Listening is the most important part of learning a new language. Yes, you need to master the basics of writing and speaking, but everything should start with listening. Even newborn babies go through a period of silence where all they do is listen to and absorb the sounds around them.
It’s no secret that Filipino (or Tagalog) is a difficult language to master. One easy aspect of learning Filipino, however, is that the words are spelled as they’re pronounced. This makes listening to Filipino podcasts easy and enjoyable, even for relatively new learners. And if you’re wondering whether there are any Filipino-made podcasts that are worth listening to, you may be surprised to discover that there are actually a lot.
Filipinos are among the best communicators in the world. In this entry, we’ll introduce you to some of the most sought-after podcasts from Filipino creators. From sports and comedy to relationships and current issues, you can rest assured that there’s something out there made exactly for a Filipino learner like you!
Listening is the most important part of learning a new language.
Table of Contents
- Benefits of Using Podcasts to Learn Filipino
- The Best Podcasts for Learning Filipino
- Tricks for Learning Filipino More Effectively with Podcasts
- Enhance Your Comprehension Skills with FilipinoPod101
1. Benefits of Using Podcasts to Learn Filipino
Ask learners of any language what they want to improve first, and you’ll get “speaking” nearly a hundred percent of the time. Seldom will you encounter students who are as eager to improve their listening and comprehension skills as they are their speaking skills. And that’s understandable. After all, there’s nothing more exciting than finally being fluent in a language we’re studying. However, what most students fail to recognize is that fluency all starts with comprehension.
So, how can listening to popular Filipino podcasts help you tap into your listening skills (and subsequently, your speaking skills)?
1. By listening to podcasts to learn Filipino, you’ll be able to understand native speakers a lot better when they speak. That’s comprehension.
2. The more you listen to how words are pronounced, the more your own pronunciation skills will improve. Listening to Filipino podcasts means spending time learning the proper accent for speaking in Tagalog.
3. You’ll master how words should be connected and how they should flow when you’re speaking. This will allow you to sound more like a native speaker and a lot less like Google’s AI translator. Now that’s fluency!
Convinced? Then let’s check out some of the best Tagalog podcasts you should start listening to.
Listening to podcasts will help you understand native speakers a lot better.
- → Speaking of fluency, check out our tips on how to achieve extraordinary Filipino fluency.
2. The Best Podcasts for Learning Filipino
1. The Linya-Linya Show
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Theme: Comedy
First on our list is The Linya-Linya Show. It’s the perfect podcast for those who are just starting to learn Filipino, as the hosts speak in a clear manner and at a moderate speed in most episodes. This is a lighthearted podcast featuring Filipino writer Ali Sangalang and comedian Victor Anastacio. At the time of this writing, the show has a total of 159 episodes. In each one, the duo talks about random yet meaningful things that an average Filipino experiences on a daily basis: fatherhood, motorcycles, rap battles, and even antics from their own youths.
2. Ganap: An Okay Fight Podcast
Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Theme: Comedy, Filipino Culture
What happens when you turn a Filipino drinking session into a podcast? Ganap: An Okay Fight Podcast is what you get.
This Filipino comedy podcast may have only fourteen episodes, but it should be enough to introduce you to Filipino culture. Not to mention that each episode is an excellent tool for improving your listening skills. Why? As mentioned, the episodes are technically drinking sessions that were recorded and aired online. That means you can often expect to hear more than one voice speaking at the same time. But since it’s a regular merrymaking activity, you can expect the language to be limited to what you’d hear Filipinos use on a normal day.
3. Tsaastrology
Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Theme: Comedy, Astrology
With over a hundred episodes, Tsaastrology presents a unique approach to podcasting. It’s an improv comedy podcast hosted by three friends who talk about everything—not just under the sun but under the entire cosmos, so to speak. However, each episode focuses on a specific horoscope, with the hosts giving advice about love, relationships, career, and life in general. You can expect to hear some Taglish (as you would in any other Filipino podcast), but you can rest assured that 90% of the conversations are in Filipino.
4. The Wrestling-Wrestling Podcast
Level: Advanced
Theme: Sports, Wrestling
You probably weren’t expecting to find a podcast about wrestling here, and definitely not one that’s Filipino-made. But, believe it or not, entertainment wrestling is as big in the Philippines as it is in any other country. The Wrestling-Wrestling Podcast is proof of that. Hosted by three veteran Pinoy podcasters, The WW Podcast has been around since 2014. I would say that this particular podcast is best for advanced learners; it requires careful listening as the hosts switch between English and Tagalog all the time.
5. PumaPodcast
Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Theme: Current Issues
PumaPodcast is a podcast like no other. It’s not an individual show that focuses on one major theme, but rather a curation of multiple podcasts dealing with a range of subjects. Listening to each episode will not only help you improve your comprehension of the Filipino language, but it will also keep you up-to-date on the latest happenings in the Philippines and around the world. The hosts and their guests often mix English and Tagalog, so feel free to key in on the points where the speakers are using 100% Tagalog.
6. Boiling Waters PH
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Theme: Dating & Relationships
Boiling Waters PH is the go-to podcast for people seeking relationship advice. According to the two unnamed male hosts, the podcast deals with all the stuff about dating and relationships that people don’t usually dare to talk about. There are instances in each episode where the hosts and their guests speak in English, but 95% of the podcast is pure Tagalog. And since this show talks about love, expect the choice of vocabulary to be uncomplicated. So yes, if you’re a beginner, this is one of the podcasts you should listen to.
Listening to Filipino podcasts will help you master how words should flow when you’re speaking.
- → Did you know that you can enjoy free vocabulary lesson materials here at FilipinoPod101.com?
7. Ang Walang Kwentang Podcast
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Theme: Current Issues, Pop Culture
The term walang kwenta literally means “useless” in English. But if there’s one word to describe Ang Walang Kwentang Podcast, it’s definitely not that one—that is, if your goal is to learn Filipino. The podcast is hosted by well-known Filipino filmmaker Antoinette Jadaone and writer/actor/spoken word artist Juan Miguel Severo. There are about a hundred episodes centering on various subjects, most of which are related to pop culture and trending issues. Both of the hosts speak in Tagalog 95% of the time, which makes this the perfect podcast for those who want to enjoy entire episodes without having to skip around.
8. Walwal Sesh
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Theme: Mental Health, Dating & Relationships
One of the best Filipino podcasts to listen to while you’re in the car or commuting via bus or train, Walwal Sesh revolves around the topics of love, mental health, equality, and the things that really matter. The three hosts know what they’re talking about, each having a medical background. One of them is actually a medical doctor, so you can rest assured that they’re precise when talking about self-care, anger management, sex, and depression. What you’ll love about this podcast is that the hosts rarely interrupt each other, which will allow you to really concentrate on each word as you listen.
9. Creepsilog
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Theme: Horror, Crime, Mystery
For those of you who are into horror and murder mysteries, Creepsilog is the perfect Pinoy podcast for you. The series has some touches of humor to it, which makes it even more interesting. Hosted by Gideon Mendoza and Glenn Tabarejos, Creepsilog now has over 170 episodes under its belt. The fascinating stories in each episode should motivate you to listen intently and to research the meaning of new words and expressions—that way, you can more easily figure out how each plot goes down. You’ll find this notable Filipino podcast on Spotify.
10. Telebabad Tapes
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Theme: Relationships, Filipino Culture
The term telebabad is a 90s expression that refers to the habit of teenagers back then to spend especially long hours on the phone. As the title of the podcast suggests, Telebabad Tapes revolves around topics one would not hesitate to spend hours discussing. The show is hosted by husband-and-wife duo Wincy Ong and Cj de Silva. Each episode is usually centered around a pop-culture item, whether that be a song, movie, or special occasion. It then progresses into a more serious discussion about that item. If you want to find out what it meant to be a Filipino teen back in the 90s, this is the podcast for you. Oh, and the hosts converse in fluent Tagalog 95% of the time, making this podcast a great tool for boosting your comprehension skills.
11. FilipinoPod101
Level: Beginner to Advanced
Theme: Language Learning
What better way to learn Filipino than by listening to a podcast that directly teaches the language? FilipinoPod101 offers a wide range of podcast episodes that focus on different aspects of the Filipino language. What makes FilipinoPod101 audio lessons unique is that they’re designed to make learning fun and enjoyable. That means you can’t expect lessons that come straight out of textbooks, but ones that you can apply right away. For instance, there are lessons about words related to eating, ways to learn new words, and how to talk about your daily routine in Filipino.
- → Here are the top reasons why the FilipinoPod101 podcast is the best.
12. Woke Up PH
Level: Advanced
Theme: Politics, Current Events
Woke Up PH is a one-of-a-kind podcast. Its main aim is to “wake up” the country’s youth to the issues that are most pressing for the Filipino people. The subjects discussed in each episode are especially relevant to young people. The podcast has only 12 episodes (all aired in 2019), but each one exudes so much insight that’s still relevant two years later. Most of the episodes are in English, with only a few featuring Filipino dialogue. Just pick the ones that you believe will help you with your Filipino-language studies the most. We can’t not include it on this list, as it’s actually one of the most noteworthy Filipino-made podcasts right now.
Hosts of Filipino podcasts speak fluent Tagalog, which means you won’t have a hard time following every word they say.
3. Tricks for Learning Filipino More Effectively with Podcasts
We’ve established that listening to podcasts is one of the best ways to take your comprehension skills to the next level. We’ve also presented you with the top Filipino podcasts to help you improve your Tagalog. Now, here are some tips on how you can learn more effectively with the podcasts on our list.
1 – Pick a podcast that talks about your interests.
While it’s true that you’ll benefit from podcasts regardless of their theme, there’s an advantage to listening to those that cover the stuff you’re interested in. Being interested in the topics at hand will motivate you to listen intently so that you don’t miss anything.
2 – Find the right time to listen.
Sure, you can listen anytime and anywhere. That’s one advantage of using podcasts to learn Filipino. However, it’s going to be difficult to retain anything when you’re tired or sleepy. As much as possible, you’ll want to listen to your favorite podcast at the times when you’re most alert. This will allow you to focus on the content better and increase your chances of remembering what you’ve heard.
3 – Don’t hesitate to rewind when necessary.
I remember when the internet didn’t exist yet, and we had to keep on rewinding and playing our favorite song on the cassette player just to pick up the lyrics. That’s a good technique when learning a language via a podcast. There will always be times when the person you’re listening to is speaking too fast or mumbling their words. Every time you fail to catch a word or phrase, don’t hesitate to click the rewind button to listen again.
4 – Take notes.
When there’s a word you don’t understand, don’t just press “rewind” to listen again. Be sure to write words down, too, particularly those that are not familiar to you. Taking notes is an effective study strategy as it forces you to pay attention. Aside from simply writing down new words, you can also write down your thoughts on the podcast or even draft a summary. This will help you understand and remember things better.
5 – Play it in the background as often as you can.
One advantage of listening to podcasts to learn Filipino, or any language for that matter, is that you can play episodes in the background while you’re doing other things. I know multitasking is not a good idea in general, but being a passive listener has its benefits at times. Many of the songs you probably know by heart today were songs you used to hear on the radio. Even if you didn’t intentionally listen to them, you became familiar with the lyrics over time. The same principle works here, provided that you take time to listen to each episode again and again.
6 – Find a friend you can learn with.
Finally, find someone you can learn with. It could be a fellow Filipino learner, or it could be a Filipino friend who can help explain to you what difficult words, phrases, and expressions mean. Learning with someone who knows the language is an advantage as you get to receive instant feedback and insights. Not to mention that it’s more fun to learn in a small group setting.
It’s more fun to learn Filipino with friends.
- → Find more hacks for studying Filipino on our website!
4. Enhance Your Comprehension Skills with FilipinoPod101
That’s it for our list of the best Tagalog podcast shows for improving your comprehension skills. There are definitely a lot more, and if you know a couple that didn’t make this list, comment their names below so we can all check them out.
Before you leave, don’t forget to go through our free learning resources here at FilipinoPod101.com. You now know that we even have our own podcast to help you improve your Filipino!
But that’s not all. Here at FilipinoPod101.com, you can have access to a wide range of features designed specifically to help you master the Filipino language. One such feature is MyTeacher, a Premium PLUS service that lets you learn Filipino 1-on-1 with your own personal instructor. Want to take your language skills to the next level?
Join FilipinoPod101 now!
