Top 14 Incredibly Interesting Podcasts for English Learners

Podcasts are amazing because they can entertain and educate even without your full attention. If you're learning English and want podcasts to help you, there are plenty of options. Podcasts are just one of the many fun and effective methods you can incorporate into your routine. Prely.

Below we have listed the best English podcasts for both beginners and more advanced learners. There are some tips at the end of the article to get the most out of podcasts, so keep reading and find out more about the best podcasts for learning English.

The 7 Best English Learning Podcasts for Beginners

Learn English Podcast by British Council

Podcast Learn English Podcast great for beginners. It is designed for English learners from level A1 to level B1. The episodes are discussion based and cover common everyday situations. Each episode comes with a transcript and a support pack with exercises to test your understanding. There is even a free app!

If you want to learn English then this is a great place to start.

Where to listen

• Apple podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• British Council website

Topics

• UK culture
• Society
• Sport
• Science

Voice of America: Learning English

If you want to learn American English then Voice of America may be the best choice for you. This is a simple website that offers a variety of podcasts for beginners as well as intermediate and advanced levels.

On the subject: Make your English 'tasty': cool food idioms

At the initial level, there are programs focused on basic language skills. Titles include Let's learn English, Everyday grammar and Words and their stories.

However, if you're at an intermediate level, things get a lot more exciting. The podcasts cover a variety of topics, including health and lifestyle, science, technology, culture, and news, which can be especially helpful for communicating with friends in English. All podcasts come with a transcript to help you follow what's going on.

Where to listen

• Apple podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Voice of America website

Topics

• American culture
• Health and lifestyle
• Science
• Technologies
• Language Courses

6-Minute English from the BBC

Are you short on time? 6 minute lesson fits into even the busiest schedules. No excuses, 6-minute English is a weekly news podcast aimed at the Intermediate level. Each episode comes with a vocabulary list, a thought-provoking question, and a transcript so you can follow along in case you miss some words or phrases.

The English speech here is somewhat slower than usual, which makes the lesson much easier to understand. In addition, hundreds of episodes date back to 2014. Try listening to one six-minute episode a day and your vocabulary will grow in no time.

Where to listen

• Apple podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Air Force website

Topics

• UK culture
• World
• Lifestyle

The English We Speak

Every week the BBC releases The English We Speak. This series is even shorter than the 6 minute English series, with episodes only 3 minutes long. Each episode focuses on a specific English idiom or expression used in the UK, such as play a blinder, take the biscuit or to cut a long story short.

If you are studying English to move to the UK, this program is highly recommended. The vocabulary is a bit more complex and is geared towards intermediate and advanced students. Most of them are quite strange and will definitely make more sense after three minutes of study!

Where to listen

• Apple podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Air Force website

Topics

• UK culture
• Idioms
• Slang
• Lifestyle

English Learning for Curious Minds by Leonardo English

If you are intermediate/advanced and like the idea of ​​"learning strange and wonderful things about the world while improving your English", then English Learning for Curious Minds is another great option.

It covers a wide range of topics from history to philosophy and from politics to technology. Each episode is approximately 20 minutes long and is accompanied by a transcript, word list, and subtitles. Along with the podcast Leonardo English has a thriving community of "curious minds" participating in various events, challenges and courses.

Where to listen

• Apple podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Leonardo website (for access to transcripts, subtitles and vocabulary)

Topics

• UK culture
• Policy
• History
• Science and technology (scientific technology)
• Language Courses

All Ears English

All Ears English is another great option if you already have an Intermediate level and want a little more fun. Unlike Luke's English Podcast, All Ears conducted in American English and presented by two ESL instructors, Lindsey from Boston and Michelle from New York. The All Ears team also includes two IELTS specialists, Jessica and Aubrey, who appear on some episodes.

On the subject: Pairs of similar English words that we often confuse

In very short episodes, they discuss American culture and explain confusing English expressions in a friendly and funny way. Their motto is "communication not perfection" so expect the focus to be on everyday English as they say in the real world!

Another brilliant feature of this podcast is that Lindsay and Michelle specialize in preparing people for IELTS. They were creating a show aimed at IELTS, so anyone who is going to pass the examwill find it particularly useful.

Where to listen

• Apple podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• All Ears website

Topics

• American culture
• English grammar
• Idioms
• Language Courses

Espresso English

Podcast Espresso English Designed for beginners and intermediate learners. He is represented by Shana, who teaches at Espresso, and everything from vocabulary to grammar to pronunciation is covered in over 350 episodes.

One of the fantastic things about this podcast is that there are many episodes and they cover many common issues that ESL learners face. For example, how to stay motivated or use phrasal verbs. The show shows American English, and if you're short on time, don't worry - the episodes are only 5-10 minutes long.

Where to listen

• Apple podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Espresso Website

Topics

• Language Courses
• Pronunciation
• Grammar
• Idioms

7 Great Advanced English Podcasts From Native English Speakers

If you already have a great understanding of the English language, there is a whole new world of brilliant podcasts. If you don't know where to start, here are some of our favorites:

The Joe Rogan Experience

No list of English podcasts would be complete without a mention of Joe Rogan. The Joe Rogan Experience is one of the biggest podcasts in the world and in 2020 the show signed an exclusive deal with Spotify in the amount of 100 million dollars.

JRE is a great learning tool for advanced learners because it has a wide range of topics and interesting conversations in English. At the time of this writing, over 1660 episodes have been released covering topics ranging from comedy and science to politics and sports. Rogan is also known as a stand-up comedian, so the show is full of cultural references and idioms if you're learning American English.

Where to listen

• Apple podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• YouTube
• Spotify

Topics

• American culture
• Comedy
• Sport
• Science
• Policy

This American Life

This American Life is an excellent choice for those who study English and want to get acquainted with the culture of the United States. It is a mixture of journalism and storytelling, focusing on real stories from citizens of all regions of the country. The stories are varied and original. One episode was taped over 24 hours in a XNUMX-hour restaurant. Another interviewed high school students who had survived the mass shooting. It has won numerous awards and consistently ranks among the most popular in the United States.

Where to listen

• Apple podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• American Life website

Topics

• American culture
• Lifestyle
• Policy

Junkie crime

The whole world is now obsessed with real stories about criminals. Unless you've lived in a cave, you've probably noticed this.

There are many podcasts dedicated to the "true crime" trend, but Junkie crime is the most popular. In each 50-minute episode, the hosts discuss a different murder. They go into gruesome detail and give their theories on any unsolved aspect of the crime. It will make you shiver, but fans say it's really addictive. Let's hope you don't need to use any of the English vocabulary that you learn with this podcast!

Where to listen

• Apple podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Crime Junkie website

Topics

• Crime
• American culture

Overheard at National Geographic

National Geographic is a popular American magazine (and TV channel) known for its incredible stories and photographs related to science and the environment. overheard is a podcast about the discussions that Nat Geo employees had during their breaks. Expect crazy stories from explorers, photographers and scientists from all over the world.

Each of the episodes is about twenty minutes long; themes include zombie mice, animal selfie ethics, and underwater pyramids. This is perfect if you want to marvel at the weirdness of our planet.

Where to listen

• Apple podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• YouTube
• National Geographic website

Topics

• Science
• Nature

The Writer's Voice

If you are more interested in culture than science, The Writer's Voice from The New Yorker - a real pleasure. The New Yorker is a prestigious American magazine and they publish a new short story every week.

In this podcast, the story of the week is read aloud by its author. The published work reflects a wide range of life experiences in the United States and beyond. Some of them are quite difficult to follow, but most are very pleasant to listen to.

Where to listen

• Apple podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• New Yorker website

Topics

• Literature

comedy bang bang

When learning any new language, some people say that jokes are one of the last things you can expect to master. If you want to test this theory, try the podcast. comedy bang bang.

It's been running for ten years and is very popular as long as podcasts exist. The episodes start out as celebrity interviews but soon descend into chaos. Expect sketches, silly catchphrases and improvisational games. If you're new to the show, then the annual episode roundups are a good place to start.

Where to listen

• Apple podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Earwolf website

Topics

• Comedy
• American culture

BBC Global News

Last mention for one of the many BBC English podcasts. Why not start listening to the news in English? This is a great way to get to know English more in your daily life.

New releases come out twice a dayBBC World News”, which talk about the problems affecting the entire planet. As you might guess, this show is useful if you want to learn English.

Where to listen

• Apple podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Air Force website

Topics

• News
• world issues
• Business English