If you’re planning to travel to or work in multiple countries in Africa, it can be helpful to learn Afrikaans, a southern African language that is also the official language of South Africa.
The language stemmed from the Dutch spoken by settlers in the 1600s and has evolved over time into what we see and hear today. Now, Afrikaans is spoken in not only South Africa, but also Namibia and in parts of Botswana and Zimbabwe. There are more than 7 million people who speak Afrikaans as their main language, and another 10 million-plus people who speak Afrikaans as their second language.
Are you interested in learning Afrikaans? If you’re taking an in-person or online course to learn Afrikaans, then you may be looking for language-learning resources to help you along this journey. If that’s the case, then you’ve come to the right place.
Language-learning podcasts can be an excellent complement to any online or in-person language course, helping you stay abreast of vocabulary and grammatical concepts and further your comprehension skills. (And if you’re looking for additional tools, such as courses, YouTube channels, books, and movies, we recommend checking out our roundup of ways to teach yourself Afrikaans.)
Check out these seven recommended Afrikaans podcasts and see if one – or a few! – might be right for you.
Podcasts for Beginners
A beginner level podcast can ensure that you lay a solid foundation for yourself during your Afrikaans language-learning journey. You want to get all the beginner vocabulary and grammatical concepts down before moving on to more difficult challenges.
AfrikaansPod101
The AfrikaansPod101 podcast provides you with a ton of episodes that are suitable for learners of all stages, whether you’re a beginner or more advanced. You’ll easily be able to pick out which podcast episodes are right for your learning level. Beginner episode concepts include the very basics, such as vocabulary, grammar, comprehension and culture. There are also episodes that touch on topics related to the language-learning journey, such as tips for learning foreign languages.
The majority of the AfrikaansPod101 content is hidden behind a paywall, but you can purchase a subscription to access those resources, and it’s pretty affordable. To learn more about the platform, read our full review of AfrikaansPod101.
Intermediate
As you begin to learn more and more Afrikaans words and the ways you can string them into sentences, phrases, and even whole conversations, you might find that it’s time to begin testing your comprehension skills. You can do this by listening to podcasts that are partially in English, partially in Afrikaans.
Audrey Stories
This podcast mixes Afrikaans and English for a long list of episodes, with episodes still being uploaded regularly, all focusing on travel. A South African-Canadian globetrotter narrates stories about her travels in a lighthearted and humorous manner for easy listening. Hear her stories about off-the-beaten-path travel to countries all over the world. Most episodes are around 10 to 15 minutes in length.
Afrikaans Preke
Similarly, if you’re comfortable listening to podcasts with a faith-based focus, then you might be interested in listening to the Afrikaans Preke podcast. It also offers content in both English and in Afrikaans, so you can listen to both options and compare and contrast or reference one or the other. The podcasts are still uploaded regularly and each is a little over half an hour in length.
Advanced
Are you ready to move into more advanced Afrikaans comprehension? If so, then you might find these podcasts that are entirely in Afrikaans to be suitable for your language learning. They cover an array of topics and will keep you entertained while testing your comprehension skills. If you can successfully listen to and enjoy these podcasts, then you’re ready to call yourself an advanced Afrikaans speaker.
Ek Hou Van Travel
This travel show only has three episodes, but they’re each pretty lengthy, about an hour long. Each focuses on various aspects of travel and are spoken entirely in Afrikaans, detailing the narrator’s experiences and advice regarding travels to Thailand, Bali and South Korea.
Van Die Os Op Die Jas
This podcast features chats about anything and everything. The good thing about this podcast is that the episodes are all pretty long, meaning you can just turn one on and go, testing your comprehension without stopping, whatever you might be doing, whether you’re going for a run, cleaning the house or taking a bath.
Klipkouers Potgooi
This podcast, with over 100 episodes, is hosted by businessman Jacques Basson. In it, he interviews entrepreneurs and changemakers from South Africa and around the world. You’ll hear a lot of business and life advice, spoken entirely in Afrikaans.
The South Africa Interviews
This podcast, which is spoken in English, will help you learn a little bit more about the culture and recent events surrounding the Afrikaans language and those who speak it. Listen to South African news, views and insights, with interviews with South Africa’s movers and shakers. While the podcast is no longer uploading new episodes, it does have several quick episodes to listen to, all fewer than 10 minutes.
Final Thoughts
Learning Afrikaans is certainly not an easy task, but it can be made a little more convenient when you add language-learning podcasts to your routine. Podcasts are readily available, often free and can be listened to anywhere or anytime, so you really never have an excuse not to be learning and practicing.
Did we miss an Afrikaans language-learning podcast on our list? Let us know!
Looking for more resources for learning Afrikaans, from courses and apps to movies and novels? Check out our detailed guide: How to Teach Yourself Afrikaans