{"id":143749,"date":"2019-06-17T07:31:16","date_gmt":"2019-06-17T11:31:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/learn-spanish-audio-2\/"},"modified":"2025-02-06T11:31:21","modified_gmt":"2025-02-06T16:31:21","slug":"learn-spanish-audio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/spanish\/learn-spanish-audio\/","title":{"rendered":"Our 40 Favorite Spanish Audio Lessons"},"content":{"rendered":"

Audio was always my best Spanish learning tool, but I didn’t even realize it until long after becoming fluent in the language. Looking back, I can see exactly why learning Spanish with audio\u00a0makes a huge difference to your fluency\u2014and by the end of this post, you’ll understand the magical teaching powers of audio, too.<\/p>\n

Below, you’ll get to know a whopping 40 audio resources for learning Spanish, most of them completely free (and all with free portions).<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n

Audio Lessons for Learning Spanish<\/h2>\n

1. Notes in Spanish<\/a><\/h3>\n

\"spanish<\/a><\/p>\n

Notes in Spanish <\/strong>is designed for learners at different levels.<\/p>\n

Starting with a beginner’s level<\/a> that’s partly in English, partly in Spanish, and then progressing through podcasts for intermediate and advanced learners that are entirely in the language, these audios are designed to teach conversational Spanish through appropriately paced discussions.<\/p>\n

The podcast’s hosts, Marina Diez and Ben Curtis, live in Madrid and have been creating audios for Spanish learners for many years.<\/p>\n

In addition to the audio, the pair offers extra insights into Spanish vocabulary and usage on the Notes in Spanish blog<\/a>.\u00a0Complete transcripts of the free audios are available as a paid resource<\/a>, bundled into packs of varying price points.<\/p>\n

They’ve also got a YouTube channel with interesting tips and information, which you can check out below!<\/p>\n

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2.\u00a0Coffee Break Spanish<\/a><\/h3>\n

\"spanish<\/a><\/p>\n

Coffee Break Spanish podcasts offer\u00a0relaxed audio and video lessons that run about 15 minutes each,<\/strong> perfect for your coffee break at work.<\/p>\n

They’re suitable for newbies and more seasoned students, as you can choose from a variety of levels.<\/p>\n

Lessons are available for free for a few weeks before they’re archived and become available only to subscribers, so visit this one often!<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> to read our full review.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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3. Stories by The Spanish Experiment<\/a><\/h3>\n

\"spanish<\/a><\/p>\n

Thinking of expanding your Spanish horizons further with children’s stories? The Spanish Experiment can help you with that.<\/p>\n

The Spanish Stories section has a collection of childhood favorites and original creations.<\/p>\n

Beginners might start off with familiar fables like “Los Tres Cerditos<\/em> (The Three Little Pigs),” while pre-intermediates might go for an original title like “El P\u00e1jaro y la Ballena<\/em> (The Bird and the Whale).”<\/p>\n

Each story is narrated by native speakers<\/strong> and is accompanied by text and beautiful illustrations. Every paragraph also comes with English translations.<\/p>\n

Just note that some of their stories have moved over to The Fable Cottage<\/a>, so you can head over there once you’re done with the list on The Spanish Experiment, or check out the YouTube channel below.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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4. StoryLearning Spanish<\/a><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

If you can’t get enough of stories, StoryLearning Spanish is where it’s at. These stories are aimed at low-intermediate and intermediate learners.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The audio tracks are short and sweet, covering one chapter each so you never feel overwhelmed, and the audio links contain the full transcript that you can follow or read after the episode. There’s also a glossary for keywords!<\/p>\n

They upload new tracks daily so you never have to wait long for the next chapter. Although you don’t really need to worry about running out, considering they have two seasons with over 300 episodes and counting.<\/p>\n

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5. Language Transfer<\/a><\/h3>\n

\"spanish<\/a><\/p>\n

You’ve probably made it a habit to jot down notes when you come across a new word.<\/p>\n

However, with Language Transfer, the instructor wants you to ditch your notebook and let your mind completely engage with his audio lessons. This way, you’re not only learning how to communicate, but how to think in Spanish as well<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

There are 90 tracks for the Complete Spanish course, with the lessons under 10 minutes each. They’re almost like personal tutoring sessions, as each one features a student who responds to his questions. The pauses between questions and answers are there for you to participate in the discussion as well.<\/p>\n

You can listen to the entire course on the website, SoundCloud or the app<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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6. BBC<\/a><\/h3>\n

\"spanish<\/a><\/p>\n

You’ve obviously heard of the BBC as a news organization, but did you know that they’ve got tons of tools dedicated to language learners?<\/p>\n

There’s an entire section of their website devoted to Spanish learning tools<\/a>\u2014and Spanish audio tools in particular.<\/p>\n

For total newbies, their video introductions to Spanish<\/a> feature basic conversations and come complete with transcripts, worksheets and additional resources for in-depth reviews of the topics at hand.<\/p>\n

What’s there are archived materials that are no longer updated\u2014and some are now unavailable\u2014but there’s still plenty of juicy audio to squeeze out of this site.<\/p>\n

And from there, you can try listening to BBC Mundo<\/em> broadcasts<\/a>.<\/p>\n

7. Michel Thomas<\/a><\/h3>\n

\"spanish<\/a><\/p>\n

These are some of my favorite audio lessons as they teach you a language naturally and memorably<\/strong>. You listen to a teacher and two students as they learn Spanish from beginner to intermediate\/advanced level. You’ll listen along to the highs and lows that two students go through while learning Spanish.<\/p>\n

You’re able to repeat along with the students as you listen to their lessons. If you aren’t a beginner and want to start at a higher level, the lessons range in level.\u00a0<\/p>\n

They’re quite comprehensive and offer supplement courses to further expand your Spanish with. For example, if you complete the foundation lessons and want to hone in on your vocabulary skills, you can use the vocabulary builder course.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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8. Spanish Obsessed<\/a><\/h3>\n

\"spanish<\/a>Audio-focused lessons for all levels of Spanish students<\/strong> are available on Spanish Obsessed, a fun website launched by an international, bilingual couple with a shared passion for teaching and learning languages.\u00a0<\/p>\n

You can access tons of Spanish audio files (with typed-out transcripts and notes) for free by visiting their homepage and selecting your current level.<\/p>\n

You can also find their audio resources on iTunes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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9. Foreign Service Institute Spanish Courses via Live Lingua<\/a><\/h3>\n

\"spanish<\/a><\/p>\n

These lessons were originally designed to teach Spanish to government officials and diplomats<\/strong> in the 1960s.<\/p>\n

Now, they’re available to all of us completely free thanks to the magic of public domain.<\/p>\n

With this resource, you’ll be able to teach yourself excellent Spanish with PDFs accompanied by evenly-paced audio.<\/p>\n

There are even audio courses created to acquaint you with the Spanish language and culture in different regions, as well as more professional courses for anyone interested in speaking just like an honest-to-goodness diplomat.<\/p>\n

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Audio Programs to Learn Spanish<\/h2>\n

10. Pimsleur<\/a><\/h3>\n

\"spanish<\/a><\/p>\n

This audio program uses high-quality audio and accurate translations to teach you Spanish. It not only focuses on boosting your listening comprehension skills but takes it up a notch by having you repeat words and phrases as you listen.<\/p>\n

Pimsleur trains you to quickly remember words, fine-tune your pronunciation of words, and more effectively use words during a conversation. This is a great program to use as a beginner or intermediate learner if you’re looking to focus on your listening and speaking skills.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This program also includes a transcript for each audio file so that you can read along and learn the correct spelling of each word as you listen.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> to read our full review.<\/p>\n

11. FluentU<\/a><\/h3>\n
\"FluentU<\/a><\/div>\n
\r\n

\r\nFluentU takes real-world videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons<\/a>.<\/strong>\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nOther sites use scripted content. FluentU uses a natural approach<\/strong> that helps you ease into the Spanish language and culture over time. You\u2019ll learn Spanish as it\u2019s actually spoken by real people.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nFluentU has a wide variety of videos topics, as you can see here:\r\n<\/p>\r\n\"learn-spanish-with-videos\"<\/a>\r\n

\r\nFluentU brings native videos within reach with interactive transcripts.<\/strong> You can tap on any word to look it up instantly. Every definition has examples that have been written to help you understand how the word is used.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nPlus, if you see an interesting word you don\u2019t know, you can add it to a vocab list.\r\n<\/p>\r\n\"learn-spanish-with-interactive-captioned-videos\"<\/a>\r\n

\r\nReview a complete interactive transcript under the Dialogue<\/strong> tab, and find words and phrases listed under Vocab.<\/strong>\r\n<\/p>\r\n\"learn-spanish-music-videos\"<\/a>\r\n

\r\nLearn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentU\u2019s robust learning engine. Swipe left or right to see more examples of the word you\u2019re on.\r\n<\/p>\r\n\"practice-spanish-with-adaptive-quizzes\"<\/a>\r\n

\r\nThe best part is that FluentU keeps track of the vocabulary that you\u2019re learning, and gives you extra practice with difficult words. It'll even remind you when it\u2019s time to review what you\u2019ve learned. Every learner has a truly personalized experience, even if they\u2019re studying with the same video. <\/strong>\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nStart using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a>\r\n<\/p> \r\n<\/div>\r\n\n

12. edX<\/a><\/h3>\n

\"spanish<\/a><\/p>\n

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are super handy for learning Spanish at the university level for cheap. Some course offerings even come for free, such as the ones listed on edX.<\/p>\n

There are seven free Spanish courses on edX<\/strong>, with one even offering a professional certificate for those who need it for work.<\/p>\n

Other than the beginner courses, there’s also a course for travel Spanish and Spanish for medical professionals. Although it’s not a Spanish language course, there’s one called “The Spain of Don Quixote,” which would be an excellent foray into Spanish literature.<\/p>\n

13. Destinos<\/em><\/a><\/h3>\n

\"spanish<\/a><\/p>\n

Although the curriculum is based on video lessons, I’ve included Destinos<\/em> on this list because it also works as background audio.<\/p>\n

These videos or episodes teach Spanish, telenovela<\/em>\u00a0style<\/strong>, so it’s definitely not your generic Spanish lessons. Soap operas are perfect for working on your accent, and with this resource, you get 52 episodes that are 30 minutes each.<\/p>\n

If you’re a total beginner, I suggest that you actually watch these videos and go through the given exercises. But if you already have a good foundation in Spanish, you can leave it playing in the background to listen to the story and refine your pronunciation.<\/p>\n

14. Colloquial Spanish<\/a><\/h3>\n

\"spanish<\/a><\/p>\n

Originally derived from the book titled “Colloquial Spanish of Latin America: The Complete Course for Beginners<\/a>,” Colloquial Spanish is an audio course that’s completely free to download.<\/p>\n

It works for both self-study and classroom use.<\/p>\n

To maximize your study, these audio files can be used in conjunction with the textbook<\/strong>.\u00a0 The two resources together will provide you with a well-rounded learning experience.<\/p>\n

The audio files are good on their own, but do the exercises in the book if you want to put the lessons into practice. The book also contains grammar explanations, answer keys, English translations of dialogues and useful vocabulary lists.<\/p>\n

15. Gritty Spanish<\/a>\u00a0<\/h3>\n

\"spanish<\/a><\/p>\n

Gritty Spanish offers awesome audio that will engage you and help improve your Spanish skills.\u00a0Gritty Spanish is well-reviewed\u00a0and has a lot to offer.<\/p>\n

Gritty Spanish\u2019s audio is more emotive than many audio sources, which makes it more engaging. Additionally, Gritty Spanish uses speakers from a variety of backgrounds to expose you to a wide array of accents including Puerto Rican, Castilian, Mexican, Colombian and many more.<\/p>\n

Dialogues feature a variety of topics and scenarios to teach you a wide array of words. Plus, each dialogue has an associated transcript so you can read along or study the text independently. You can download the MP3s of the dialogues to any device.<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> to read our full review.<\/p>\n

16. Spanish Listening<\/a><\/h3>\n

\"Spanish<\/a><\/p>\n

No matter what level you’re at, what accent you want to hear or which topic you want to cover, Spanish Listening pretty much has anything under the sun.<\/p>\n

The website contains over 400 videos featuring various native Spanish speakers<\/strong>, talking about everything between local holidays and makeup routines.<\/p>\n

The videos aren’t really used for visual aids, so you can definitely play them while you’re doing mindless tasks.<\/p>\n

Each short lesson is also accompanied by a multiple-choice quiz and a vocab section. Plus, there’s an additional listening portion, where you have to type out the questions from the audio and answer them in the space provided.<\/p>\n

Learn Spanish with Audiobooks<\/h2>\n

17. LibriVox<\/a><\/h3>\n

\"Spanish<\/a><\/p>\n

If you’re already on board the audiobook bandwagon, then you’ve probably visited the huge collection of public domain (that is, free!) audiobooks on LibriVox before.<\/p>\n

You can quickly and easily browse all the available titles by language (click here to see what’s available in Spanish<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Click “Advanced Search” to sort by language (Spanish, naturally) and other key factors (like title, author, release date and so on).<\/p>\n

They’re constantly upping their game and adding new titles by having international volunteers read and record texts in their native languages. Feel free to give them a hand with English or any other language you speak natively. It’s a great project!<\/p>\n

18. Loyal Books<\/a><\/h3>\n

\"learn-spanish-audio<\/a><\/p>\n

Loyal Books is very similar to LibriVox in mission, content and volunteerism.<\/p>\n

They’re focused on amassing a giant collection of audiobooks from around the world<\/strong> with the help of eager volunteers.<\/p>\n

Head over to the site to find a title that you can’t find on LibriVox, or to hear the same one read by a different native speaker (or with better audio quality).<\/p>\n

And, for your convenience,\u00a0there’s an app<\/a> as well!<\/p>\n

19. Universidad Interamericana para el Desarrollo<\/a><\/em><\/h3>\n

\"spanish<\/a><\/p>\n

Translated as the Inter-American University for Development, this is an institute of higher learning in Mexico that prides itself on non-traditional methods of education and learning.<\/p>\n

One nice program they have going is a student-led endeavor to record audiobooks.<\/strong> In particular, they’re focused on having native-speaking students record the classics in Spanish.<\/p>\n

At any given time, you can find a collection of 10-20 complete Spanish audiobooks on their website. The selection occasionally changes when they’ve completed a new story.<\/p>\n

From their site, they link you out to iTunes, where they’ve made the audiobooks available for free streaming or downloading in 20-minute chapters.<\/p>\n

20. AlbaLearning<\/a><\/h3>\n

\"spanish<\/a><\/p>\n

This expansive website for Spanish speakers and students offers a huge selection of audiolibros<\/em>\u00a0(audiobooks) and even videolibros <\/em>(videobooks) where the text appears on-screen while the book is being read.<\/p>\n

There’s a bunch of other useful stuff here apart from audio, all free to download, including:<\/p>\n