The Best Spanish-language Podcasts to Supplement Your Language Journey
Today’s digital world has brought with it many changes from years past. The transition to e-books and digital copies from hard copies continues on strong, while podcasts have been creeping their way into that space along the way. Changes in daily routine and workload of the general population affect technology as well. Many people are doing more than their schedule can comfortably accommodate, leading to the need for multitasking and delegating. The allure of being able to easily multitask while listening to podcasts has increased their popularity. You no longer have to carve out separate, uninterrupted time to sit down and read a book–simply pop on some headphones and continue on with your morning routine or after-work commute.
If you find yourself on a journey to learning a new language, don’t let the teaching power of podcasts pass you by. They are just another amazing tool for creating an at-home or on-the-go language immersion experience. Not only will you benefit from enhanced language acquisition (both in terms of grammar and vocabulary), but you can grow the breadth of your cultural understanding as well, all while staying up-to-date on news and entertainment from the Spanish-speaking world! With few barriers to entry, the array of podcasts to choose from is broad and easily accessible. There are podcasts for folks at all levels of Spanish fluency along with a myriad of topics to suit almost any interest. This curated selection focuses on podcasts from the Spanish-speaking Americas (not European Spanish).
Simple Stories in Spanish
Category/Genre: Educational, Language
Created by: Small Town Spanish Teacher Language
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Average Episode Length: 15 minutes
This weekly show by Small Town Spanish Teacher has 145 short episodes consisting of slowly-read personal stories as told by the host. Each show contains a summary of the podcast in English as well as a brief grammar description outlining the point-of-view that the story is told from, as well as key vocabulary terms introduced throughout. Even better, Small Town Spanish Teacher provides full transcripts of all of her shows on her website to follow along with or reference after listening. She also breaks down each podcast season into different categories (personal stories, listener requests, Hispanic legends, etc.) so one can easily find topics of interest to listen to and learn along with. With regularly released episodes and a wide variety to choose from, there is plenty of learning to be had from this free podcast.
¡Cuéntame!
Category/Genre: Educational
Created by: Marta Ruiz Yedinak
Language Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Average Episode Length: 10 minutes
Mexican native and Spanish teacher, Marta Ruiz Yedinak, hosts this educational podcast filled with everyday topics meant to engage listeners and encourage immersion learning. Marta is a Spanish National Board Certified teacher and offers a tandem Facebook group designed for her listeners to collaborate and exchange information. The short episodes are ideal for anyone wanting to further their language skills with only a short time commitment.
Chill Spanish Listening Practice
Category/Genre: Language
Created by: Anthony Morey
Language Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Average Episode Length: <10 minutes
This podcast is just as the title suggests: chill, lowkey listening for beginning/intermediate students to incorporate Spanish learning with relatable everyday topics. Anthony includes many cultural lessons by dedicating episodes to different Latin American countries and offers broad overviews suitable for anyone wanting to learn a little bit of Spanish and culture from a variety of countries. The short episodes keep lessons quick and engaging while simultaneously impactful – the perfect easy listening and entertainment option for busy language-learners.
Españolistos
Category/Genre: Educational
Created by: Andrea & Nate Alger
Language Level: Intermediate
Average Episode Length: 30 minutes
This show is hosted by native Spanish-speaker Andrea Alger (Colombia) and her American, non-native Spanish-speaking partner Nate Alger. The 30-minute episodes are mostly in Spanish with topics focusing on Spanish language learning, Colombian culture, and day-to-day life. This podcast is particularly interesting as it combines both native and non-native Spanish, showing that even fluent non-native Spanish speakers make mistakes (and that’s okay!) as seen with Andrea’s periodic corrections to Nate’s pronunciations and word usage.
Doorway to Mexico
Category/Genre: Education, Language
Created by: Paulina
Language Level: Intermediate
Average Episode Length: 20 minutes
This educational podcast hosted by veteran Spanish instructor Paulina takes the listener along a realistic learning journey through Mexico as both Paulina and her students take on Spanish and cultural fluency. Each episode of Season 2 provides a thorough break-down of vocabulary and colloquialisms/slang heard in the preceding dialogue portion. This podcast is an excellent choice for anyone specifically interested in gaining fluency in Mexican culture and travel alongside their Spanish-language journey.
No Hay Tos (Real Mexican Spanish)
Category/Genre: Film, Language, Comedy
Created by: Roberto Andrade & Hector Libreros
Language Level: Advanced Average
Episode Length: 30 minutes
Hosted by life-long best friends and English/Spanish teachers Roberto and Hector, this podcast talks about everything from current events to local happenings and culture while integrating casual Spanish lessons throughout. This show is spoken by native speakers at a normal conversational pace and is an excellent choice for anyone wanting to learn pronunciations and slang specific to Mexico. They offer free monthly transcripts of their shows with their newsletter subscription.
Spanishland School
Category/Genre: Educational, Language
Created by: Andrea Alger
Language Level: Advanced
Average Episode Length: 15 minutes
Españolistos host Andrea Alger also hosts this solo educational podcast geared towards advanced Spanish students. A native Spanish speaker from Colombia, Alger uses her platform to host the majority of the show in Latin American-based Spanish. Her show is best for students wanting the meat-and-potatoes learning style. No storytelling, culture, sports/news or other distracting topics here – just short and engaging Spanish lessons.
News in Slow Spanish (Latino)
Category/Genre: Educational, Language
Created by: Linguistica 360
Language Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Average Episode Length: 7 minutes
This weekly news podcast covers current global events with a focus on Latin America. As an educational show, it is read slowly so those with beginning and intermediate skill levels can follow along and capture value from each episode. With 500+ short episodes currently available, the short length of each makes for quick listening that can easily be squeezed in during a morning or bedtime routine. Such a fun and easy way to get the daily Spanish lesson in while also staying up-to-date with global news!
Cheleando con Mextalki
Category/Genre: Language
Created by: Diego M. & Efra P.
Language Level: Intermediate
Average Episode Length: 30 minutes
Friends and co-hosts Diego and Efra are native Spanish speakers from Mexico and founders of mextalki.com, a website offering lessons on Mexican-Spanish. This super fun, conversational-style podcast is ideal for anyone focused on Mexican dialects, slang, and culture and is sure to entertain and educate every listener.
Charlas Hispanas
Category/Genre: Language
Created by: Charlas Hispanas
Language Level: Intermediate
Average Episode Length: 15 minutes
Charlas Hispanas is a daily podcast with short episodes offering storytelling and teaching from Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru. These episodes showcase different dialects and pronunciation from various Latin American countries and weave cultural lessons throughout. While the podcast itself is free, there is a paid premium option that includes transcriptions, grammar extras, and lessons from each episode. The way the show combines varied Spanish lessons along with cultural passages and storytelling makes it a worthy contender for intermediate students to stay engaged.
Radio Ambulante
Category/Genre: Society, Culture
Created by: NPR
Language Level: Advanced
Average Episode Length: 45 minutes
This all-Spanish podcast covers under-reported stories from Latin America using long-form journalism. An award-winning show with 250+ episodes, it provides a strong dose of culture and social awareness along with emotional storylines. This podcast is best for advanced Spanish-learners as the episodes are longer and the content more complex and read at speed by native Spanish speakers. It is a great way to integrate regular Spanish exposure while learning about social issues prevalent in Latin American culture.
El hilo
Category/Genre: Society
Created by: Radio Ambulante Estudios
Language Level: Advanced
Average Episode Length: 30 minutes
This weekly podcast hosted by Elizer Budasoff and Silvia Vinas covers current news and events from Latin America, aiming to provide context and analysis beyond the headlines. Read at-pace from native Spanish speakers, it is ideal for advanced students interested in continued learning while also keeping up-to-date with news and social issues.
En Defensa Propia
Category/Genre: Society, Culture
Created by: Erika De La Vega
Language Level: Advanced
Average Episode Length: 60 minutes
Erika De La Vega hosts this podcast focusing on reinventing oneself, specifically told through the lens of Latinas. Her shows generally include guest experts on a variety of subjects surrounding self-care and mental health. This advanced podcast is spoken at-tempo by native Spanish speakers and provides a productive way to mesh Spanish-language learning with self-improvement.
Cosas de Internet
Category/Genre: Society, Educational
Created by: Laura Rojas Aponte & Santiago Espinosa Uribe
Language Level: Advanced
Average Episode Length: 60 minutes
In this podcast, hosts Laura and Santiago choose topics based on technology and internet/social media each week to teach listeners how to stay relevant in today’s digital world. The episodes are detailed yet informal, and are best for those looking to keep their advanced Spanish skills polished and at the ready while also learning more about technology and “internet things.”
If you are working on learning another language and have a bustling schedule, you cannot afford to leave learning via podcast behind. To get the most value from the experience, try giving your full undivided attention whenever possible and focus on active listening. If you find yourself needing to multitask, opt for a more mundane activity like exercise, commuting, or household chores in order to keep as much of your mind on the topic as possible. Don’t forget to jot some notes down about what you learned or try using it in conversation as soon as possible to cement your recall. If you still have questions, take advantage of the transcripts and free resources that many podcasts include. Most importantly, don’t underestimate the value of listening to a podcast more than once! You might be surprised at how much more can be extracted from a second listen. ¿Están listos? Are you ready? ¡A escuchar!
