March 24, 2020 by Lindsay Brown Beginners, How to Learn Spanish, Spanish Entertainment, Spanish Resources

5 Spanish Podcasts for Beginners

Learning Spanish from scratch is a challenge for most people, and it’s especially intimidating if you consider yourself a total beginner. One major hurdle you may experience is the lack of natural exposure to the language as you’re trying to learn it. Luckily, an interesting (and free!) solution exists to help boost your listening comprehension in Spanish and lead you to speak fluently—Spanish podcasts!

In Our Spanish Podcasts List

The most appropriate podcasts for new Spanish learners are more technical in nature, as they attempt to teach you fundamentals of the language while you listen. Other podcasts engage in dialogue and discussion, which would otherwise be too difficult for beginners without transcripts or translations.

While tons of Spanish podcasts exist, the 5 we’ve chosen here are by far the most popular among beginners. Some focus on breaking down the language into manageable chunks, while others focus on dialogue and provide an accompanying Spanish transcript or English translation.

How to Use Podcast Transcripts

Transcripts are the written version of everything you hear in the podcast. These resources are pure gold for Spanish learners of any level because they show all the details that make a language sound native—like interjections and filler words. Do yourself a favor by reading through the transcript before you listen to the podcast. As you do this, jot down any confusing words and look them up in the dictionary. In addition to learning new words, this habit will create a valuable resource for you to refer back to words and phrases you’ve learned.

Once you’ve studied the transcript, you’re ready to start listening and reading along! By reinforcing the written text with its audio, you gain two distinct advantages:

You condition your mind to listen to Spanish at full speed, while you read along with a text that you’ve studied and understood.
You begin to identify high-frequency words that native speakers often use. Even as a beginner, you can start imitating this natural way of using the language.

5 Spanish Podcasts for Beginners

It looks like you’re ready to get started. We’ve curated our list from recommendations from Spanish learners like you. Let’s take a look at our list of the Best Spanish Podcasts for Beginners!

1. Notes in Spanish

Check out their Beginner Podcast, Episode 1

Vocab & Grammar: Yes

Beginner-focused: Yes

Transcription: for paying users

Translation: for paying users

Where to Find It: Stitcher, Spotify, Apple Podcasts

A woman from Madrid named Marina and her English husband Ben have fun and light-hearted conversations in Spanish where they also explain vocabulary and grammar points after each discussion. They have a series for all three levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. If you want to get the premium version of the podcast, you receive worksheets that accompany each episode, plus a full transcript and translation of their conversations.

2. Coffee Break Spanish

Check out Season 1, Episode 01

Vocab & Grammar: Yes

Beginner-focused: Yes

Transcription: No

Translation: for paying users

Where to Find It: Stitcher, Spotify, Apple Podcasts

Listen to a teacher-student interaction with teacher Mark and his student Kara for 40 lessons of basic Spanish. Topics range from greetings and introductions to ordering food and traveling in Spanish-speaking countries. According to the website, “you’ll not simply be repeating phrases, but you’ll learn how the language works.” With the premium version, you get bonus materials like a video version of the audio and comprehension lesson notes.

3. Spanish Podcast (Dot) Net

Check out their Spanish 101 Series, Episode 1

Vocab & Grammar: Yes

Beginner-focused: Yes

Transcription: Yes

Translation: No

Where to Find It: Stitcher, Spotify, Apple Podcasts

Based in Spain, the professionals at SpanishPodcast.net know that the secret to learning Spanish is to balance grammar and exposure to native speakers. The podcast website offers Spanish 101 for beginners with detailed lessons on certain themes, while another series, simply named SpanishPodcast, supplies you with 15-minute sessions of native Spanish monologues coupled with a free transcript. They give you tips and tricks in Spanish while you practice conjugation, pronunciation, and improve your ability to understand and speak the new language.

4. Duolingo Podcast

Check out Episode 1: Mi héroe, mi amigo

Vocab & Grammar: No

Beginner-focused: Yes

Transcription: Yes

Translation: No

Where to Find It: Duolingo, Spotify, Apple Podcasts

As Duolingo puts it, “these are life lessons through language,” and as such, they are not technical or grammar-focused at all. The podcasts are targeted toward beginners and feature native Spanish coupled with English narration. It’s hosted by Martina Castro, the co-founder of another popular Spanish podcast, Radio Ambulante (which is more appropriate for intermediate to advanced learners). Duolingo’s Spanish podcasts and their accompanying transcripts are free.

5. Unlimited Spanish

Check out Episode 1

Vocab & Grammar: Yes

Beginner-focused: Yes

Transcription: Yes

Translation: No

Where to Find It: Stitcher, Apple Podcasts

Native speaker and show host, Oscar, simulates Spanish dialogues with his listeners to give them a feel for the language. As he states on his website, he knows that focusing solely on grammar leaves most students without the ability to engage in conversation. His podcast is designed to guide you into getting the feel for native Spanish using the same method by which children learn their maternal language: through exposure and imitation.

Take It One Step Further

In order to reach fluency in a foreign language, it’s essential to focus on the development of four major skills:

Reading
Writing
Listening
Speaking

These skills work in tandem—reading and listening are how you consume a language, while writing and speaking are how you produce a language. In essence, you want to make sure you’re hitting the target on all four abilities to properly construct the foundation to fluency. Luckily, podcasts supply you with seemingly endless material for exposure to Spanish, but how will you produce it?

You may find yourself speaking Spanish to the mirror in your bathroom, but there is a better way! At Homeschool Spanish Academy, our native Spanish-speaking teachers are trained and certified in teaching this language to learners of every level—and they want to help you out! With flexible schedules and cost-effective programs to choose from, you can start interacting in Spanish on your own time from the comfort of your own home.

Start Listening Today!

Your journey to Spanish fluency is already on its way forward. Set up a time to listen to your favorite podcasts on a daily basis and you’ll start to see clear results. Sign up for a free class with one of our friendly, talkative Spanish teachers and show off your new skills!

Want more Spanish resources? Check these out!

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Lindsay Brown

Editor in Chief at Homeschool Spanish Academy

Lover of words and a foreign language fanatic, I'm fluent in French and Spanish, with BA degrees in Linguistics, French, and Psychology, plus a TEFL certificate and 10+ years of teaching experience to boot. I blissfully share Spanish-learning tips, best-idea-ever travel advice, and at-a-glance cultural guides. When you can't find me writing spiritedly from my home office in Antigua, Guatemala, I'm probably outside playing games and exploring nature with my two bilingual kids.