Top 10 podcasts to learn English

Achieving an excellent level in Shakespeare’s language is possible with these 10 podcasts to learn English!

Digital revolutions language learning! The proof with the podcasts today: you no longer need to go to England for a month or call on a particular teacher to immerse yourself completely in the English language. You probably already know that, but the best way to progress in English is to immerse yourself in an English-speaking world.

Before one or more trips abroad, nothing better than learning English or increasing its level in the language of Shakespeare to be sure to get understood or to meet new people easily. You probably know that, but the series and films are great to immerse themselves in the English language. You can also use apps to learn English ! But podcasts pass your learning to a different level!

Fortunately for you, there are very many podcasts to learn English and that will allow you to reach excellent steps by step, that you have a starting, intermediate or advanced level of departure. To help you, we have prepared a list of the top 10 podcasts to learn English whether you are a beginner or experienced!

1. Learn English

These podcasts to learn English are offered by the British Council . For beginners and intermediaries, they are perfect: each episode addresses, in the form of a discussion, situations of daily life with slow flow. The big plus of the Learn English podcasts is that they offer many free supports.

For example, you can download the transcription of each episode to better understand the vocabulary, or even answer small quiz to test your knowledge: what is excellent for beginners!

2. Thomas Carlton

For beginners, podcasts Thomas Carlton to learn English are perfect. Animated by an American speaking French, each episode targets a specific subject with a zoom on grammar and expressions. Note that French is sometimes too present.

We invite you to include other podcasts as you progress, to further develop your English language proficiency without relying on Thomas’s French explanations!

3. Voice of America

Voice of America allows you to improve your English while learning more about interesting topics such as popular culture, recent movies, news or American history, science and grammar. These podcasts to learn English will delight beginners like intermediate profiles. The flow rate is slow and you will have no difficulty following these podcasts to learn American English!

4. Podcasts in English

These podcasts to learn English are amazing! The platform Podcasts in English offers several levels, as well as a wide variety of programs and recordings on entertaining subjects. Each episode lasts less than 5 minutes and is a small part of fun.

You will learn English by having fun! All the more so, because some supports are also available to improve you: transcription, vocabulary and episode-related exercises.

5. 6 Minute English

Produced by BBC, podcasts 6 Minute English to learn English is primarily addressed to intermediate profiles. The episodes stage a discussion between two people. They exchange on entertaining or fun topics like “Internet: good or bad?” or “Why are the licornes back in fashion?”.

They are ideal for short trips or to relax by learning! And cherry on the cake: you can download a transcription of each episode with a vocabulary list!

6. Better At English

Better At English offers excellent podcasts to learn English everyday! For intermediate to advanced profiles, they are perfect for perfection: in each episode you will find expressions or idioms, familiar, current or slang language.

In addition, they are 100% free and offer you access to written transcripts of each episode. To learn English from the street and not academic English, we can only recommend you Better At English!

7. The English We Speak

Also produced by the BBC, podcasts to learn English “ The English We Speak "is addressed to more advanced profiles: discussions are approaching a normal flow of an Anglophone. However, an effort is made to offer a simple vocabulary and a good understanding.

The episodes focus on popular expressions or idioms, one of the last steps to master a language, which you will hear in their context. To perfection you cannot (almost) dream better as podcasts to learn English!

8. The Daily

The Daily , it is 5 podcasts per week of 25 minutes each, centered on a topical topic with interviews, investigations and stories of journalists, who will even explain their investigative methods. These podcasts to learn English will delight the intermediate and advanced profiles: with them, we leave the framework of the lesson and academism to listen to an effective and complete program widely appreciated by the Americans!

In the same spirit, on the English side, the BBC also offers an excellent and serious one-hour broadcast: Newshour, on international news.

9. This American Life

Created and animated by the legendary Ira Glass, This American Life is an anthology program broadcast on radio in the United States, Canada and Australia, as well as on the iTunes Store as a podcast, where it is the most frequently downloaded one in the United States and Canada.

The episodes are like small films for radio and mix documentary, reportage, investigative journalism, philosophical reflection and monologue around various themes. Advanced profiles will love these podcasts to learn English, especially since the amount of content is impressive with more than 600 program archives available on their site or mobile app!

10. Serial

Always for advanced or intermediate profiles, Serial is a podcast of investigative journalism, derived from This American Life and animated by the excellent journalist Sarah Koanig. In each episode, she takes on a different fact and plays the role of an investigator: she follows each track, collects testimonies, performs analyses and crosses them in order to find the culprit(s).

These are excellent podcasts to learn English while spending a great time. The fans of suspense and mysteries will be delighted by the podcasts of Serial!