Listening to podcasts is an excellent way to easily learn new vocabulary and improve your Portuguese listening comprehension. The supply of Portuguese podcasts isn’t as rich as other languages, but we were still able to dig up several interesting and useful podcasts to learn Portuguese with.

Last Updated: 04/25/2022


Photo overlooks a Brazilian harbor. In the distance are mountains. Text reads: The best podcasts for learning Portuguese. MosaLingua.

The Best Podcasts for Learning Portuguese at Any Level

If you aren’t too familiar with podcasts yet and would like to learn more, we recommend reading the beginning of this article. We’ll also give you some tips for getting started with Portuguese podcasts at the end of this post, so stick around!

Brazilian Portuguese Podcasts: Beginner

Contrary to popular belief, people who are just starting their Portuguese learning journey can absolutely use podcasts for learning! We recommend sticking to those that are designed specifically with learners in mind, like the ones in this category.

Brazilian Pod Class podcast logo🇧🇷 Brazilian Pod Class

This site has produced 400 podcasts on a wide variety of topics, including pop culture tidbits such as “Is Facebook dying?” to portraits of famous Brazilians. Every podcast sticks to a specific structure. First dialogue, then commentary, and finally they introduce vocabulary to help you understand more about the topic at hand. There is a little bit of English in the beginning, but for the most part, the explanations are in Portuguese. Their podcasts are well made and are divided into beginner and intermediate episodes. There are quite a few ads, but it’s understandable since they publish so much great free content. As a bonus, they have a series of comic-style videos.

Update: Unfortunately, this podcast is no longer available on major podcast streaming platforms. However, you can still browse and listen to your favorite episodes via the BrazilPodClass podcast library (via the link below).

Website

A woman smiling, wearing a green shirt and white headphones with a speech bubble with the Brazilian flag inside. Text reads: Portuguese Pod 101.com🇧🇷/🇵🇹 PortuguesePod 101

Here’s our Portuguese Pod 101 review: Each episode of the PodtuguesePod101 podcast begins with a common scenario in daily life. The first couple of podcasts are easy to follow since the actors speak very slowly. We like the variety of topics, and the explanations in English are helpful for understanding the story. Plus, episodes are super short (usually 3-5 minutes), so you can easily listen to an episode or two whenever you have a few minutes of free time.

They offer podcasts for absolute beginners and beginners as well as intermediate learners. Most episodes are about Brazilian Portuguese, but they sometimes talk about European Portuguese, too.

Website | iTunes | Google Podcasts

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Brazilian Portuguese Podcasts: Intermediate

Intermediate learners who have decent Portuguese listening skills and a good foundation in vocabulary can move on to longer and more in-depth podcasts.

top-13-portuguese-podcasts-for-learners--brazilian--european-portuguese-mosalingua🇧🇷 Fala, Gringo!

Not simply interested in learning grammar and vocabulary, but want to dig into Brazilian culture, history, and current issues? Then Fala, Gringo! is the Brazilian Portuguese podcast for you. Leni, the host, gets rave reviews for his voice, pacing, and approach to podcasting!

This Apple Podcast rating says it all: “This is my favorite Brazilian podcast for both improving my Portuguese and for learning about the history and sociology of this complicated and beautiful country. Leni takes a refreshing “progressive” attitude towards topics most Brazilians avoid – slavery, inequality, and colonialism, among others, but in a friendly, non-polemic way.”

Website | iTunes | Spotify

top-13-portuguese-podcasts-for-learners--brazilian--european-portuguese-mosalingua🇧🇷 Brazilian Portuguese Pod

Another Portuguese podcast site with explanations in English, Brazilian Portuguese Pod had about 100 episodes hosted by a Brazilian named Andrea Barbosa before it switched hands. Andrea always started his episodes doing something fun, like rapping or singing! Luckily, you can still listen to archives of the episodes with Andrea.

Now, it is run by Really Learn Portuguese. The new hosts, Guilherme and Emílio, do a great job as well! Episodes feature either a weekly expression or snippet of a real Brazilian conversation.

Website | iTunes | Google Podcasts

podcast falar portugues brasileiro logo🇧🇷 Falar Português Brasileiro

Juliana, the host of Falar Português Brasileiro, does an excellent job of pulling intermediate and advanced listeners into her podcast about the Brazilian Portuguese language and culture. She speaks extremely clearly but you won’t feel as though she is talking to you like a child.

This is one of the best Portuguese podcasts, with transcripts and key vocabulary available for purchase on the Falar Português Brasileiro website.

Website | iTunes | Spotify

 

Brazilian Portuguese Podcasts: Advanced

Advanced Portuguese learners should opt for content designed for native speakers, on any topics they enjoy learning about. Podcasts are a wonderful way to develop specialized vocabulary and hear how people really speak.

top-13-portuguese-podcasts-for-learners--brazilian--european-portuguese-mosalingua🇧🇷 Cafe Brasil

If you have reached an advanced level in Brazilian Portuguese, listening to audio content designed for native speakers is your best bet. Café Brasil has something for everyone—film, TV, education, science, and more. Everything is in Portuguese, because it’s a podcast created by and for Brazilians!

Website | iTunes | Spotify

top-13-portuguese-podcasts-for-learners--brazilian--european-portuguese-mosalingua🇧🇷 Escriba Cafe

This is without a doubt the best Portuguese history podcast out there at the moment. Christian Gurtner is an excellent storyteller, and the way he approaches historical topics like the Salem Witch Trials and mysteries of the universe such as the Bermuda triangle is both enlightening and engaging. Everything from the research to the production is top-notch.

Website | iTunes | Spotify

 

The Best Podcasts for Learning European Portuguese: Beginner

We teach Brazilian Portuguese here at MosaLingua, but if you are planning to spend time in Portugal or have family or friends there that you would like to communicate with, it may be in your best interest to learn the European version. Here are a few of the best European Portuguese podcasts.

top-13-portuguese-podcasts-for-learners--brazilian--european-portuguese-mosalingua🇵🇹 Um Minuto de Ciência Por Dia Não Sabes o Bem Que Te Fazia

This fun Portuguese science podcast is for kids and grown-ups—especially grown-ups who are just starting to learn Portuguese—alike! Children send in questions about all sorts of topics in science, and in each episode, in one minute or less a scientist from the Pavilhão do Conhecimento science museum in Lisbon answers it.

Start each day with a super quick listening exercise and learn things like why people snore, why ducklings swim in a row behind their mother, and why we have eyebrows!

Website | iTunes | Spotify

Practice Portuguese Podcast🇵🇹 Practice Portuguese Podcast

For those just beginning to learn European Portuguese, here’s an excellent podcast that focuses on a different topic in each episode. You could consider this a “slow Portuguese podcast” because the hosts speak at a good pace for beginners. Plus, it’s one of the few Portuguese podcasts with transcripts available for free, if you’d like to follow along with the text or double-check your understanding. For each episode, they give you a list of important words and expressions, so you can keep an ear out for them.

Practice Portuguese Podcast also produces something called “shorties.” These bite-sized clips are perfect for true beginners since listening practice can be very tiring when you’re just starting out!

WebsiteiTunes | Spotify

 

Intermediate European Portuguese Podcasts

top-13-portuguese-podcasts-for-learners--brazilian--european-portuguese-mosalingua🇵🇹 Rádio e Televisão de Portugal — RTP Play

RTP is a Portuguese public radio and television channel. This website is a super rich resource for free podcasts in Portuguese. The site also broadcasts programs from the other channels under the RTP umbrella. Sort the many podcasts by topic (music, humor, sports, etc.) and pick one that looks interesting. Some podcasts have over 10,000 episodes, so you’ll have plenty of content to enjoy!

The only downside is that they aren’t categorized by level since they are mostly destined for native speakers, but intermediate learners should be able to handle nearly anything produced by RTP. You can also download the app, RTP Play, to listen to podcasts, radio, and watch television for free.

Website

 

Advanced European Portuguese Podcasts

top-13-portuguese-podcasts-for-learners--brazilian--european-portuguese-mosalingua🇵🇹 Expresso

To stay up to date with current events and practice your language skills at the same time, check out a Portuguese news podcast. The weekly newspaper Expresso produces many different excellent news podcasts in Portuguese consisting of interviews and reports about current events, culture, art, and history. Browse the site and listen to an episode that piques your interest! Since this content is aimed at native speakers, it is best for advanced Portuguese learners.

Website (lots of choice) | Spotify (news only)

o chef é que sabe portuguese podcast logo🇵🇹 O Chef é Que Sabe

Are you a foodie? Do you love learning about world cuisines and what people from different cultures eat? Perhaps you are a chef yourself! O Chef é Que Sabe is a podcast hosted by Portuguese chef Tiago Emanuel Santos. In each episode, he explores a different topic, from edible flowers, to vinegar, to the delicacy that is… testicles. We particularly liked the “Tour of Portugal” mini-series that you can find in this show’s archives. It’s an interesting podcast that you won’t want to miss if cooking is one of your passions!

iTunes | Spotify

top-13-portuguese-podcasts-for-learners--brazilian--european-portuguese-mosalingua🇵🇹 Fricção Científica

If the topics in Um Minuto de Ciência Por Dia Não Sabes o Bem Que Te Fazia seem a bit too simple, and you’re fluent or nearly fluent in Portuguese, try Fricção Científica instead. It’s another podcast with 1- to 2-minute episodes, which deal with issues in science and technology. Host Isilda Sanches tackles popular questions as well as new research and developments in these fields.

iTunes | Spotify

 

How to Get the Most Out of Portuguese Podcasts

Maybe you already listen to podcasts on a daily basis. Or maybe you’ve never listened to a podcast in your life, but you’re interested in expanding your language-learning possibilities! If you’re new to this audio format and are feeling a little overwhelmed, here are a few tips about learning Portuguese with podcasts and making podcasts part of your daily language routine.

Where to listen to Portuguese learning podcasts

You can listen to podcasts on any internet-compatible device, like a smartphone, tablet, or computer. Many can also be downloaded, if you’d like to listen on a train, plane, or somewhere else that you don’t have access to Wifi. Needless to say, they’re incredibly practical! There are Portuguese learning podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and anywhere else you get your podcasts.

We all have downtime during the day, so make the most of it by stimulating your brain and learning a new language. You can listen to a podcast in Portuguese while:

  • working out
  • doing housework
  • commuting on public transportation or in the car
  • waiting in line at the bank or grocery store
  • gardening, cooking, or doing handiwork
  • waiting in between meetings or appointments

I think you get the idea. Essentially, you can listen to a podcast during your free time, or while doing any activity that keeps your hands busy but your ears and brain free! With podcasts, you’ll never feel like you’re wasting your time.

Can you learn languages from podcasts?

Yes, yes yes! Podcasts have tons of vocabulary. They are a fun way to practice listening comprehension. Plus, they can even give you a topic of conversation for your next chat with a conversation partner, if you’re running short on ideas.

It’s easy to incorporate podcasts into your daily routine. Just pick one you like (we’ve given you a great head start!) and dedicate a few minutes a day to make it a new habit.

As a best practice, we recommend that learners listen to an episode at least once without the transcript (if there is one), to really work those listening comprehension skills. Then, feel free to go back to passages you may not have fully understood and use the text for help.

Listening to podcasts is primarily a leisure activity, so it shouldn’t ever be tedious or frustrating. Don’t be afraid to move on to a different podcast if you don’t like the host, topic, or pace.

 

Next Steps…

If you know of another high-quality podcast to learn Portuguese with, let us know about it in the comments! In the meantime, we think you’ll love these other articles about Portuguese listening comprehension: