What is the best podcast for learning Spanish? Having never studied Spanish I was curious to see if I could pick up at least the basics for free via podcast. So I downloaded episodes of five different learn-Spanish podcasts from the iTunes store to try out. My goal was to figure out which was the best for both comprehension (how easy was it to understand) and entertainment (did I like the podcast enough to tune in again). Although, most of these podcasts offered additional online study materials, I wanted to find out if any of these podcasts could be used alone as an introduction to a new language.
The first podcast I tuned in to (contestant number one, I suppose) was Learn Spanish by SpanishPod.com. I was greeted by cheerful hosts JP and Liliana. In each episode the duo introduce a short Spanish dialogue, offering a keyword to listen for. After the dialogue they provide line by line translation along with grammar and pronunciation tips.
Contestant number two was titled Learn Spanish – Survival Guide. In this podcast the host, David Spencer, is a Spanish teacher from Baltimore, Maryland. David speaks with a distinctly American accent which seems to bleed over into his Spanish. His teaching style is to use call and repeat drills. He speaks a Spanish phrase, translates it, and provides time for the listener to repeat it out loud. Unfortunately, about half way through the first podcast I found myself mindlessly repeating after David without knowing what I was saying (kinda like a kid in the back of Spanish class who’s started daydreaming). In my opinion this podcast was way too boring.
Contestant number three was Spanish 101 by SpanishPod101.com. The music and hosts were energetic and engaging. Regrettably, three whole episodes of this show were dedicated to selling the SpanishPod101 system for learning Spanish. Only in episode four did I find an actual Spanish lesson in which a man named Alan and his co-host introduce a Spanish dialogue. They translated it line by line then covered vocabulary words with proper pronunciation. This podcast is clearly designed to be used in conjunction with the subscription based tools advertised in episodes one through three (available in Free, Basic and Premium packages), and so I lost interest since I’m wasn’t planning on signing up for anything.
Contestant number four was CoffeeBreakSpanish by Radio Lingua Network. This podcast took a very different approach from any of its previous competitors. Here a Spanish teacher named Mark (who speaks with a noticeable Scottish accent) converses with Kara, a Spanish student (also from Scotland) who is learning along with the listener. Rather than center around a dialogue the lessons focus on a central theme like “Where are you from?” or “What do you do for a living?” Mark teaches Kara several words and phrases, allowing time for repetition. Kara often makes mistakes in her pronunciation requiring Mark’s correction. This to me was distracting but other than that, the lessons were easy to understand, entertaining and informative.
Contestant number five probably should have been contestant numero uno. In DiscoverSpanish cartoon character Johnny Spanish and co-host Christina introduce the listener to very basic words and phrases like “hello,” “good morning,” and “my name is…” using a call and repeat method of study. Designed for kids the lessons were short and straightforward, but rather unchallenging.
So, which is the best podcast for learning Spanish? Well, in the comprehension category I decided that Discover Spanish was the easiest to understand and therefore learn from. However, Learn Spanish by SpanishPod.com was the winner in the entertainment category, which is why I’ll be returning for additional lessons. Ultimately I was pleased with the both the depth and breadth of the free tools available for learning Spanish via podcast.
