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10+ Great Podcasts For Learning Portuguese

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Last updated on June 14, 2024 | Est. Reading Time: 7 minutes

Podcasts are a handy language learning tool to have your arsenal, particularly if you have some regular free time where you can listen to them such as during a commute to work. They can work well when used in addition to a Portuguese course, providing you with new vocabulary and repetition of things you may have already heard.

The following are some of the top podcasts for learning Portuguese. We’ll start with European Portuguese, because this blog is about Portugal, but we’ve also included some podcasts that focus on Brazilian Portuguese as well.

European Portuguese Podcasts

There are now several podcasts that cover Portuguese from Portugal. Some are audio podcasts with transcripts, which aim to improve your listening skills, while others are audio-based lessons which aim to teach you specific skills such as grammar or pronunciation.

Practice Portuguese

  • Type: Portuguese audio with transcripts
  • Cost: Free for the audio, become a member to access the transcripts
  • Link: PracticePortuguese.com

Practice Portuguese – A Portuguese language podcast that focuses specifically on Portuguese from Portugal. The podcast is not only entertaining and well put together but it’s also free to listen to, however, if you want access to the transcripts and grammar resources, you will need to become a paying member. 

Membership includes access to the Learning Studio which includes hundreds of lessons that focus on vocabulary, grammar, and useful expressions.

The podcast episodes, as well as all of the other content, covers three different levels (beginner, intermediate, and advanced), so there is something for all levels of language learner.

Tip: Portugalist readers can get 15% off here. You can read more about Practice Portuguese here.

Storyglot

  • Type: Portuguese audio with transcripts
  • Cost: Free for both the audio and transcripts
  • Link: Storyglot.com

Storyglot offers a podcast with narrated short stories that include an audio transcription in both English and Portuguese. Each of the podcast episodes is labelled with its CEFR level (e.g. A1 or B2) so you can easily find content that’s right for you.

The vocabulary feels a little more challenging than other resources (e.g. Practice Portuguese) but it’s definitely a useful resource — and it’s free. Having a story, even if they’re often quite simple, makes the content that little bit more engaging than other podcasts.

Portuguese From Portugal

Portuguese From Portugal is a simple podcast that covers areas of Portuguese life, such as Portuguese food, places in Portugal, and holidays. The audio is short, roughly 2-3 minutes each, and there’s an accompanying text to go with it as well. There are also short quizzes as well as vocab and grammar tips at the end of each article.

Say It in Portuguese

  • Type: Portuguese audio with transcripts
  • Cost: Free for both the audio and transcripts
  • Link: Sayitinportuguese.pt

Like Portuguese from Portugal, Say It In Portuguese is a free podcast that has short audio reads combined with the accompanying transcription. Episodes cover topics from all areas of Portuguese life, but particularly focus on Portuguese sayings.

Portuguese with Leo

Portuguese with Leo is a Portuguese podcast that comes with an accompanying podcast. The episodes can also be viewed as videos on his YouTube channel.

In it, ‎Leonardo Coelho from Lisbon talks about topics related to Portuguese culture, history and life such as where the Portuguese go on holidays and the pastel de nata.

Leo speaks clearly and slowly and, because the episodes have interesting topics, it’s a good option for beginner and intermediate-level Portuguese learners.

Portuguese with Carla

While many of the other Portuguese podcasts contain audio and a transcription, Carla and her husband Marlon offer audio-based lessons in her podcast. Episodes include games, dialogues from fictional situations, and useful vocabulary and expressions. Lessons are around 30 minutes long, which is ideal for commuting or walking the dog.

Portuguese lab

Portuguese Lab, who also run the Portuguese Lab Academy, offer a Portuguese podcast with hundreds of episodes that you can stream through their website, or through most podcasting apps like Google Podcasts or Apple Podcasts.

Lessons cover topics for all levels, from beginner to advanced. Previous episodes include practical lessons like how to answer the phone in Portuguese or Useful phrases for conversation in Portuguese, along with grammar, and vocabulary. Some episodes also have a mini story and you can normally access the transcript for free.

Brazilian Portuguese Podcasts

There are plenty of podcasts that cover Brazilian Portuguese, both podcasts that give lessons in Portuguese and podcasts that have audio with accompanying transcriptions. Some of these you need to pay for and others are free.

PortuguesePod101

More than just a podcast, PortuguesePod101 also offers games, written texts, wordbanks, and flashcards. The membership has a monthly cost, which can be as cheap as $4 per month.

If you’re not sure whether it’s for you, take advantage of PortuguesePod101’s 7-day free trial.

BrazilPod Línguadagente

A simple and easy to listen to podcast from the University of Texas, podcast episodes typically contain short dialogues as well as an accompanying audio lesson. Transcripts of the dialogue are available for free.

The lessons cover multiple levels, including beginner, elementary, and intermediate and you easily sort by level to find episodes that match the level of difficulty you require.

Todo Mundo Pod

  • Type: Portuguese audio with transcripts
  • Cost: Free for the audio, become a member to access the transcripts
  • Link: todomundopod.com

A podcast that tends to cover a lot of grammar as well as vocabulary for specific situations like watching football, going to the airport, and renting a car in Brazil.

You’ll need to pay for access to the transcripts. Membership costs $12 per month.

BrazilPodClass

  • Type: Portuguese audio with transcripts
  • Cost: Free for the audio, become a member to access the transcripts
  • Link: BrazilPodClass.com

Brazil Pod Class no longer produces regular podcast content, but there are more than 500 episodes that you can access. You don’t need to become a member to listen to the audio, but you do need to pay to access the transcripts.

Membership costs $29 per month + VAT or you get a discount for purchasing a year’s membership.

Portuguese LingQ Podcast

  • Type: Portuguese audio with transcripts
  • Cost: Audio and transcripts free
  • Link: YouTube.com

LingQ’s Portuguese podcast focuses on learning a language and features episodes which focus on the challenges of learning a new language, the benefits, and the importance of having a sense of humour. The show regularly features podcasts guests who have successfully mastered another language.

All episodes are in Portuguese and include subtitles in Portuguese. The level is ideal for intermediate and up.

Mozambique Portuguese podcasts

We haven’t been able to find any podcasts that cover learning Mozambican Portuguese, but we will update this if we do. In the meantime, check out the European Portuguese podcasts – this is the closest to African Portuguese.

Conclusion

European Portuguese, with its distinct sounds and cadences, can be especially tricky for learners and podcasts can be a valuable tool in familiarising yourself with its nuances, as well as with the more widely recognised tones of Brazilian Portuguese. Even if you’re focused on one variation, exposing your ears to the other can greatly enhance your linguistic agility and understanding of the Portuguese-speaking world.

To truly maximise the potential of podcasts in your language learning journey, it’s crucial to actively engage with the content. Jot down new vocabulary, phrases, and expressions you encounter and review them regularly using a notebook or a flashcard app like Memrise.

Many podcasts also offer transcripts, which can be an invaluable resource for this practice, allowing you to see the words as you hear them and ensuring that your learning is both auditory and visual. By integrating these strategies, podcasts can be a powerful tool in achieving not just proficiency, but fluency in Portuguese, opening up a world of cultural and personal enrichment.

Have we missed a podcast? Let us know in the resources below. 

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