8 Best Spanish Radio Stations to Learn Spanish While Listening

Learning Spanish is a great journey and thanks to new technological advancements, you can learn Spanish basically anywhere, anytime. You can watch the best Spanish TV shows on Netflix, listen to free Spanish podcasts or even learn Spanish while driving.

Another way to immerse yourself in the language is to listen to it through the best Spanish radio stations! In this blog post, we listed the 8 best Spanish radio stations you can listen to while you’re at home or working or gardening etc.

Still not making progress in your language learning journey? Spring Spanish (a project I co-founded) made a great video on how you can pass through these barriers:

And now, let’s check the best Spanish radio stations!

Best Spanish radio stations for news and talk shows

1. Cadena SER

• Broadcast: News, talk shows, sports.
• Popular Shows: “Hora 25” – evening news; “Carrusel Deportivo” – sports.

Cadena SER is one of Spain’s most prominent radio stations, well-known for its comprehensive coverage of news and current events.

It broadcasts programs ranging from political discussions to sports commentary. The station is an excellent resource for learning both formal and informal Spanish. Popular shows like “Hora 25” offer in-depth evening news coverage, while “Carrusel Deportivo” is a favorite for its dynamic sports commentary.

The language used in these shows can help you understand both conversational and formal Spanish.

2. Radio Nacional de España (RNE)

• Broadcast: News, cultural shows, music.
• Popular Shows: “Las Mañanas de RNE” – morning news; “El Ojo Crítico” – culture.

Radio Nacional de España (RNE) is the national public radio service of Spain. It has news broadcasts, cultural shows, and music segments.

Because it’s a public station, RNE tends to use clear and formal Spanish, and this makes it an excellent choice for Spanish learners.

Popular programs like “Las Mañanas de RNE” provide comprehensive morning news updates, while “El Ojo Crítico” is about cultural discussions, reviewing books, movies, and other artistic works. The range of content on RNE can help you gain exposure to both news-related vocabulary and cultural terminologies.

Best Spanish-speaking radio broadcasts for music and entertainment

3. Los 40

• Broadcast: Contemporary music hits.
• Popular Shows: “Anda Ya!” – morning show; “Del 40 al 1” – music chart.

Los 40 is a well-known music radio station that plays contemporary hits. You can pick up modern Spanish slang with it.

The station has a lively mix of the latest chart-topping songs, which can be an entertaining way to immerse yourself in Spanish.

Programs like “Anda Ya!” feature humorous and energetic morning shows, filled with casual conversations and jokes, while “Del 40 al 1” is the go-to for the weekly music chart countdown.

4. Cadena Dial

• Broadcast: Spanish and Latin American pop music.
• Popular Shows: “Atrévete” – morning show; “Dial Tal Cual” – music hits.

Cadena Dial focuses on Spanish and Latin American pop music, giving a rich resource for those interested in different Spanish dialects and Spanish accents.

The station is all about music in the Spanish language, making it good for you to practice your listening skills through songs.

Shows like “Atrévete,” a morning show filled with fun segments and listener interactions, and “Dial Tal Cual,” which highlights music hits. This station’s focus on music makes sure that you are exposed to an informal vocabulary and expressions.

Language learning with culture and education radio in Spanish

5. Radio 3 (RNE)

• Broadcast: Music, literature, arts.
• Popular Shows: “El Séptimo Vicio” – cinema; “Siglo 21” – electronic music.

Radio 3 is a cultural gem within the RNE network, specializing in programs that explore music, literature, and the arts.

This station is ideal for you if you wish to develop a more sophisticated vocabulary and have cultural insights. Programs like “El Séptimo Vicio” discuss cinema in depth, while “Siglo 21” focuses on contemporary and electronic music.

Radio 3’s content can introduce you to topic-specific terminology.

6. Radio Exterior de España

• Broadcast: News, cultural programs for international listeners.
• Popular Shows: “Punto de Enlace” – Spanish culture; “Españoles en la Mar” – maritime.

Radio Exterior de España aims to reach international audiences with its broadcasts.

The station offers a mix of news and cultural programs. It’s often delivered in slower and clearer Spanish.

Shows like “Punto de Enlace” explore Spanish culture and current events, while “Españoles en la Mar” focuses on maritime affairs.

This emphasis on clear communication and cultural context makes Radio Exterior de España a valuable resource for learners at different levels.

Best regional radio stations

7. Catalunya Ràdio

• Broadcast: Programs in Catalan and Spanish.
• Popular Shows: “El Matí de Catalunya Ràdio” – morning news; “Tot Costa” – sports.

Catalunya Ràdio has a unique blend of programs in both Catalan and Spanish. It gives you an insightful look for Spanish vs Catalan.

The station’s programming includes news, talk shows, and cultural shows.

Popular shows such as “El Matí de Catalunya Ràdio” provide morning news updates, while “Tot Costa” offers sports commentary.

This dual-language approach can be particularly useful if you’re looking to understand not just Spanish but also Catalan.

8. Onda Cero

• Broadcast: News, talk shows, entertainment.
• Popular Shows: “Más de Uno” – morning show; “La Brujula” – evening news.

Onda Cero is a major commercial radio network that features a wide variety of programming, including news, talk shows, and entertainment.

Its content is designed to cater to a broad audience.

“Más de Uno” has comprehensive morning shows with news, interviews, and commentary, and “La Brujula” has evening news analysis.

Tips for using popular Spanish radio stations to learn Spanish with Conversation Based Chunking

The first step to learn Spanish with radio stations is to visit these radios, download their apps from the given stores. After that, you can move on with other steps.

Because listening isn’t enough alone. You have to put in active listening: try to understand as much as you can, note down new words and phrases to look up later.

You can even repeat phrases to mimic Spanish pronunciation and intonation of native speakers. The best use case for this is to switch between different types of programs (news, music, talk shows) to expose yourself to different language norms.

And what more? Engage with the language with Conversation Based Chunking. It’s a method that you can totally use with listening to the radio. You immerse yourself in the language, look out for lexical chunks and use them yourself – just like natives do it!

Make listening to Spanish radio stations a daily habit – even if it’s just for a short period!