The Warum Nicht series goes from level A1 to B1, or from basic to lower intermediate. It follows the adventures of a journalism student in Germany in search of a mysterious ex-girlfriend.
Warum Nicht introduces grammar points and vocabulary in carefully structured PDF files. Dialogue transcriptions and practice exercises with English language instructions are also available. There are four parts to the series. For the intermediate level, you should begin with part 3. Simple and entertaining, with lots of learning points, the Deutsche Welle podcasts are top-notch.
This is also a Deutsche Welle creation. It’s different from Warum Nicht in that it includes no explanations or commentary in English. The podcasts portray colorful scenes of everyday life in Austria and Germany. The topics are fun and relatable, and the production is flawless. PDF files with full transcriptions of each episode are conveniently available.
Also from Deutsche Welle, this is a fantastic business German podcast for the upper intermediate level. If you need German for your job or are planning to start doing business with Germany, this is your go-to podcast.
Each episode is a full thematic lesson. You can download both the lesson PDF and the full transcription of the episode. I especially love the exercises, which are dynamic, with visually attractive layouts as opposed to long strings of text with no graphic differentiation.
If you’re looking for a great immersion podcast with no English language introductions, yet which is still geared towards language learners, LingQ will be your favorite. Each episode has a theme; from pets to books and camping trips, LingQ has it all. The native German hosts speak in a conversational tone that’s great for jumping right into real-life German.
While all the episodes are free to download via iTunes, transcripts and exercises require signup. A free signup has certain limitations, and there are two different paid options starting at $10 per month. But if you just want to train your ear listening to some cool intermediate podcasts, it will cost you nothing, which is not bad at all.
As its name indicates, this is a podcast where native German speakers speak slowly. Transcripts are also available, which makes it super easy to follow.
Presenting interesting topics like German films, German autos or the Berlin Wall, this is a truly accessible podcast for any intermediate learner. You will need a paid subscription if you want to access additional learning materials for each episode.
Annik Rubens, the podcast guru who created Slow German, was also the brain behind the popular Schlaflos in München. I was planning to include the latter on this list, but it’s sadly no longer available for listening online. If you did download some episodes before it disappeared, you are among the lucky ones who can still enjoy it.
Advantages of Learning Intermediate German with Podcasts
Whether you are learning German on your own or following a formal course, podcasts offer a wide array of unbeatable advantages.
Skill training. Listening requires different skills than watching videos, offering great training for oral communication.
They are free. While the Internet offers some paid audio content, consumers are not used to paying for podcasts. Even paid publications for which you need a subscription often offer free podcasts. This trend has made hundreds of free intermediate German podcasts readily available for learners.
Enlightenment. With podcasts, you can learn more than the language. You can look for podcasts on topics that interest you in order to learn more about them. This will enhance both motivation and the perceived benefits of following certain podcasts.
Over the years, I have developed a few tricks to maximize my use of podcasts in language learning. While everyone is different, and you may come up with your own, here are some ideas to get you inspired.
Be an active user. Podcasts may make you feel a bit like a passive user. To put the vocabulary and grammar you are learning into practice, you can try to engage in forums, make comments and respond to the podcast’s content. This can be a great way to practice by interacting naturally with native speakers and other language learners.
Prepare before listening. Sometimes, when I’m getting ready to listen to a podcast that seems way off my league, I look at some vocabulary lists to get ready. Alternatively, you can listen to a podcast in your native language on a similar topic. This technique helps you get more out of a podcast with difficult or unknown language than you normally would.
Make it fun. If you choose too many “heavy” podcasts in a row, you can lose your motivation. Try to find light, fun podcasts with accessible language to listen to in between the hard stuff.
Record yourself. Record yourself using new words and phrases in your own sentences. This will help memorization and keep you on “active mode.”
Podcasts are a fabulous tool. You can learn anywhere, anytime and at your own pace. If you are not in “learning mode,” you can just listen to them for fun.
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