We’re living in the digital age, where podcasts have risen to become one of the best ways to learn anything. There’s literally a podcast on any topic you can imagine! And there are plenty of podcasts that will help you learn German.
The problem when it comes to learning German is that there are many language learning podcasts out there. So the question becomes: Which one(s) do you choose? Which ones are for beginners, and which ones are aimed at intermediate learners?
It’s a tough decision to make, and you should do lots of research before you commit!
The good news is that we’ve already done the research for you. Our language experts have put together their top 6 podcasts to listen to if you’re learning German. There’s something for everyone here, so let’s all dive in and discover podcasts that will help you learn German.
Beginners
Slow German mit Annik Rubens
Host Annik Rubens launched this podcast way back in 2007, before podcasts even really became a “thing.” Since then, the podcast has grown and grown and grown, and continues to be one of the best ways to ease yourself into the German language.
The episodes are short (they last 5 minutes at the most), and Annik makes sure to cover numerous topics. There are lessons for complete newbies, readings of famous German fairytales and lots, lots more.
The best thing is that Annik speaks slowly and clearly.This puts here at the top of our list of podcasts that will help you learn German.
Coffee Break German
Coffee Break is a franchise podcast created by the Radio Lingua Network. Lots of different languages are available, and the lessons are really well organised.
Each lesson is covers a standard coffee break, which explains why they are roughly 20 minutes in length. That’s a pretty good length, and the whole podcast has the feel of a classroom.
The podcasts are interesting and in-depth, and they cover grammar, culture, and all the essentials that will help you improve your German.
Intermediate
Warum Nicht?
If you’re no longer a beginner, you can move onto the intermediate podcasts – such as Warum Nicht?
Warum Nicht translates as “why not?” It’s broadcast by Deutsche-Welle who collaborated with the Goethe-Institute.
Its concept is pretty cool: Each episode is focuses on a journalism student who pays the bills by working as a doorman. We get to follow him on his crazy adventures, and there’s an assortment of characters that pop in and out of the episodes.
It’s a whole lot of fun, and there are currently 4 seasons to get through (it equates to 26 hours).
Easy German
Another one on our list of podcasts that will help you learn German is Easy German. Easy German sounds, well, easy. However, their episodes come in at around an hour each, which makes them a lot longer than most podcasts.
Topics covered include travel and philosophy, and the hosts take questions from their audience at the end of each episode.
You might find that Easy German is a bit difficult to follow at first. If so, you upgrade to the paid version for the vocabulary guides and transcript that will make things clearer.
Also, go check out Easy German’s channel on YouTube (the YT channel came first). It’s another fantastic German resource that comes with the added bonus of some visuals.
Marktplatz
If you’re learning the language for business reasons, you could do a lot worse than check out Marktplatz, which literally means ‘Marketplace.’
As you’ve probably guessed, the podcast – which has 26 episodes – is centred on vocabulary related to trade, finance and the markets. It’s absolutely ideal if your background is in the markets, or if trading is something you’re looking to get into.
Advanced
Elementarfragen
Elementarfragen is a German podcast that doesn’t actually try to teach you any German at all! So why is it on here?
Once you’ve reached the level of an advanced learner, it’s time to start immersing yourself in German podcasts, movies and books that the natives consume. Yes, it’s challenging but it’s a great way to help you get to proper grips with the language. Elementarfragen actually means “elementary questions” in English. The podcast is long-form and features interviews with various experts on various topics. One of the episodes, for example, discusses the relationship between authoritarianism and social media, which should give you a clue into the kind of high-brow, intellectual topics you can expect to find here.
If you’ve got something to say about our list of podcasts that will help you learn German, why not leave a comment below?
