The 7 Best Latin American Podcasts to Learn Spanish for Beginners
In this post: Discover the top 7 Latin American podcasts perfect for beginners who want to learn Spanish effectively.
The internet is full of resources claiming to be the “best” podcast to learn Spanish for beginners.
But which ones will actually give you a positive and empowering introduction to the language–without leaving you feeling overwhlemed?
As someone who learned Spanish as an adult, I know from experience how much you stand to gain by listening to the right podcasts.
But, I also know that the trial and error period of hunting for a podcast you can understand leads some learners to get discouraged and give up.
This blog post will help you navigate the world of beginner-level Spanish podcasts.
We’ll focus specifically on Spanish podcasts for beginners that feature speakers with Latin American accents. Because when you’re starting out, focusing on one regional dialect of Spanish can help you make steady progress and become conversational faster.
In today’s post, I’ve handpicked 7 of the best podcasts to learn Spanish, specifically tailored to beginners.
These podcasts feature knowledgeable teachers who know how to make their speech clear and explain the structural and cultural nuances of the language so that you can understand and thrive as a beginning language learner.
Once you have just the right Spanish podcast for you, you’ll find a practical guide at the end of this post to answer your questions about listening to podcasts as a beginning Spanish learner.
The world of Latin American podcasts for beginners is waiting. ¡Vamos!
7 Podcasts for Absolute Beginners
The truth is, as an absolute Spanish beginner, most podcasts labeled "beginners" or "basic" are actually not designed for your level.
Even when the podcast description says it uses “simple vocabulary” and a “slow pace” they still tend to be too advanced and end up intimidating beginners more than encouraging them to continue learning.
When you’re just starting out, the best Spanish podcasts for you are ones that have short fragments of Spanish words and phrases but are then supported by English explanations and descriptions.
You see, podcasts like these will allow you to ease into the language.
But, they can be hard to find, which is why I've carefully curated this list of true beginner-grade podcasts.
I’ve listened to each of the podcasts to make sure that the podcast hosts have clear and authentic accents you’ll understand. And to make sure the episodes are structured and paced so you can improve by listening.
Take a look at what I’ve found and see which one is just right for you!
1. Speaking Spanish for Beginners:
Let Marco Fierro, an experienced Spanish tutor, guide you through the fundamentals in this fun, engaging, straightforward podcast. Learn about countries like Mexico, Chile, or Costa Rica. Or dive into practical topics like talking about food and your eating habits. And there is no end to the engaging cultural topics in these 15-minute episodes, from horoscopes to holidays to “Latin American Trash TV.”
🎧 Listen to Speaking Spanish for Beginners
🔗 Learn more about Speaking Spanish for Beginners
2. Beginner Spanish with Spanish Obsessed
Join Rob and Liz for a unique podcast hosted by a native Spanish speaker--and a native English speaker. You’ll hear stories and expressions in authentic Spanish. But you’ll also get a quick and efficient explanation about how to use the expressions in English. This winning combination makes “Spanish Obsessed” one of the best Spanish podcasts for beginners. Topics focus on a variety of practical situations, such as how to negotiate prices, and how to make a compliment or tell a joke. You’ll also find tips on listening comprehension, pronunciation, and how to get the most out of the podcast as a beginner.
🎧 Listen to Beginner Spanish with Spanish Obsessed
🔗 Learn more about Beginner Spanish with Spanish Obsessed
3. Spring Language Podcast
What’s unique about this podcast? Here, you’ll learn Spanish with chunks--essential word combinations native speakers use. This learning strategy allows you to quickly transition from novice to conversational on a specific range of topics without spending too much time on grammar and vocabulary lists. Seven-minute episodes deliver quick conversations from everyday situations. You’ll often hear how beginning learners typically learn to respond and then several alternatives that will leave you sounding more like a native speaker. Choose from the most fundamental lessons to get you started, like: “5 Must-Know Ways to Greet People in Spanish.” Or discover alternatives to common expressions like increíble, or what to say instead of No tengo dinero.
🎧 Listen to Spring Language Podcast
🔗 Learn more about Spring Language Podcast
Discover what to learn, how to learn it, and in what order with this FREE Spanish starter kit for beginners.
4. A Zero To A Hero: Learn Spanish!
Follow the progress of total Spanish beginners as they navigate the learning process with their teachers. "A Zero To A Hero: Learn Spanish!" offers dynamic lessons and upbeat conversations that take you from novice to proficient, showing you the kind of results beginning Spanish speakers can expect from a strong, structured habit. You’ll find a series of episodes for each pair of teachers and students. Topics center around the fundamentals you’ll need for conversation and getting around as a beginner, such as “Welcome to the familia,” asking questions, and saying what you like.
5. Spanish Conversations for Beginners Series 1
Can you learn Spanish by eavesdropping on conversations? Find out in this podcast designed just for beginners. Listen to Lizbeth from Mérida, México, as she interviews native speakers from various Latin American countries. This podcast will appeal most to learners who are comfortable with listening to complete yet clear conversations in Spanish. This series can be difficult if you’re starting from scratch. But if you know enough Spanish to understand speakers introducing themselves, describing themselves, saying where they are from, talking about their families, or describing their daily routines in clear, beginner-friendly Spanish, then be sure to check out an episode or two.
🎧 Listen to Spanish Conversations for Beginners Series 1
🔗 Learn more about Spanish Conversations for Beginners Series 1
6. Spanish from Zero
Join Mar, a teacher who works with absolute beginners who found herself frustrated at the lack of podcasts for those completely new to Spanish. Her signature series of short and easy exercises focus on topics like asking for clarification, and how to use verbs like tener and ser. The Spanish in these episodes is full of helpful repetition of phrases, so you’ll feel reassured that you understand everything you hear. The show notes include useful expressions and answers to questions asked during the podcast, so you’ll never feel lost. According to Mar, “Even if you've started learning Spanish just a few weeks ago, it's never too early to start working on your listening skills!” I couldn’t agree more. Sart listening to podcasts as a beginner, and when you have your foundation in place, you’ll be more confident in real-life speaking situations.
7. Spanish for Beginners
Grammar review that is fun and inspiring? That’s how it works in this podcast, anyway. This is the beginner version of the podcast News in Slow Spanish, one of the podcasts I recommend for intermediate learners. And it’s designed to push you toward being able to understand more complex podcasts while finding inspiration in Latin American culture, songs, and poetry. Listen, and you’ll hear plenty of humor, memory techniques, and strategies to help you build your foundation in Spanish without memorizing boring grammar lessons and lists. Learn how to use the gender of articles in Spanish--through 2 haikus. Or whether to use Ser or Estar by listening to an authentic and well-known 1947 recording of a female Latin American celebrity…whose name you’ll have to guess!
🎧 Listen to Spanish for Beginners
🔗 Learn more about Spanish for Beginners
The self-paced course series for adults looking for a refresher of foundational Spanish to feel confident communicating in everyday situations.
There you have it. A curated list of the best podcasts to learn Spanish for beginners.
Whether you want to learn the basics, practice your listening comprehension, or find out more about what life is like in Latin American countries. There is something here for you.
But now that you have your next episode in your playlist, you may have questions about how exactly to get the most out of these podcasts as a beginner.
If so, read on.
Q&A: How to learn Spanish with podcasts as a beginner?
In my ALAS Basic Spanish Course Series, I recommend regular podcast listening as a way of creating a highly effective and balanced Spanish learning habit. That’s because I know how essential it is to start to train your ear to the right dialect of Spanish from the beginning.
Here are some of the top questions the people I work with have asked me about learning Spanish with podcasts as a beginner:
I started listening to a podcast as a beginner but didn’t understand--I felt stuck. What can I do?
Don’t worry; you’re on the right track. You just need to make a few adjustments to make listening to podcasts work for you.
First, take a look at the kind of podcast you were listening to. Is it all in Spanish? Or are there explanations in English?
As a complete beginner, you’ll be overwhelmed by a podcast that is completely in Spanish. My recommendations above have bits of Spanish with English descriptions, which makes them perfect for beginners.
However, if you feel ready to start listening to podcasts that are mostly recorded in Spanish, a good rule of thumb is to find a podcast where you understand most of what is being said--but not all.
Remember: you don’t have to understand 100% of what you hear to benefit from listening.
It’s okay—and even normal—to listen to a podcast more than once. Listening to each episode multiple times will help you understand more of what you heard and start to pick up on authentic Spanish expressions in a way that helps you remember them.
I struggle to speak up in conversations in Spanish. Can podcasts help?
Many of my students wonder if podcasts will help them become more conversational in Spanish. That’s a great question.
You probably already realize that becoming fluent means practicing actually speaking.
That said, not all of us are comfortable jumping into conversations with native Spanish speakers at first. This is particularly true for introverted language learners.
Podcasts can help you bridge the gap between not feeling conversation-ready and being able to speak up.
First of all, understanding is fundamental to participating in conversations, so having strong listening comprehension will allow you to speak up more easily. But more importantly…
You can do effective speaking activities with podcasts. For example:
Hit pause on your podcast, then repeat what the speaker just said.
Record a 1-minute reaction to a podcast in Spanish, or just record three new phrases you learned. Then listen back.
Discuss the podcast you just listened to with your conversation partner or Spanish teacher.
All of these will improve your fluency, confidence, pronunciation, and active vocabulary, so you’ll build your conversation skills with every podcast you listen to.
Can Spanish podcasts help me understand different dialects and accents within the Spanish-speaking world?
While I recommend focusing on one dialect of Spanish, to begin with, such as Latin American Spanish or even Mexican Spanish, listening to podcasts will expose you to the way a variety of people actually speak within those cultures.
Podcasts will teach you how real people speak in informal situations--and not how they speak in textbooks.
I’m a beginner; can I learn Spanish just by listening to podcasts?
I strongly believe in the benefits of podcasts. But no one podcast can truly teach you all the basics you need to build a strong foundation as a beginner.
So, start listening to podcasts as a beginner.
But don’t forget also to grab a textbook or other high-quality step-by-step materials, and you’ll have an effective Spanish learning habit.
Takeaways:
If you’re a beginner, don’t skip podcasts. They’ll supercharge your Spanish habit and you absolutely can start listening to authentic language--from the beginning.
Each time you listen to a podcast—even for five or ten minutes—you’re taking your Spanish beyond your trusty textbook and making the language a living, breathing part of your life.
Listening to podcasts is an exercise in accepting that in real-life Spanish, you won’t understand everything you hear--but you’ll find meaning nevertheless. So tune in and listen. You’ll be preparing yourself for a lifetime of future conversations in Spanish.