that we are going to share with you in this blog post.

How to choose the best podcasts in Spanish? What to have in mind when searching? And, finally, which one to listen to?

Keep reading to find out our top 12 podcasts in Spanish.

Can I Learn Spanish Through a Podcast?

Let’s go back to the beginning of this post.

Why did we say you can’t learn Spanish through podcasts in Spanish? Because you can’t. Well, it’s not that simple, actually.

If you haven’t even mastered the alphabet, of course, you cannot listen to podcasts in Spanish. What you can do, however, is to accustom your ear to the language. Later on, the pronunciation will come naturally.

Nevertheless, what you can do if you have any level of Spanish besides the beginner’s is to improve the language and get better at communication.

So no, we are not saying that complete beginners cannot listen to podcasts but it will be rather difficult if they don’t have enough vocabulary and a basic knowledge of Spanish grammar.

However, there is something called a Spanish podcast for beginners, so if you are a novice, but you mastered some Spanish basics, google podcasts in Spanish for beginners. 

Go step by step and don’t beat yourself up if you don’t go at the speed you thought you would. It’s a process and you won’t start speaking like a native even if you force yourself. It doesn’t happen overnight.

On the other hand, podcasts in Spanish can be a very powerful tool when it comes to boosting any language skill you want because you train your brain to think in another language that will in time become a natural and automatic practice because our brains are wired to do so.

How Do I Choose the Right Spanish Podcast?

The first thing to have in mind when searching for podcasts in Spanish is your language level. We already explained this in the previous section, but it won’t hurt to summarize it.

It is vital to be on a certain level that will allow you to grasp the context and not pause every second to look up the words you don’t understand. The point of any podcast in Spanish that you choose is to get a general idea of what’s being said.

Sure, you don’t need to be Shakespeare, but you should at least have a general understanding of the episode.

Be mindful of the topic and the podcast’s length. We will say this a lot in this blog post, but, if you are just starting to listen to the best podcasts in Spanish, make sure you choose a topic you really like or you’re interested in, and a podcast in Spanish you can actually follow through to the end.

Think about your goals. What do you want to achieve by listening to the podcasts in Spanish? A new vocabulary, improve your listening and speaking skills, or learn a new slang? Perfect! When you have your goals mapped out, you’re halfway there!

How Can I Take Advantage of the Best Podcasts in Spanish?

To answer this question, which we consider the most important one, we will share what we discovered by doing research on this topic.

In our research, we stumbled upon great tips on how to take advantage of the best podcasts in Spanish from Spain. Well, not only in Spanish but in any language you want to learn. But let’s focus on Spanish.

According to Robin MacPherson and his tutorial How I Learn Languages With Podcasts, learning a language through podcasts can be very effective but requires patience. As with anything in life, we guess.

For you to take advantage of the best podcasts in Spanish, first define what you want to achieve. And then, let’s get on with it!

Listen to the Whole Episode First

You don’t need to understand the whole episode. The point is to catch the general idea of the podcast in Spanish without torturing yourself over the individual words and meanings. It doesn’t matter. Let it flow.

Just listen. You can hear a lot if you sit quietly and just listen without engaging your thoughts. If after 10 minutes you have no idea what the podcast in Spanish is about, just leave it or find another, much easier.

Best Podcasts in Spanish with a Transcript

The best Spanish podcasts more often than not have transcripts. You will want to listen to these and put your mind at ease while enjoying the topic.

If you stumble upon podcasts in Spanish without a transcript, you can make it yourself! This is also a great practice to boost your comprehension skills, says Robin MacPherson. The podcasts in Spanish for beginners can help with that.

Later on, you can save the transcript as a PDF and do many things with it, such as highlight phrases, expressions, and verbs you consider important or make flashcards for yourself.

Re-listen Podcasts in Spanish

This is a great activity you can do while, for example, washing the dishes or making lunch. See what you can understand by re-listening to a podcast in Spanish you chose.

The thing is, the first time you listen to a Spanish podcast for beginners or any podcast in Spanish you like, chances are you might not understand much but that’s perfectly fine! If you manage to understand the context, relistening might do the trick of settling the content in your head.

Create Language Activities for Yourself

Do activities! This, of course, implies that you already have a certain level of Spanish. If you listen to podcasts in Spanish for beginners, this is a piece of cake.

Activities such as roleplays, where you imagine yourself as one of the podcast speakers, or summarizing a podcast in Spanish in your own words can help a lot in developing both speaking and comprehension skills.

Of course, let’s not forget about flashcards. This is a fun and smart way to memorize words, verbs, expressions, etc.

Skills That Best Podcasts in Spanish Will Help You Improve

It’s more than obvious that, if you listen to the best podcasts in Spanish, you will improve your communication in this language on so many levels.

For sure, your listening and speaking skills will improve. For you to accomplish this, try doing the activities we mentioned above, suggested by Robin MacPherson in his YouTube video.

Then, the vocabulary. We all know that, in order to speak a language, we need to work on our vocabulary daily. But not only vocabulary. Here, you can boost many things, such as pronunciation and slang.

What you probably never thought of improving is your concentration. By listening to the best podcasts in Spanish, not only will you improve all the things mentioned above, which is really great, but you will also teach your brain to focus and concentrate on things and current actions. Staying focused on one thing at a time can bring so much clarity in your everyday life, not only in learning a language.

The Best Podcasts in Spanish Chosen by ConvoSpanish

If you scrolled down this whole blog post to get to the list of the best podcasts in Spanish with some eye-roll here and there, here it is! Some of these are the best podcasts in Spanish on Spotify but you can also listen to them on their websites. Let’s check them out!

1. News in Slow Spanish

A podcast for everyone with a basic understanding of the Spanish language and vocabulary. News in Slow Spanish goes over the weekly news, Spanish language, and idioms slowly so that you may grasp practically every word and sentence.

2. Nómadas en la Radio Nacional

The Nómadas is a podcast in Spanish that explores the world of travel, culture, and adventure. The focus of the podcast is to offer inspiring and captivating stories about travelers’ experiences, as well as share anecdotes, cultural discoveries, practical tips, and reflections on the act of travel.

3. Carne Cruda Podcast

The Carne Cruda is one of the best podcasts in Spanish that covers a variety of social, cultural, and political topics. Its approach focuses on analyzing contemporary reality from a critical and reflective perspective. The podcast addresses topics such as politics, society, culture, human rights, feminism, the environment, and other relevant issues.

4. StoryLearning Spanish

StoryLearning Spanish is a podcast designed to help people learn Spanish through storytelling. The podcast presents stories, narratives, and dialogues in Spanish to facilitate language learning in an engaging and immersive way. Each episode typically features a story that is told in Spanish, often with a focus on everyday scenarios, cultural insights, and relatable situations.

5. LanguaTalk Slow

Listen to the dialogues between Spanish professors Rocío and Jesús to learn Spanish. This podcast in Spanish is perfect for beginners to intermediate students (A2 to B2). The great thing is that they also offer free interactive transcripts and vocabulary lists on their website, LanguaTalk.com.

6. Spanish Language Coach

Spanish podcast for advanced beginners with César and El Inglés plus a free English and Spanish transcript. The vocabulary flashcards are also available to you in order to learn the new terms that were introduced in the episode.

The transcript and the flashcards are available on their website.

7. Notes in Spanish Inspired Beginners

The Notes in Spanish Inspired Beginners is a Spanish podcast for beginners designed for language learners who are in the early stages of learning the language but already have mastered some basics. The podcast likely aims to provide learners with accessible and engaging content to help them improve their Spanish language skills.

8. The Unlimited Spanish Podcast Speak Spanish Now

Improve your speaking and listening abilities by listening to the Unlimited Spanish Podcast! You will get knowledge of the Spanish language and culture. The use of short stories will help you enhance your Spanish. Each episode also has a transcript in pdf format.

9. Hoy Hablamos Podcast – Diario Para Aprender Español

Hoy Hablamos Podcast – Diario Para Aprender Español is a Spanish-language podcast that aims to help learners improve their Spanish language skills through daily practice and exposure to authentic language use. The podcast is likely designed to provide learners with a regular dose of Spanish content, allowing them to gradually build their listening comprehension, vocabulary, and overall language proficiency.

10. Español con Juan – 1001 Reasons To Learn Spanish

Just like their description says, Español con Juan is a podcast for learning Spanish.

Juan explains how languages are best learned in context and in a more natural way when doing interesting and fun things, such as reading stories, playing games, listening to songs, watching movies, etc.

11. Cosas de Internet

In every episode, the speakers Laura and Santiago respond to a challenging question from the online community, frequently on a topic they were unfamiliar with. As a consequence, both parties share ideas to better grasp how technology changes how we live in an informal but well-informed dialogue that has undergone extensive fact-checking and editing.

12. Coffee Break Spanish

Coffee Break Spanish is among the best podcasts in Spanish and a language learning series that focuses on teaching Spanish to learners of various levels. It’s designed to make language learning enjoyable and convenient by allowing learners to study and practice Spanish during their coffee breaks or any other free moments.

The first season’s classes are for complete beginners, and they get harder as the seasons go on.

Final Thoughts

If you remember, we wrote about the best songs to learn Spanish not so long ago. Then about the movies and series. Now, the podcasts in Spanish are finally having their turn.

Don’t forget that when you learn a new language, bumps on the road are inevitable. But they’re also necessary. But it doesn’t have to be that difficult.

Although, everything is up to you, from the way you choose to study to the material you will use to reach your goals. We suggest you initially use every free resource that you can find to boost your Spanish, including your speaking, listening, and comprehension skills. 

Little by little, you will be building up your vocabulary and your Spanish expression base. When it comes to podcasts, start with the Spanish podcast for beginners. With these, you can go over the grammar, tenses, and so many other grammar units. When your Spanish level becomes better, go to some more engaging and challenging podcasts.

Some think that learning a language on your own is a waste of time and energy and that it’s impossible to do it all alone. This is true to a certain degree. After reaching a certain level, you will need someone to practice with and put your knowledge into practice. But what they fail to recognize is that the effort and time invested in individual activities will definitely pay off.

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