Очень по-русски (Very in Russian) is for upper-intermediate and advanced Russian learners.
This podcast offers thematic episodes on a wide variety of topics. Each episode shares slang, idioms and colloquialisms that are common in Russian but not as common in textbooks.
You can listen to the podcasts on the site or download the MP3s. Each podcast has a corresponding transcript complete with English translations. There’s also an accompanying vocabulary list with each podcast; this is a great way to study notable words and phrases more.
All the podcasts are available for free through the site, but you can also buy additional, affordably-priced, downloadable audio materials. You can subscribe via RSS, iTunes or email.
With over 200 podcasts, Russian Podcast offers great lessons for beginning through advanced learners.
Beginning learners can learn helpful information like common questions, while advanced learners will benefit from very specific vocabulary and lessons, such as psychotherapy-related podcasts. While most of the material is conversational, there are also a number of songs included, so the podcasts are varied and entertaining.
Each podcast comes with a helpful PDF that contains the recorded conversation. For beginning- and intermediate-level podcasts, the PDF also contains word lists with English translations to help you study. In the more advanced podcasts, the words are defined in Russian. You can download the lessons or listen on the site.
The podcasts are free, but you can also sign up for Skype-based Russian lessons here at a charge.
RussianPod101 is a comprehensive resource suitable for learners of all levels. It offers thousands of podcast-style lessons, from beginner to advanced, covering various aspects of the language.
Each episode is designed to be engaging, practical, and suitable for self-study.
With downloadable lessons, transcripts, and an interactive learning platform, RussianPod101 is your one-stop-shop for learning the Russian language.
These humorous episodes delve deep into the world of Russian words and phrases, unraveling their meanings, origins, and usage.
By understanding the fascinating stories behind the words, you’ll not only improve your vocabulary but also gain insight into Russian culture and history.
ПостНауки (PostScience) may not be exclusively a language-learning podcast, but it’s a goldmine for those interested in exploring the Russian language in an intellectual context.
This podcast delves into fascinating topics in science, technology, and culture, all presented in Russian.
It’s a fantastic resource for advanced learners who want to engage with complex subject matter and expand their vocabulary.
Why Listen to Russian Podcasts?
They offer practical listening skills. If you don’t listen to spoken Russian often, you’ll struggle to understand spoken words; this is true even if you can read and write Russian flawlessly. Listening is an entirely different skill. And listening to podcasts will help you hone that skill. This is especially true since podcasts often simulate actual conversations.
Russian podcasts are often conducted by native speakers. Listening to native speakers will help you improve your accent, pronunciation and ability to understand real Russian. It’s the same reason why language services like FluentU base the entire program on native media.
FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.
You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.
Podcasts are episodic and usually short. This means you can focus on specific themes without worrying about having to put forth too much of a time commitment. This makes it easy to pick and choose what you want to learn about and fit it into whatever time you have available.
How to Get the Most out of Russian Podcasts
Study accompanying guides. Many podcasts have accompanying printed guides you can use to aid your learning. Studying them will improve your reading skills and make listening easier at the same time.
Listen often. Whether listening to new podcasts or the same podcast time and again, the more you listen, the more you’ll learn. Remember: Repetition is the key to learning any language.
If a passage is confusing, play it back until you figure it out. Context clues are often key. Considering the focus of the podcast, what might a particular word mean? Forcing yourself to learn from context will help you develop problem-solving skills that can be applied later on to actual conversations.
So, if you want to earn a perfect 10 in Russian listening, give Russian podcasts a try!
If you want to learn Russian with authentic materials but need a little extra support, then let me tell you about FluentU.
FluentU lets you consume the same content as native Russian speakers, but with tools to make it easier to pick up the language while you watch. You’ll learn Russian as it’s actually spoken by real people, unlike programs that use scripted content.
You can bring our learning tools directly to YouTube or Netflix with the FluentU Chrome Extension, or check out our curated video library full of clips that cover a wide range of topics, as you can see here:
FluentU brings native videos within reach with interactive subtitles. You can hover over any word to instantly see its meaning, an image, and its audio pronunciation. Click on the word for additional examples and to add it to your flaschards.
To reinforce what you've learned, you'll complete engaging exercises and see more examples of the key words from the video. FluentU keeps track of the vocab you’re learning, and gives you extra practice with words you find challenging.
