Duolingo Spanish Podcast
True stories for English speakers learning Spanish. From the makers of Duolingo, the most popular language-learning app, comes a new podcast that delivers fascinating real-life stories in easy-to-understand Spanish with English narration. These are not language lessons; they’re life lessons through language. Hosted by Martina Castro, co-founder of NPR’s Radio Ambulante.
Episodes
Duo’s Film Club - Fresa y chocolate
For today’s episode, Duo’s Film Club has a cult classic from Cuba, Fresa y chocolate, which broke barriers in the world of cinema. It tells the story of two unlikely friends and sends a powerful message of acceptance and diversity, while showcasing Cuba’s amazing culture and the warmth of its people. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3UWB0g8.
Duo’s Film Club - Coco
Today Duo’s Film Club is featuring an animated film for the whole family. It’s Coco, a vibrant tale about traditions like el Día de los Muertos, mariachi music, and the importance of family. Join our host Martina Castro and guest Mauricio García as we explore this Oscar-winning treasure of Mexican culture. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/49OyaxX.
Duo’s Film Club - Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios
It’s impossible to talk about Spanish-language movies and not talk about the one and only Pedro Almodóvar, the Spanish director and icon of cinema. So, for today’s session of Duo’s Film Club, we’re going to introduce you to Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios, a screwball comedy that takes us inside Almodóvar’s dramatic and colorful universe. A transcript of this episode is available at
Duo’s Film Club - Como agua para chocolate
Today's film has all the makings of a classic Mexican telenovela: forbidden love, revolution, delicious food, and a dash of magical realism. Como agua para chocolate is a treasure of Mexican cinema that pays homage to the country’s rich cuisine and culture. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/49wMU4F.
Duo’s Film Club - Wild Tales
Duo’s Film Club goes to Argentina for Relatos salvajes, a thought-provoking dark comedy. With a stellar cast and biting social commentary, the movie explores human behavior when it’s pushed to its limits and showcases Argentina’s unique humor and culture. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/48XZXMj.
Duo’s Film Club - El laberinto del fauno
We asked and you answered! The Duo fanbase has spoken and chosen El laberinto del fauno as the winner of our first movie selection. Join our host, Martina Castro, and movie critic, Ana Laura Pérez Flores, as they delve into this masterpiece of Spanish-language cinema! A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3OgYVCX.
Trailer Season 20
The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back with an all new season starting on January 25th! We’re headed to the movies with Duo’s Film Club. With critics as our guides, we’re exploring six of the most iconic films from the Spanish-speaking world. Listen to the trailer now!
Una rana llamada Romeo (A Frog Named Romeo) - Revisited
A Bolivian biologist studies a lone frog named Romeo, who's in danger of extinction — until she makes him a dating profile and starts an international fundraising campaign to find his Juliet and save the species. A transcript of this episode is available at https://podcast.duolingo.com/episode-145-una-rana-llamada-romeo-a-frog-named-romeo-revisited.
El perro que protestó (The Dog Who Protested) - Revisited
María Campos falls in love with a stray dog who has a knack for leading protests — and becomes a global symbol of unity and strength in Chile's historic social uprising. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3tgFPpc.
Climate Heroes - Protecting Bears in Bolivia - Revisited
A Bolivian scientist sets out to study a species of bears critically endangered by drought and loss of habitat. Along the way, she shows the local community how helping the bears can protect their livelihood and the forest against climate change. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3NeCca4.
El ciclista nómada (The Bike Nomad) - Revisited
Ever since he was a kid, Rafa Millan-Garcia got through tough times by getting on his bike and pedaling alone for miles. But after one very long bike ride took him 1,700 miles from his home in Mexico City to Colorado, this nomad found a community that he never wanted to leave. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3N8eOef.
El toreo de hoy (Bullfighting of Today) - Revisited
Juan Pablo grew up fascinated with bullfighting, a tradition in his home country of Spain. But when he discovers recorte — the art of bull dodging — he sees it as a thrilling, more humane alternative. He throws himself into the dangerous sport, risking his life every time he faces a bull. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/40PKwml.
Mexico City - Perros de La Condesa - Revisited
Photographer Aldo Gracia shows us why the leafy, relaxed enclave of La Condesa has become the canine capital of Mexico City. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3SJQhjf.
Washington y George en las Islas Galápagos (Washington & George in the Galápagos) - Revisited
The giant Galápagos tortoise is one of the most endangered animals in the world, and Lonesome George was the last of his particular species when he met conservationist Washington Tapia. They would go on to develop a bond that would inspire Washington to dedicate his life to protecting the tortoises of the Galápagos. A transcript of this episode is available at podcast.duolingo.com.
Piji y yo - Revisited
In Perú, writer Marco Avilés and his dog Piji were inseparable. But when Marco decided they should pursue better lives in the United States, and Marco found himself working for a top chef, their bond and sense of adventure would be tested in ways he had never imagined. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3QGLYnz.
Trailer Season 19
November marks National Pet Awareness Month, a time to celebrate our furry and four-legged friends. The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is bringing back our favorite tales of these companions and their owners. Our new season kicks off on November 2nd! Listen to the trailer now!
Mi abuela la curandera (My Grandmother the Healer) - Revisited
As a child, Dr. Linda Valencia was fascinated by her grandmother, a traditional healer in Guatemala. But after choosing a different path and becoming a medical doctor, Linda realized that she could integrate the best parts of her grandmother's practices into modern medicine, in order to transform healthcare across Guatemala. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/42fEwT6.
Tejiendo un legado (Weaving a Legacy)
In El Salvador, waist loom weaving is a revered craft, historically undertaken by women — until Ronald Vega had to take over the job from his sick mother, becoming the first man in his family, and his country, to practice this ancestral technique. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3MKjZBs.
Una victoria en la cancha (A Victory on the Soccer Field) - Revisited
In May 2019, twenty Paraguayan soccer players traveled from their hometown to Asunción, the nation’s capital, to play the most important game of their lives. Led by their captain, José Elías Argaña, they were the first indigenous team to qualify to Paraguay’s national soccer league. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3BhJ8Nj.
Las mamás del río Amazonas (Mothers of the Amazon River) - Revisited
Dr. Magaly Blas trades the security of a city hospital job for a post in the Amazon, where she serves pregnant women who don't have access to modern healthcare. But when Magaly discovers that she, too, is pregnant, her work takes on a whole new level of meaning. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3Lz086z.
Las cholitas de hoy (Cholitas of Today)
A group of indigenous women from Bolivia go to great heights to show the world that mountaineering is for everyone — including cholitas who wear their traditional skirts and shawls with pride. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/449EAWr.
Rap originario (Indigenous Rap)
A young Mexican man discovers that he can use rap as a tool to help save his native language. But can he convince a new generation to love this new form of rap, too? A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3Al1v3e.
El paraíso del chef (The Chef’s Paradise)
Rodrigo Pacheco worked in some of the world's best restaurants, but he never truly felt like the chef he aspired to be until he found himself far from the culinary scene on the Ecuadorian coast. That's where his quest to build a 100% sustainable restaurant began. A transcript of this episode is available at http://bit.ly/3KZGHEV.
El héroe de libros (The Book Hero)
In 2013, a Peruvian photographer visits his parents’ village and unexpectedly becomes dedicated to improving literacy in rural Peru. A transcript of this episode is available at http://bit.ly/4385i17.
Trailer Season 18
The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back with new episodes starting April 6, 2023. Listen to the trailer now!
The Mystery of the Itata - El último viaje (The Final Voyage)
Ricardo Bordones and Carlos Cortés are caught in a huge storm and fear they may suffer the same fate as the passengers of the Vapor Itata. How much will they risk to find the sunken shipwreck? A transcript of this episode is available at podcast.duolingo.com.
The Mystery of the Itata - La búsqueda (The Search)
Carlos and Ricardo set out on a journey to find the remains of the Vapor Itata, a century after it sank. They receive an important tip about its location, which sends them to the high seas, where a storm gets in their way… A transcript of this episode is available at podcast.duolingo.com.
The Mystery of the Itata - Las secuelas (The Aftermath)
Following the sinking of the Vapor Itata, Jorge X and others make it to a beach near the coastal village of Los Choros. A transcript of this episode is available at http://bit.ly/3JSFj6X.
The Mystery of the Itata - El naufragio (The Shipwreck)
As a violent storm descends on the Vapor Itata, Jorge X realizes he and his fellow passengers are in great danger. A transcript of this episode is available at http://bit.ly/3Hc5lyK.
The Mystery of the Itata - El engaño (The Deception)
In this episode we’ll travel back to Chile in 1922 to witness the Vapor Itata’s last voyage. There, we’ll follow Jorge X, a journalist who was heading north to cover a story that would expose the injustices in his country. But all the while, a bigger story was unfolding…right aboard the ship. A transcript of this episode is available at http://bit.ly/3H1eryb.
The Mystery of the Itata - El libro perdido (The Lost Book)
Ricardo Bordones, a Chilean sociologist, discovers that a century ago, a ship sank off the coast of his country, taking over 500 lives with it. When Ricardo starts to investigate the shipwreck, he realizes that almost no one knows about it. So, together with his longtime friend and marine biologist, Carlos Cortés, Ricardo decides to embark on the adventure of a lifetime, to find the Vapor Itata&nb
Season 17 Trailer
The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back with a special season on Jan 12. Listen to the trailer now!
Mexico City - A comer…¡tacos!
In Mexico City, tacos run the gamut, from late night snack to haute cuisine. As a chef and food tour guide, Yimnah Rosas has tried them all and uses this iconic street food to reveal a deeper side of Mexican culture. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3TbVs8Y.
Mexico City - Paseando por La Roma
In 2005, Brenda Sánchez Freixanet moved to La Roma in Mexico City and fell in love with its charm and culture. But it was the neighborhood’s community and people that made her stay. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3EnnABz.
Mexico City - Tenochtitlán, una ciudad oculta
A writer and historian give us a tour of Mexico City’s centro histórico, the area connecting the city of today with the ancient city of Tenochtitlán. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3SKXTPx.
Mexico City - Perros de La Condesa
Photographer Aldo Gracia shows us why the leafy, relaxed enclave of La Condesa has become the canine capital of Mexico City. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3C0LpNW.
Mexico City - Mujeres muralistas
Feminist author Plaqueta takes us on a journey into the world of Mexico’s mighty muralistas, the women who shaped the nation’s identity through art. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3dhQgAS.
Trailer Season 16
The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back with a special season exploring Mexico City. It starts on September 15th. Listen to the trailer now!
Climate Heroes - Building Reservoirs in Peru
When the glaciers in Ayacucho, Peru started disappearing, intense water shortages made life in the region unsustainable. Until two sisters revived the ancient practice of building sacred water reservoirs in the mountains. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3S9Xt5y.
Climate Heroes - Protecting Bears in Bolivia
A Bolivian scientist sets out to study a species of bears critically endangered by drought and loss of habitat. Along the way, she shows the local community how helping the bears can protect their livelihood and the forest against climate change. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3ohWr9Z.
Climate Heroes - Harnessing Solar Energy in Puerto Rico
After Hurricane Maria knocked out power on Puerto Rico for months, Ada Ramona Miranda Alvarado worked to protect communities on the island against future outages, using solar power. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3OjofW2.
Climate Heroes - Harvesting Rain in Mexico
Industrial designer Enrique Lomnitz wanted to use his creativity for good. When he learned that climate change was making water scarcity even worse for Mexico City’s low income residents, he tried to harness a natural resource: rain. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3PhQzZX.
Climate Heroes - Marching for Change in Argentina
A young Argentinian is inspired by Greta Thunberg to create one of Argentina’s most influential environmental organizations. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3yxSweY.
Climate Heroes - Preserving the Forest in Peru
When Julio Cusurichi saw loggers push deeper and deeper into the Amazon, he realized they threatened both the fragile rainforest and the traditional way of life for Indigenous communities in Peru. So he decided to make it his life's work to protect Indigenous lands and rights. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3tVN7f8.
Climate Heroes - Biking in Spain
When primary school teacher Helena Vilardell’s students told her they wanted to ride their bikes to school, she came up with the idea of the “bicibús.” It quickly took off as a movement to take back the streets, helping create a cleaner environment and better future. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3b6AA1N.
Climate Heroes - Saving Food in Uruguay
A college student in Uruguay finds a way to salvage food that would otherwise be thrown away. With the help of friends, he manages to not only provide healthier food options for vulnerable communities, but also fight climate change. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3MJSx3G.
Trailer Season 15
The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back for a special season, with new episodes on June 9th. Listen to the trailer now!
Costumbres - Casitas in the Bronx
Leonor Torres finds a sense of community and a way to preserve customs from Puerto Rico at El Flamboyan garden and its casita in the Bronx, but it almost gets destroyed. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3K3yUC0.
Costumbres - Chapitas in Venezuela
Growing up in Venezuela, Gyorgy Aponte played a makeshift version of baseball, “chapitas,” using bottle caps and a broom. With his family and baseball buddies dispersed around the world, he decides to pass on the custom to his son in Canada. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/37m6vKs.
Costumbres - La once in Chile
Journalist Kalú Downey and her friend worried that Chilean teatime known as “la once” was fading, so they launched a social media project to celebrate it, only to discover deeper meanings behind the custom. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3v3ZIMX.
Costumbres - Quinceañeras in the U.S.
As the daughter of recent immigrants from Ecuador, Francis Gortaire didn’t get to have a traditional quinceañera when she turned 15. But, for her 30th birthday, she decided to host the quinceañera she never had and shared an important announcement with her community. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3x8n1bc.
Costumbres - Piñatas in Mexico
Julián Meconetzin Rangel Sosa learned how to craft piñatas when he was a kid. So when he launched his own business, he also taught children in schools how to make them, passing the custom onto the next generation. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3JIGfHV.
Costumbres - Asadoras in Argentina
An asadora — a woman grill master — in Argentina breaks into the male-dominated field of barbecuing, creating an entire movement. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/34V2nzO.
Costumbres - Monigotes in Ecuador
In Quito, entrepreneur Paúl Mendez updates his community’s New Year’s custom — burning effigies, or monigotes — to make it healthier for the environment. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3MELryi.
Costumbres - Siestas in Spain
When a Spanish mayor signs a yearly proclamation requesting everyone respect the hours of the siesta, his small town suddenly makes headlines around the world. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3MkEW3B.
Trailer Season 14
The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back for a special season, with new episodes on March 3rd. Listen to the trailer now!
El don del lenguaje (The Gift of Language)
For almost a decade, Leydis Lopez put her career in education on hold. Until one day, she finally decided to lean into her native Spanish language to give children the gift of bilingualism. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3HoUG2U.
Operación Pedro Pan (Operation Pedro Pan)
At eight years old, Margarita Lora Prats left Cuba in a plane full of children, thinking she was headed on a vacation. But she was actually one of thousands of children airlifted to the United States during the Cuban Revolution, in a covert program called “Operación Pedro Pan.” A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3rZbDdq.
Barbacoa sin fronteras (Barbacoa Beyond Borders)
After fleeing her hometown of Capulhuac, México, Cristina Martínez starts all over in Philadelphia, where she rises to fame as a barbacoa chef. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/35xJz9v.
Los gemelos bailarines (The Dancing Twins)
Growing up in Venezuela, identical twin brothers Emilio and Orlando Tovar Gil had to lean on each other to survive. After working hard to pursue an international dance career, will a series of setbacks cause them to break up? A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3ufWU0O.
Hilos de cambio (Threads of Change)
For years, Jane Terrazas lived in fear of violence in her hometown of Juárez. But later, she used her skills as a designer and artist to empower women to gain economic freedom and personal safety. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3Giecg3.
El ciclista nómada (The Bike Nomad)
Ever since he was a kid, Rafa Millan-Garcia got through tough times by getting on his bike and pedaling alone for miles. But after one very long bike ride took him 1,700 miles from his home in Mexico City to Colorado, this nomad found a community that he never wanted to leave. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/340ZDAv.
El héroe de libros (The Book Hero)
In 2013, a Peruvian photographer visits his parents’ village and unexpectedly becomes dedicated to improving literacy in rural Peru. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3GiQb8x.
Un viaje en ruedas (A Wheeled Journey)
In 2011, Mónica Mera survived an accident that left her paraplegic and emotionally devastated. She thought her days of adventure were over, until she received an invitation to join a special journey on the famous Camino de Santiago trail in Spain. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3ucjXJB.
Trailer Season 13
The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back with new episodes on October 28. Listen to the trailer now!
The Rodin Thief - Art Mysteries, Episode 6
After a famous sculpture by Auguste Rodin goes missing, and then dramatically reappears, a Chilean filmmaker sets out to uncover the motives of the mysterious art student responsible for the theft. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3gdeqdI.
The Secret Life of María Lejárraga - Art Mysteries, Episode 5
When two literature professors discover that a woman named María Lejárraga was behind some of the greatest Spanish literary works of the 20th century, they set out to learn why her name was omitted from history, and do everything in their power to restore her work to her name. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3IJiP4m.
Frida Kahlo’s Secret Room - Art Mysteries, Episode 4
For 47 years after her death, a room in Mexican painter Frida Kahlo’s house remained sealed to the outside world. When it was finally opened in 2004, it revealed amazing insights into the painter and her life. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3Gfumqw.
The Fake Matisse - Art Mysteries, Episode 3
After a famous Matisse painting from a Venezuelan museum mysteriously shows up in a Miami art gallery, a journalist investigates and discovers the unthinkable: for years, the so-called masterpiece on display at the museum was a fake. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3KYKccz.
The Picasso in Exile - Art Mysteries, Episode 2
Pablo Picasso’s most famous work, the anti-war mural called Guernica, is returned to Spain under a veil of secrecy after 44 years outside the country during the Franco dictatorship. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/34q7ffG.
The Missing Gabriel García Márquez: Art Mysteries, Episode 1
When a first edition of Gabriel García Márquez’s famous book, One Hundred Years of Solitude, disappears from a book fair in Bogotá, Colombia, a devoted bookseller vows to get it back. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3s4cGJe.
Trailer Season 12
The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back with a very special season on August 5. Listen to the trailer now!
Los lowriders de hoy (Lowriders of Today)
Marisa Rosales loved cars as a kid. But it wasn’t until she discovered lowriders as a young woman that she found a car community connected to her Mexican-American identity. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3IPIsk3.
El toreo de hoy (Bullfighting of Today)
Juan Pablo grew up fascinated with bullfighting, a tradition in his home country of Spain. But when he discovers recorte — the art of bull dodging — he sees it as a thrilling, more humane alternative. He throws himself into the dangerous sport, risking his life every time he faces a bull. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3ufOHcE.
El tango de hoy (Tango of Today)
Tango is Argentina’s most iconic cultural tradition. But for a hundred years, tangos have only been written from the perspective of men. The conductor of “La empoderada” or “The Empowered,” Argentina’s first all-female tango orchestra, is trying to change that. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3KVdoRI.
El mate de hoy (Mate of Today)
Uruguay consumes more mate than any other country in the world. But for a hundred years, almost all of that mate has been imported. Now, Rodrigo Patrón is trying to bring back mate production in Uruguay, in a way that respects both the environment and the famous tea’s origins. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3KYGvDx.
Las cholitas de hoy (Cholitas of Today)
A group of indigenous women from Bolivia go to great heights to show the world that mountaineering is for everyone — including cholitas who wear their traditional skirts and shawls with pride. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3geYAzo.
La música andina de hoy (Andean Music of Today)
After years of studying classical music overseas, a Peruvian composer returns home and decides to write an opera incorporating classical instruments as well as Andean ones like the zampoña and the quena — both types of flutes. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3gcZyMr.
El chocolate de hoy (Chocolate of Today)
Cacao was once a cash crop for Costa Rica — until a fungus in the 1970’s wiped out over 80% of the country’s cacao trees. Today, Juan Pablo Buchert is trying to revive the industry, by promoting sustainability and fair trade. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3s7B1Os.
La lucha libre de hoy (Lucha Libre of Today)
Growing up, José Luis Hernández disliked lucha libre, the famous style of Mexican professional wrestling. So he never imagined that someday, he would be one of its biggest stars. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3HjrhHh.
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