19+ Best Russian Podcasts to Learn Russian in 2024 (Sharing My Personal Experience)

Learning Russian? Here is a tip: check out some interesting Russian podcasts. Podcasts have become a way to gain huge knowledge. Whether you want to learn the basics or develop some cultural knowledge, podcasts do a really good job. In fact, when my friend and I were learning Russian, they helped us a lot. But choosing them was a big task for us. Of course, I don’t want you to feel that burden. Therefore, I am sharing the Russian podcasts to learn Russian that we used in our whole journey.

List of Russian Podcasts to Learn Russian

Choosing a good podcast is extremely important. When I searched for the podcast, it was difficult for me to select the right one. Further, I have mentioned the podcasts that I used and still using to better my conversational skills-

1. Fluentil (Level: Beginner)

(Available: Offical Website)

Many courses are created in podcast style and Fluentli is one of them. It is a very short audio-based course that has 17 podcast lessons which is for absolute beginners. Although it is not an updated course, it is definitely a perfect place to get some basic knowledge. It also uses little English, and each episode builds up the lessons and comes with a new lesson. Also, it is absolutely free. So, it can be a perfect way to start the Russian learning Journey. 

2. Russian for cats (Level: Beginner)

(Available: Apple, Spotify, Offical Website)

Don’t get confused by its name. Of course, it is created for humans but is hosted by a cat character named Nadia. There are two seasons of it which ended in 2020. The first season is mostly in English with few Russian phrases. It is really an easy podcast and is also scripted. As a beginner, I regretted why I didn’t make it my first choice. Thus, I have mentioned it at the top of the list. Each episode has a fun story to make you engage with the content.

3. One Minute Russian (Level: Beginner)

(Available: Youtube, Coffee Break Accademy)

Don’t get confused by the name of the podcast. Of Course, the duration is short but not 1 minute. The maximum duration for a single episode is 4 minutes. In total, you get 10 episodes, each of which helps in learning the basics of the language from counting to basic greetings. Undoubtedly, with just 10 lessons there is no way to become fluent in the language. But it is definitely the best way to learn the basics. However, unlike other podcasts coming up in this guide, this podcast is $10 USD. 

4. Russian Made Easy (Level: Beginner)

(Available: Apple, Youtube, Spotify, Offical Website)

You must have got an idea of what the podcast will be about. Yes, it makes learning Russian easier. There are beginner-level podcasts that cover all the basics of the language. They mainly focus on basic conversation and phrases. The best part of this podcast is that it can be downloaded. It also has a transcript to understand what is going on in the podcast and can be downloaded. Each episode is divided into different topics. 

5. RussianPod101(Level: Beginner and intermediate)

(Available: Apple, Youtube, Spotify, Offical Website, Soundcloud, Podbean)

Have you heard about SpanishPod101? JapanesePod101? FrenchPod101? If yes, let me tell you, all of them are part of the Pod101 series. The same is true for RussianPod101. RussianPod101 is also part of this series. The podcast is further divided into different levels including beginners to advanced level. However, they are best for beginners and intermediate learners. Although the general focus of this podcast is to have a lot of listening practice, there is great coverage of grammar and cultural insights. I personally enjoyed it a lot. 

6. Russian Word of the Day with Kira (Level: Beginner)

(Available: Apple, Youtube, Spotify, Podbean)

Everyone knows that the pronunciation of the Russian language is far way different from English. In Fact, the writing style is also different. In such a case, it becomes hard to learn the word. As a beginner, this podcast helped me a lot. There was a particular word for each podcast and the whole episode revolved around it. They are only 2- 3 minutes long and are perfect to teach you the word. Honestly, I enjoyed it a lot. The surprising thing, I found was there is also a YouTube video with each of the episodes. If you want visual assistance, check them, out. 

7. Be fluent in Russian (For all learners)

(Available: YouTube, Spotify, Offical Website)

From the name itself, you can understand that the podcast is developed to become fluent in it. There are different aspects on which it is divided. In some episodes, there are only phrases and in others, there are explanations of the language. There is also a YouTube channel for this podcast. The host also covers tips on how to improve pronunciation and other related concepts. It is the best way to understand the language properly.

8. Slow Russian (Level: Beginner)

(Available: Apple, Youtube, Spotify, Podbean)

The name of the podcast shows how it will work. In this podcast, the host Daria Molchanova reads the short articles slowly. The slow pace makes it easy for me to understand the language. The topic for each episode is different. One may be crime-based, whereas others may be based on superstitious facts. At present, there are 80 episodes in it, which are 20 minutes each. All of them are further broken down into various idioms, vocabulary, and grammar.

9. Russian Learning Accelerator  (Level: Beginner)

(Available: Apple, Spotify, Offical Website)

What is the best way to learn a language? By hearing the huge amount of it. Russian Learning Accelerator is a podcast that does the same job for you. Multiple Russian phrases are presented with English translations. The reason why I prefer it is because of the availability of these translations. As I only have to listen, I can do that while doing my house chores. Being a beginner this was the perfect choice to complement my language learning. 

10. A spoonful of Russian (Level: Beginner and Intermediate)

(Available: Apple, Offical Website, PlayerFM, Podbean)

Important: The podcast has not been updated for a few years. 

Despite not being updated in previous years, this podcast could teach you a lot. Why am I saying so? This podcast was the one that my friend used a lot. In the beginning, it taught Russian greetings and gradually moved to learn to pronounce vowel sounds. There are also cultural insights that help to know more about Russia. In short, it will improve your Russian language by giving you cultural insights.

11. In Russian from Afar (Level: Intermediate)

(Available: Apple, Youtube, Spotify, Patreon, Podbean)

The host, Afar is not a professional teacher but has a lot of experience in teaching the Russian language. The main aim of him was to help the students learn it. He uses Comprehensible Input (CI) and TRPS, which are natural ways to teach the language. Earlier, he started creating learning videos but gradually turned it into a storytelling format. There are also tips-related podcasts that help in learn Russian easily. I would suggest you start watching this YouTube Channel once you understand the basics. 

12. Business Russian Podcast

(Available: Apple)

Planning to work with a company based in Russia? Business Russian Podcast is a perfect choice for you. All the podcasts are in Russian language, which can be tough for beginners. There is also a PDF transcript that follows along. Each episode includes cultural knowledge in the Russian language. You will get to know the company structure, Corporate finance, etc. in the Russian language. If you are traveling just for fun and there is no chance of doing a job in Russia, it may not be that useful. 

13. The Word’s worth (Level: Advanced)

(Available: Apple, Spotify, PlayerFM, Podbean)

Are you a person who doesn’t find interest in listening to podcasts? If yes, I am here with a solution. The word’s worth it is the podcast that provides humourous episodes. These episodes will make your learning fun. All the episodes are created to provide you with vocabulary knowledge with a funny side to it. If you have completed intermediate learning, you must try these podcasts.

14. Russian with Max (Level: Intermediate)

(Available: Apple, Youtube, Spotify, Offical Website, Patreon, PlayerFM, Podbean)

The podcast host is Max, who wants to teach the learners to learn by listening by giving them interesting content. He clearly pronounces the words and speaks slowly to help the learners learn the language. In each episode, I found unique examples and synonyms of the words being taught to you. If you took the subscription, there is a transcript for each episode. Are you planning to go to Russia? If yes. Then the episode – traveling in Russia without money will be loved by you. Also, if you want to explore some exciting facts, you can check the dark side of Russian Literature. 

15. Russian Podcast (for all types of learners)

(Available: Spotify, Offical Website)

What is a better way than to study from a teacher itself? This podcast has been started by Tatiana Klimova. She is a teacher of both Russian and French language. It was started in 2009 and since then the website has been growing. There is also a paid version of it. However, remember, to use it when you are done with the basics and the writing style of it. The reason behind it is that this website is all in Russian language.

If you are not on a budget, you can also think of using the paid version of the platform. With the paid version, you get access to transcripts, regular online meetings, and a private Facebook discussion group. But if you are using the free version, you only get the podcasts. The new podcasts are released every five days.

16. News in Slow Russian (Level: Intermediate)

(Available: Podcast app)

Remember my Japanese Podcasts? There was a podcast – News in Slow Japanese. This is part of the same series but in Russian. There are more than 500 episodes based on different topics. Some topics covered in this podcast are – 

• Animals
• Nature
• Science
• Technology 

Important: The podcast has not been updated for a few years. 

17. Very much Russian (Level: Advanced)

(Available: Apple, Offical Website, PlayerFM)

Listening to exact pronunciation is extremely important while learning the language. This is what this podcast does. Unlike other podcasts, it made me understand the pronunciation with more slang and idiomatic expressions. The best part of this podcast for me was the discussion of Food and Drink. Just a foodie thing. LOL. If you are a politics lover, you may also love it. Another thing that attracted me the most was the availability of the transcript, which was too free.

18. Arzamas (Level: Advanced)

(Available: Apple, Spotify, Offical Website, Soundcloud)

Many podcasts are not specifically designed to teach the language but can help it a lot. Arzamas is one of them. It is specifically designed for history lovers. When I learned the language properly, all I wanted to do was practice the language. This was the time, I looked for some advanced-level podcasts and eventually landed Arzamas. I really enjoyed this podcast as it helped me understand the culture of it. If you are interested in knowing Russian literature or its history, go on with it. 

19. Ракета: Simple Russian (Level: Advanced)

(Available: Apple, Youtube, Spotify, Offical Website, Patreon, PlayerFM, Podbean)

Despite being Simple in name, it is still for advanced-level learners. Want to know why? It’s because there is no English at all. The host of the podcast talks randomly on any topic. It can be clothing, hobbies, future plans, etc. All the episodes are short and straightforward. You can quickly test your skills which are not that advanced. If you are stuck at a movement, take the help of the transcript.

20. PostНауки (Level: Advanced)

(Available: Apple, Spotify, Offical Website)

The name of the podcast means PostScience. From the name itself, it is understood that this podcast is all about Science and Technology. If you are a science lover, I am sure you will enjoy it. Again it is not specifically designed for learning a language, but helps a lot in it. Here, you will engage with complex content and increase your vocabulary knowledge. 

Conclusion

Podcasts are a great way to understand how native speakers talk. When I was learning the Russian language, there were Russian podcasts on my journey. Each podcast has its own unique style. Some are designed for beginners, and others are designed for advanced learners. Here, in the list, I have mentioned all 20 podcasts that I kept my eyes on. I hope you will make the best decision when choosing between them.

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