Podcasts can be seriously entertaining, funny, informative - and a wonderful resource for practising your Spanish! Check out El Patio's Spanish podcast recommendations. There's something for every level!

Why podcasts in particular?

Podcasts are the ultimate time saver when it comes to learning languages. Driving to work? Chuck on a podcast. Eating lunch? Why not dive into an interview with a native Spanish speaker! Got 10 minutes before your class starts at El Patio? Impress (and scare) your teacher with a chilling true crime story!

Not only that, when learning Spanish, podcasts can provide you with the variation of accents, tempos, rhythms and slang you need to help diversify your Spanish and give you a holistic view of not only the language itself, but the rich and charming culture of el mundo hispanohablante (the Spanish speaking world).

Whether you have 10 minutes or an hour, we've got you covered.

1. COFFEE BREAK SPANISH

Level: Beginners to Intermediate

Country: Latin America, Spain

Duration: 20 - 30 minutes

Themes: Vocabulary building and interviews with native speakers

Available on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube

CoffeeBreak Spanish is perfect for beginners starting out in Spanish. They now have 9 seasons of Spanish-filled goodness. Starting from introducing yourself and learning numbers and going all the way up to the “CBS Travel Diaries” (their new series following Spanish speakers from all around the world), there’s something for everyone – whatever level you may be.

2. DUOLINGO SPANISH PODCAST

Level: Intermediate

Accents: Latin America, Spain

Duration: 20 - 30 minutes

Themes: Interviews and stories with native speakers

Available on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify

We all know Duolingo. The charming little owl that constantly blows up our phones telling us to practise Spanish. Did you know they also have a podcast? One that won’t blow up your phone, I promise! This podcast is great for intermediate speakers (and beginners with a little bit of Spanish under their belts) as the host gives context clues in English to help with vocabulary and checks in now and again to help clear up complex sentences or phrases. All the speakers are from different countries so you’ll be able to find a really diverse mix of accents!

3. GEN PLAYZ

Level: Advanced

Country: Spain

Duration: ~1 hour

Themes: Social debate, politics, current affairs

Available on: Spotify, Google Podcasts, Youtube, RTVE.es (Radio y Televisión España)

This one is for those looking for a challenge. At Gen Playz, they speak very quickly and with heavy Spanish accents. If you’re the type who wants to listen to fiery and sometimes controversial debates about our current world in Spanish, you’ll love this! All their episodes are available with video accompaniment and subtitles are very much recommended.

4. TED EN ESPAÑOL

Level: Intermediate/Advanced

Country: Latin America, Spain

Duration: 10 minutes - 1 hour

Themes: Motivation, science, social science, ideas

Available on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube

If you like TED Talks and want to improve your Spanish, this is for you. It’s exactly what it sounds like: TED in Spanish. This is a great option for those looking to learn something from others - especially those in the Spanish speaking world who can provide a different perspective to one we might be used to.

5. CRIMINOPATÍA

Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Country: Spain

Duration: 35 minutes - 1 hour

Themes: True crime, documentary

Available on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify

For all you true crime geeks out there, this is your goldmine of dark and twisted, intriguing, and frightful stories. Proceed with caution. If you’re looking to enjoy a good story, Criminopatía will keep you entertained for hours. You will most likely be hearing Spanish from Spain in this podcast, so keep your ears open for all the slang and the ‘th’ sound instead of a ’c’ or ‘z’ which is pronounced as an ’s’ in most other countries.

BONUS: El Patio's own Spanish in a Minute podcast!

Level: Absolute beginners

Country: Australia

Duration: 1 minute

Themes: Learning Spanish!

Available on: Apple Podcast here

Learn Spanish in one-minute sound bites. A series of short, fun, audio lessons which start from zero, and follow a sequence that will help you build your language, step by step. Supplement your study whether it be a class, an app or if you're studying by yourself. Short and sweet!

Pro tip: set your own speed

Most podcast apps (Google Podcast, Spotify, Apple Podcast, Youtube) allow you to choose the speed you listen at. Don't be afraid to lower the playback speed if it helps you separate the sounds of the language and enjoy your listen. It's not a race to get to the end!

Recommendations from students!

RADIO AMBULANTE (From Heather - Advanced 4)

Level: Intermediate - Advanced

County: Latin America

Duration: 30 minutes - 1 hour

Themes: Stories from Latin America

Available on: Their website: https://radioambulante.org/, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, NPR One

Radio Ambulante Studios produce podcasts in seasons, the latest is season 12. The website states that there are more than 200 podcasts. They tell stories about Latin America, did you know the first commercial map of Lima was created by a Swiss? Or that most streets in Costa Rica don’t have names or numbers? Superman went to Chile in the late 80’s? For me the best part is that they have a transcription in Spanish on their website so I can follow along – I find that helps me concentrate as well as understand. Some of the podcasts also have translations into English.

EL HILO (From Heather - Advanced 4)

Level: Intermediate - Advanced

Country: Latin America

Duration: 30 minutes

Themes: In-depth examination of a news item mostly from the Americas

Available on: Their website: https://elhilo.audio/, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts

Part of Radio Ambulante Studios and partnered with Vice News, the El Hilo podcasts also have transcriptions - but no translations - and are produced weekly. There are more than 100 podcasts covering news items such as elections in Latin America and the US, the pandemic, Trump, social media, and the environment.

Have a podcast recommendation? Let us know!

Want to tell us about your favourite podcast in Spanish? Send us your recommendation here and we'll add it to the blog!