Podcasts are a useful way of brushing up on your language-learning skills. For many of us, podcasts have become part of our daily lives. For language learners in particular, they’re a great learning resource to turn to whenever you’ve got your hands full. In this article, we explore six French podcasts that will help you learn French.
The biggest problem is knowing which podcasts to check out. After all, there are a lot out there. To save you some time, we’ve leant on our language experts. They have been kind enough to suggest the best French podcasts. Some of these are for beginners, while others are for advanced learners. These are just some of the great French language-learning resources available on this site.
For Beginners
Coffee Break
Coffee Break is a podcast that’s short, snappy but very useful. It comes at the top of our list of French podcasts that will help you learn French. As the title may suggest, the idea is that you listen to each episode during your coffee break (30 mins or so). So far, the podcast has run for four seasons. While the earlier episodes are for beginners, the later ones are for more advanced learners.
But don’t worry – you can grow with the podcast as you go along.
Parlez Away
Parlez Away is Babbel’s first ever French podcast. It’s aimed at those who are completely new to the French language. It’s a cute little podcast led by Ted and Caroline. Ted is an American who’s just started learning the language, while Caroline is a French native who’s teaching Ted French.
As you might imagine, then, this is a really lively podcast that focuses on conversational French. The first episode begins with how to say hello to someone and goes on from there.
For Intermediate Learners
Learn French With Daily Podcasts
If you’re aiming to learn a bit of French each day, you could do a lot worse than tune into Learn French With Daily Podcasts. Every morning, the hosts upload a new episode that usually centres on a specific French phrase. And because each episode lasts for just a few minutes, it’s really easy to keep up.
Past episodes include “momentary happiness,” “oldest Parisians,” and “leech.” As you may be able to tell, they’re pretty random!
All in all, this is a podcast that will enlarge your vocabulary. You’ll discover words you may never have thought about learning.
One Thing In French a Day
This episode is kinda like Learn French with Daily Podcasts in that each episode lasts just a few minutes. However, new episodes are rolled out just 3 times a week (each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday), as opposed to every day.
The idea is that the podcast host covers her day in French. She tells you what she got up to, where she went, who she met, and she delivers it all succinctly and engagingly. It’s a great way to get up to speed with “street” French.
Advanced Learners
Grand Reportage
If you’re a fan of the news and your French is already quite good, you may want to check out Grand Reportage. It’s a very popular source of global news in France. Its investigative reporters discussing all the major events that are happening right now. Perfect if you want to use French podcasts to help you learn French.
Past episodes have covered the TB fight in Peru, Venezuela’s financial meltdown, and – of course – the coronavirus.
Sur La Route
This is for any advanced French language learner. Sur La Route is a podcast produced by France Culture, and great for discovering the ‘real France’.
The aim of the show is to introduce you to different parts of France each week, and discuss its culture. Many of us know all about Paris, but who knows what happens at De Nuits Festives? If you don’t but are now curious, Sur La Route will introduce you!
France Culture produces many other podcasts on different subjects, including fiction, medicine and science. They’re all worth a closer look. If you have something to sat about our list of French podcasts that will help you learn French, why not leave a comment below?
