Podcasts have completely transformed language learning giving students unlimited access to high-quality content to expand your vocabulary and boost your listening skills as well as valuable cultural exposure. Podcasts are all the rage nowadays as they enrich your learning experience tenfold and are a fantastic way to complement your studies at IH London. In this blog, we will go through the best podcasts for each language and tell you why you should grab your nearest headphones and get stuck in!
Arabic Pod
ArabicPod is a website dedicated to providing light-hearted, fun podcasts to expose students to the Arabic language. Find hundreds of episodes on any topic and available for students at any level. Don’t be put off by the old-school look of the website, as the high-quality content is ideal for students and will really boost your comprehension skills. The beginner podcasts are all free but you can have access to the Lower Intermediate-Advanced podcasts for about £5 a month.
Inner French
Most suitable for intermediate learners or confident students, innerFrench is a fascinating listen that will give you a great insight into French life and culture. Each episode tackles a different topic and theme which can be anything from the climate crisis to the Tour de France. Most notably, in a few of the episodes, the presenter discusses pertinent issues such as racism, immigration and islamophobia in France that really educate you on the current situation. The podcasts also come with a handy transcript and Hugo speaks in a very clear manner throughout that makes it easy enough to follow along.
Slow German
Slow German is one of the best podcasts out there for German students, as you’ll learn a great deal about Germany, from its rich past to delicious cuisine, as well as seriously enhance your language skills at the same time. The presenter, journalist Annik Rubens, speaks very clearly and slowly (hence the name of the podcast), so each episode is very thought-provoking and suitable for students of all abilities.
Your Greek Word On A Sunday
The Greek language has given us so much in terms of vocabulary and linguistics, but what are the origins of these words and language building blocks, and how are they used today? Your Greek Word on a Sunday is a really lovely podcast with bite-sized minute-long episodes released each week. Each one discusses a different Greek word and offers a fascinating insight into its origins and evolution. Perfect for linguistic nerds like ourselves, give it a listen and enhance your knowledge of Greek vocabulary, culture and history.
Parliamo Di Cose (Italian)
Parliamo Di Cose is one of the best podcasts for more advanced Italian students looking to grasp new phrases and pick up native-level idioms. The premise of the podcast is that the host, Jacopo D’Alesio, discusses different (often unusual) topics, which could be on anything from why getting a car is such a waste of time, to wild alien conspiracy theories. Jacopo will undoubtedly make you laugh out loud, and you’ll learn a random thing or two in the process. Tuning into his short podcasts every now and again will not only improve your Italian but put a smile on your face too!
The Konnichiwa Podcast (Japanese)
Want to listen to real Japanese without becoming overwhelmed? Try The Konnichiwa Podcast. This interesting series is aimed at people who are studying Japanese and who are at around pre-intermediate level and above. A new episode is posted every week and the discussions are very topical. The series has an interesting format – presenters My and Yurie speak in Japanese, and Dan joins in with the conversation but in English, and gives useful pointers and translations. It’s certainly unusual and unique in its format, but it seems to really work and means that learners can start to understand real Japanese with handy hints in English.
Real Life Korean Conversations for Beginners
Want to practise listening to natural Korean conversations and dialogues about everyday topics? Listen to the Real Life Korean Conversations for Beginners podcast on Spotify for just that! Episodes are only a few minutes long so you can easily tune in whenever you have a spare moment. Listen to typical conversations at a market, on a blind date, in a meeting and any possible scenarios you can think of! Particularly suitable for beginner learners, this podcast will give your Korean a massive boost.
Popup Chinese
Popup Chinese is a great resource to have at your disposal as it will enable you to work on your comprehension skills and reinforce what you’ve been learning in your Mandarin classes. Their short podcasts can be for absolute newbies and advanced students alike, and are accompanied with transcripts and vocabulary sheets if you register for their free membership programme. The range of topics covered is mind-boggling and they’re always a fun listen. The presenters speak in slow Mandarin and English to help you follow along and not feel overwhelmed.
Portuguese With Leo
At first, learners sometimes struggle to get to grips with the Portuguese accent, but there’s only one way to master it… and that’s lots and lots of listening practice! A good place to start for any learner is Portuguese with Leo. Leo always speaks in a clear and concise way, which is perfect for learners of all abilities wanting to become more confident and accustomed to the Portuguese accent. His videos are always an interesting watch as he delves into Portuguese life and culture, points out the linguistic differences between European Portuguese and Brazilian or Angolan Portuguese and he also gives useful grammar pointers.
Russian Made Easy
The Russian Made Easy podcasts focus on *checks notes* making it easy to learn Russian! Alongside your classes, listening to these podcasts will help you get to grips with the basics and pick up useful vocabulary too. Each episode focuses on simple conversations about day-to-day topics, and you can download or listen to every episode for free. On their website, you can also access the PDF transcripts to help you follow along.
Hoy Hablamos
If you’re looking to put in that extra practice alongside your Spanish classes, Hoy Hablamos is a fabulous podcast suitable for students of all abilities. Whether you want to listen to some interesting debates or even just learn some practical, day-to-day expressions, Hoy Hablamos has you covered.
Alongside these podcasts, make sure to sign up to one of our upcoming face-to-face or online Foreign Language courses to bring your language skills to new heights. Find out more here.