Persian, also called Farsi, is a very important language to learn if you want to visit or work in the Middle East or Central Asia. It is one of the 20 most spoken first languages in the world. More than 60 million people speak it as their first language, and another 50 million speak it as a second language.
Learning Persian will not only help you talk to people who speak it as their first or second language but also help you realize the culture, history, and present events of the Middle East and Central Asia.
If you are taking in-person or online training to learn Persian, listening to podcasts can be a great way to supplement your efforts. Podcasts can be found on many different platforms and are often free. You can listen to them at any time and place, making it easier to learn a language faster.
How to Start with Podcasts
If you have never learned Persian before, you should start with these podcasts that teach you the basics.
PersianPod101
PersianPod101 is a program for people who are just starting to learn Persian. It starts with the most basic ideas and language words. There are more talks in the series that are made just for tourists and teach you things that would come in handy while traveling.
But if you want to learn Persian well and not just for a short trip, PersianPod101 will help you get off on the right foot, giving you a good foundation to learn more advanced words and grammar.
There are lessons for people who are just starting and those who are more experienced. A membership is needed to access most of the material on PersianPod101. The fees aren’t too expensive, but if you want to know more about them, you can read our full review of PersianPod101.
Learn Persian with LinguaBoost
In 30 lessons, you’ll learn everyday Persian words. You won’t just learn single words. Instead, you’ll learn to use these useful, everyday phrases in a social setting. This will help you start using your Persian more quickly in real life. Native English speakers teach all of the lessons.
Learn Persian by PodGap
Learn Persian by PodGap has episodes for newbies, intermediate, and advanced learners. Newbies will find it easy to follow the first set of episodes until they feel ready to move on to more intermediate ideas. Learn new words and grammar, read Persian writing, and listen to talks with people who speak Persian as their mother language. Learn about everyday Persian and Iranian society and local customs as well.
Once you have a good base of Persian grammar words and a good understanding of how the language works and what it means, you can move on to more advanced ideas. Use intermediate-level podcasts to keep learning Persian and start using it more in your daily life until you’re ready to move on to being able to talk and understand Persian effectively.
Learn Persian with Chai & Conversation
This podcast, which is updated often and has more than 70 lessons right now, teaches speaking Persian very relaxedly. Each episode is between 15 and 20 minutes long, and you will learn a wide range of words. It is better for intermediate learners than beginners because it has more Persian and more difficult words and grammar than most podcasts for starters.
Once you know much about the Persian language and can follow along with a Persian speaker and understand what they are saying, you can test your skills by listening to podcasts that Persian speakers could listen to for news or amusement. If you don’t have any trouble listening to these talks, you’re well on your way to speaking Persian fluently.
Radio Select Persian
If you know about what’s going on in the world and what the news is, this BBC podcast in Persian will be easy to understand. You’ll be able to listen to information you probably already know, but it will be spoken in Persian instead of English. Each radio episode is about an hour long, and a new one is added daily.
Farsi Speaking Kids
Farsi Speaking Kids translates well-known children’s stories into Persian. Even though the podcast doesn’t include English translations, they are easy to find online. This means you can follow along with the Persian narrator as you read the English text, permitting you to make connections between the two languages and see what you can translate on your own without help.
StoryTime in Farsi
StoryTime in Farsi also tells new and old stories in Farsi. Still, unlike Farsi Speaking Kids, this podcast is for kids and adults, particularly those who are educated or performing Persian. Episodes are usually released about once a week, and each one is generally less than 15 minutes long.
Conclusion
Even though it’s not the easiest language to learn, Persian can be very beneficial. Many online tools make it easier than ever to learn this language, whether you just want to learn something new on your way to work or need to add it to your resume.