10 German Talk Radio Stations

Danke, FluentU

Think radio is just for the latest chart-topping hits? Well, that’s not exactly the case!

There’s a whole world of talk radio which does exactly what it says: It broadcasts shows in which people just talk! That’s it… no music to disrupt, just pure chat.  And it’s not just boring, stuffy old chat. Whether you’re into your sports, cutting edge comedies, or would rather listen to a show about cultural affairs, I can guarantee you’ll find something that’s right up your alley.

So what’s this got to do with your Deutsch?   One word: listening. Just think of all that German listening practice that is waiting for you over on German talk radio.

Why Learn German with Talk Radio?

There are many benefits to learning German with talk radio, including:

• Talk radio covers a varied bunch of programs. It includes news and current affairs shows, comedies, dramas, chat shows and sport programs.

• There’s a show for every level of German learners.

• You can learn regional accents. 

 

How to Use Talk Radio to Your Advantage

It’s one thing to just put on the radio in the background, and another to actively listen and learn. Here are some tips on how to get the most out of German talk radio:

• Listen to shows from different regions. As I mentioned above, using talk radio will expose you to a load of different regional accents and dialects. If you just stick to one area’s radio, you run the risk of getting too bogged down in that one accent. So it’s a good idea to shake things up and ensure you are listening to shows from the whole of Germany.

• Follow up your listening with a newspaper. To fully cement your listening practice while listening to news broadcasts, have a German newspaper or online newspaper website handy. Then, once you’ve finished listening to a report on a current affair you can read about it in the news. This will help you to ensure that you really did understand everything, and you’ll be able to fill in any blanks you might have.

• Add to your vocab list every time you listen. Vocabulary lists are an invaluable tool to use when learning any language. Not sure what the broadcaster just meant? Quickly look up the unknown word in a dictionary and add it to your vocab list. Review your list every day, and use it to test yourself on these new words. Even just five minutes a day will do wonders for your memory—consistency is key. Eventually, you’ll remember them and will be able to effortlessly fit them into your speaking and writing.

Ready to listen?  Here are ten of our favorite German talk radio stations.

10 German Talk Radio Stations for Your Learning and Listening Pleasure

1. ZDF Kultur

For all you culture vultures out there, ZDF Kultur broadcasts a wide range of programs on cultural topics. Their website also features live performances from up-and-coming musicians from around the world. Keep an eye out for the German bands so you can listen and learn at the same time! No matter which show you listen to though, this station will be an awesome boost for your arts-based vocab.

2. Deutsche Welle

This station is a great starter for newcomers. Most of the shows are themed around cultural affairs. For listening on the go, Deutsche Welle’s podcasts are the perfect choice for downloading.

3. WDR

WDR can help you get to know Germany better! It has a lot of news and media shows for you to choose from, helping you to keep up to date in the German-speaking world.

4. MDR

For current info on economic and political affairs, tune into MDR, a Leipzig-based station, which has a strong focus on news of eastern Germany.

5. Sport1

Most of the major sporting events are broadcast from this station with some of the best commentators and sport experts giving their views on match results.

6. Radio Mi Amigo

This is dedicated to everything soccer. All of Germany’s Bundesliga soccer league matches are broadcast live. It also dedicates a lot of its sound waves to Formula 1 racing.

7. DRadio Wissen

The focus here is on arts, politics and pop culture. On their website you’ll often find video interviews of leading names in Germany’s cultural scene—well worth checking out!

8. Kulturradio

This option reviews classical music, operas and literature, and gives you a lot of Hochdeutsch (“High German” – the standard language one learns in class).

9. hr3

This quirky radio station will get you laughing. It's dedicates to comedy shows. They also often include music review shows. (Check the station’s playlist for tunes to your taste!)

10. Any of the state Rundfunk stations --

It never hurts to dabble into local accents and dialects. It’s entertaining for sure! All of Germany’s Bundesländer (federal states) have their own stations; two of my faves are Hessischer Rundfunk and Bayerischer Rundfunk.
And there are a lot more German radio talk shows out there too, so enjoy discovering and listening!

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After studying German and Philosophy at the University of Nottingham, Laura Harker relocated to Berlin in 2012. She now works as a freelance writer and is also assistant editor at Slow Travel Berlin.

19 Engaging Resources to Listen to German Audio All Day, Every Day

When it comes to German learning, hearing a person speak German to you is the closest simulation of a real-life scenario that you can get.

When you’re learning German outside of a classroom, it’s hard to get that element of immersion.
I’ve always felt that audio resources work wonders for my own German language learning. Primarily, it’s because I can rotate between audio lessons and other fun stuff, like music and podcasts.

Going into a class has multiple benefits, but at the end of the day, you go into a room, with a teacher and classmates, because of the auditory and visual benefits.  Reading a textbook is fine, but this is often so boring. Where should you start? How about opening up the entire Internet for your audio search?

Why Listening to German Audio Is Often the Best Learning Process

Some folks are visual learners, while others fancy themselves as audio or even immersive learners. What are the benefits behind listening to German audio?

• If you don’t pay attention, it forces you to go back and listen again.

• Many argue that passive listening (not really paying attention, but absorbing the audio) is often just as good as regular learning.

• You can listen to audio pretty much where ever you go—in a plane, cab, at work, riding a bike, in the library, walking or while cooking dinner.

• You get to hear people pronounce common German phrases, as opposed to just reading the words.

• Many audio guides are supplemented with learning materials like quizzes or worksheets.

The options are endless when learning German with audio resources.

For example, if you have a Spotify, Amazon or Audible account, you can always start by searching these resources to see if anything pops up. I’ve been known to save German Spotify playlists or to purchase German audiobooks (some of the best ones require a VPN).

Regardless, keep reading to learn more about these resources, from German music playlists to radio stations and educational CDs.

German Music Playlists for All Ages

I enjoy compiling my own playlists, since services like Spotify and Pandora can be a little scattered. However, the greatest part of these services is that you can search for other playlists that people have created and shared online.



Start with the German Pop Spotify Playlist, which is from the popular Goethe Institute, a place for German online and offline learning. This playlist includes favorites from artists like Clueso, LOT, Madsen and Ferris Mc. It’s an exciting selection of songs, all of which experienced popularity at some point. I recommend this music if you’re trying to stay upbeat, like when you’re at the gym or while working.



The German Folk Music playlist on Spotify is obviously a little different from the pop extravaganza you listened to above. This playlist is for the purists. Those who want to hear what people were listening to hundreds of years ago in Germany. This list includes around 20 songs, starting with “Echo Der Berge” and ending with “Servus Pfuat Gott und Auf Wiederseh’n.”
It’s also not a bad idea to check out other streaming services. I recommend Traditional German Music from Pandora. All you have to do is click on the Create Station button, and Pandora compiles a beautiful list of classic German folk songs and chants. Every time you create a station you receive new songs, so it’s kind of fun to try it out. TuneIn Radio also has a solid station for similar results.

German Podcasts for Those Boring Work Hours

The best German learning podcast article is a nice place to start when seeking out step-by-step grammar and pronunciation guides, but since we already have that list on FluentU, I want to outline some awesome German podcasts that have no intentions of teaching you German. That doesn’t mean they won’t help though! Topics range from business to cars, or from news to science. You’ll get so lost in the fascinating content that you’ll end up absorbing the German language naturally.


Antenne Dusseldorf is a radio station, but it also features an extensive list of useful podcasts. Antenne Dusseldorf offers a mobile podcast app for downloading the segments to your phone. Much of the radio station plays music, but they also go through opinionated conversations about world news, and you can check out some of the other podcasts like “Fortuna,” a show covering everything in terms of soccer (or football).


Schweiser Radio provides a gigantic list of podcasts for you to choose from, and the best part is that you can listen to most of them directly from you computer. I like grabbing the feed and inserting it into my podcasting phone app, so everything is in one place. There are tons of options, but as a taste, you can listen to a game show called 1 vs. 100, or even check-in with the hosts of Arena, a podcast discussing the economic climate.

The Radio Bremen Podcasts are similar to how NPR releases some affiliated talk shows, making it easy for people to choose from the subjects they want to listen to. For example, Radio Bremen lets you select from options like the Comedy Club podcast, a place to hear jokes and laugh about the world, or the Voll im Film (Full in Film) podcast for your movie fix.


The ARD Radio Tatort Podcast is a favorite, because several known voice actors lend their voices to entertain you, simulating thrilling stories that may or may not have actually happened. If you’re into thrillers, this is your podcast. The shows usually last about an hour and feature a new story every time.

The Braincast Podcast places a hard focus on the study of the brain. It’s a show for people interested in science, as they bring on guests and experts from all over the world. If you’re familiar with the popular Radio Lab podcast, I would recommend you check this one out.

German Audiobooks for Passing Time While Traveling

Audiobooks allow you to immerse yourself into a world of fantasy, science fiction or romance, all with the help of an MP3 player and headphones. Consider listening to your favorite books in German to learn something new.

The LoyalBooks database consists of public domain e-books and audiobooks, meaning you don’t have to pay a dime to listen. Click on the German tab on the left to reveal options like “Die Elixiere des Teufels” (The Devil’s Elixirs), “Michael Kohlhaas” and “Der Schimmelreiter” (The Rider on the White Horse). Listen directly through your computer or download the audiobooks to your device.
Pairing Amazon and the German Audible is a wise choice. Audible is owned by Amazon, so you can find most of the same audiobooks on both. Regardless, try using a VPN to access the best content on the German Audible. Listen to best seller like “Game of Thrones” and “Fifty Shades of Grey,” all in German. Audible provides a handy app for listening on your phone or tablet.

Hoerjuwel has a German category, which you can then break down into subcategories like science fiction, fantasy, children’s books and humor. These audiobooks are not digital, so you must wait for them to get delivered to your home.

German Radio Stations and How to Get Them

Nowadays, podcasts and radio stations are pretty much the same thing. Since a person in the United States or any other country for that matter, would have a tough time finding a German radio station on an FM/AM receiver, I provided a few digital radio stations for fun music, morning talk and other ramblings.

ListenLive offers a huge list of German radio stations, all streamable from your computer. This is the closest thing you can get to tuning your box radio to a station in Germany. Choose from regional locations like Munich, Hannover or Potsdam. You can find everything from pop, top 40, news, adult contemporary and Christmas music.

Last FM German Music is your ultimate source for music produced in Germany or created by German artists. Most of the music you’ll find on here is in German, but the occasional English song is thrown into the mix. Listen to music genres like German speed metal, German jazz, rock and classical.

Deutschlandfunk provides listening options for those who want to feel like they’re reading a regular newspaper. It’s like checking out USA Today or The Huffington Post. Deutschlandfunk covers politics, sports, culture, the economy and more.

Audio Lessons and Courses for a Classroom Environment

If you’re not quite to the level where you can listen to a German podcast without it sounding like gibberish, consider some of the following audio learning resources.


DeutschAkademie provides ten chapters with various lessons a piece. You learn German for free, and all of the resources are given to you in audio form. Start with lessons for German sentence structure, then move onto more advanced lessons covering things like the German participle.


The All Audio German CD serves as a valuable tool for learning in your car or anywhere you go. The six compact discs focus on bringing you to fluency, with short and easy to follow lessons. The CDs tackle areas like grammar, dialogues, culture and vocabulary.

GermanPod101 is my favorite audio resource for learning German, since it has beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. The video and audio lessons teach you how to communicate while travelling, while conducting business or simply in order to speak with your German speaking relatives.

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Joe Warnimont is a blogger and adventure-seeker. When not riding his bike around Chicago, you can find him sprucing up his German skills. He has watched “Run Lola Run” about ten too many times.

NOTES AND FURTHER TIPS:  

Dodging Regional Blocks with a Virtual Private Network

Have you ever searched for a German resource on Google, only to find that it redirects you to the English version of what you’re looking for? Just the other day I tried to pull up a popular German podcast (produced and spoken in German,) but Google sent me to a version with English audio dubbed over it. The nerve!

How do you get around this problem? With a virtual private network (VPN) of course! This is a legal way to block your IP address and pretend like you’re browsing from a different country. Here are a few great options to get started doing this:

• TorGuard — This is an anonymous VPN service that starts at only $4.99 per month. The speeds and bandwidth are unlimited, so you don’t have to worry about streaming too much audio or even too much video. The anonymous web proxies let you protect your identity when switching to another IP address, and it works with most web browsers.

• IPVanish — This company focuses on unlocking content from any location, meaning that it’s just right for streaming German audio. It works on Windows, Apple and Android interfaces, and it starts at $6.49 per month.

• Cyber Ghost VPN — This option is free for Windows, Mac and Android, with a few paid plans for faster speeds. It keeps your identity anonymous when tapping into German servers, while not maintaining any logs of your browsing history.

• Private Internet Access — My final suggestion starts at $3.33 per month, and it lets you run the VPN on five devices—you can work with even more devices if you upgrade. The instant setup is nice for beginners, and the unlimited bandwidth is always a bonus for streaming media.

Radio is alive! And from it, one can learn German!

By caitlinhardee 

Learn German with Radio: 10 of Germany’s Best Radio Stations

“Video killed the radio sta-”

Wait, what? Do you really think radio is dead? Hardly!  Radio is alive and kicking, my friends, especially for us German learners!

The vibrant format of radio can be a fantastic tool for improving your German language skills.
Maybe you’re in Germany and ready to tune in to terrestrial FM stations on the little kitchen receiver in your Altbauwohnung (apartment in an old-style building). I mean, you’re already paying the mandatory GEZ media fees, so you might as well take advantage of those state-funded stations!
Or perhaps you’re overseas and looking for the perfect online streams to jump-start your German learning experience while also absorbing music, news and humor.

Either way, in this digital age, starting with web-based streams is a good way to get a feel for your favorite stations. Then you can look up local frequencies in your city, if you happen to be living in Deutschland.

As in other countries, many radio brands are syndicated in multiple urban markets, particularly the major pop stations and the state-funded news broadcasters. So with all of these choices, where do you begin? Here are a few of the best German radio stations to get you started.

Learn German with Radio: 10 of Germany’s Best Radio Stations

1. Deutsche Welle – For the novice German learner

The multimedia titans at Deutsche Welle have an extremely broad-based range of radio programming which is available in their online media libraries, ranging from music-focused podcasts to series geared entirely towards German language learning.

One such resource for beginners is the free Radio D podcast, which delivers easily understandable basics and a logical progression of concepts.

2. Deutschlandfunk – For the functioning news junkie

One of the best things about radio is its ability to deliver news in a way that permits multitasking. You don’t need to read a paper, sit in front of a TV or browse Twitter to stay updated. German news radio can keep up with your lifestyle, whether you’re cooking Bratkartoffeln (fried potatoes) for breakfast or cruising down the fast lane of the Autobahn (freeway).

One of the best programming sources is Deutschlandfunk, the news-focused subsidiary of Deutschlandradio, which also offers programs with more of a cultural or pedagogic focus. Deutschlandfunk features plenty of cutting-edge reporting on events of international significance, including interviews with leading politicians and other figures in public life. The language will challenge you and the content will reward you.

3. ARD – For the true blue news addict

For even more information-based programming, check out ARD and its legions of affiliated regional news broadcasters. From BR (Bayerischer Rundfunk) in the south to NDR (Norddeutscher Rundfunk) in the north, you’ll never be without your inside scoop into local, national and international happenings, combined appealingly with cultural and lifestyle programming.

I would recommend checking out the online stream of NDR Info, which offers high quality news production, along with music, weather and more. Never underestimate the value of learning to discuss current and controversial issues like the pros!

4. Sport1.fm – For the football fanatic

No, I’m not talking about American football! And forget about listening to baseball on the radio. This is Germany, so if you’re a sports fanatic looking for a radio fix, you’re going to want to tune into a station like Sport1.fm, which combines extensive soccer game coverage with rock and contemporary music. Tune in for games from the Bundesliga and 2. Liga (national league and second division league, respectively), as well as international championships, analysis by experts and player interviews.

Keep yourself updated on your favorite Füßballgötter (football gods), hone your knowledge of sports slang and pick up discussion material for chats with fellow fan colleagues or the guys at the local Eckkneipe (corner pub).

5. hr3 – For the class clown

You’ll know your grand fluency project is really coming along when you start to master the nuances of German humor. Get some extra practice by tuning into audio programs like hr3’s Comedy-Club, which features a wide span of humor.

From typical talk radio banter to professional routines, amusing chats with listeners plus interviews with studio guests from the comedy scene are sure to make you laugh with delight. Comedy-Club is available in the ARD media library and as a podcast to download or stream here.

6. Star FM - For the rock rebel

So your first German word was E-Gitarre (electric guitar) and your number-one agenda item for visiting Deutschland is seeing Die Toten Hosen or Die Ärzte live in concert? Right on man! But in the meantime, Star FM has got your musical needs covered.

Their online site has multiple streams; choose between maximum rock, rock classics, alternative, from hell (heavy rock) and blues. If you happen to be in Berlin, check out one of their regular parties at Watergate’s less famous neighbor, Magnet Club.

7. TrueHipHop – For the rap god

You don’t have much time for rock shows because you’re too busy attending the latest underground hip-hop event in your city and working on your mixtape. Or maybe you aren’t all that passionate about rap music, but you’re a savvy language student and realize that if you can learn to understand verses spit at this speed—whether slurred street slang or complex political ideology—you can reach new frontiers on the road to fluency. Rap radio can help you there, so try tuning in to the online station TrueHipHop for ’round-the-clock German language beats.

8. FluxFM – For the indie lover

Want to fine tune your German while catching some cutting edge alternative jams? FluxFM is an good place to start and is equally suited for office productivity and weekend party playlists. They specialize in alt rock and electro-pop, with more English-language artists than German, but the DJ talk segments are in German and feature short bits of current events and the latest from the local music scenes. They have online streams from both the Berlin and Bremen markets.
The Berlin station also organizes regular parties at the Spreeside FluxBau. And who knows, that hipster cutie at the bar could be just the person to lend regular Sprachpartner (language partner) meetings an extra bit of incentive. This is the perfect station to listen to while leafing through a German youth culture magazine like Spex.

9. Radio SAW – For the pop diva

Maybe you just want some catchy hits to get your groove on, whether it’s a German group like Fettes Brot or an American export like Lana Del Rey. No problem! Radio SAW has got your top 40 and pop tunes from the top of the German and international charts.
Above and beyond the music, if you like talk radio and morning show formats, these guys can help keep you idly entertained while improving your German comprehension. This station also has plenty of live studio concerts, interviews with artists and current news bites.

10. Klassik Radio – For the classical connoisseur

Of course, German radio has much more to offer than just contemporary music programming; after all, this is the land of Bach, Brahms and Beethoven! You don’t have to be a classical music expert to appreciate its beauty or exploit its focusing effect for study purposes. Give yourself a dose of high culture with a station like Klassik Radio. Their programming is syndicated across Germany, and also includes late-night offerings branching out into jazz, ambient and world music.

The span of German radio offerings out there is truly staggering, so start with these stations first. If you’re looking to learn the language with a few hand-picked gems from the German music scene, give FluentU a try.

Respekt, Herr Professorin!

Uni Leipzig wird weiblich

Radio Bayern/ Radiowelt

Kein Hinweis mehr auf die vielen Professoren und Professorinnen. Die Universität in Leipzig streicht auch das Binnen-I und alle Schrägstriche. Ab sofort gibt es in der Grundordnung nur noch die Professorin. Grandios!

Von: Hans Tschech Stand: 05.06.2013

Von Kurt Tucholsky stammt der Seufzer "meine Sorgen möcht‘  ich haben".  Dabei ahnte Tucholsky noch nichts von den drängenden Problemen unserer Tage, nichts von Klimawandel und Eurokrise, von Tempolimit und Ehegattensplitting und schon gar nichts vom immerwährenden Kampf und die geschlechterneutrale Sprache.

Doch jetzt ist ein Ende des ewigen Zanks in Sicht. An der Universität der schönen Stadt Leipzig, die ja mit Auerbachs Keller über ein Etablissement verfügt, in dem der Akademiker mit Hilfe geistiger Getränke seit jeher gerne in neue Dimensionen vorstößt, – an der Uni Leipzig also war man der nervigen Diskussionen um die geschlechterneutrale Sprache leid und hat – ja – den gordischen Knoten durchschlagen.

Professorin, Rektorin, Assistentin plus Fußnote – das reicht

Podcast Ende der Welt

Die Radioglosse "Ende der Welt" läuft immer am Ende des aktuellen Morgenmagazins radioWelt (6.00 bis 8.30 Uhr) um 8.25 Uhr in Bayern 2.

In der Grundordnung der Uni Leipzig, – das ist eine Art Satzung – gibt es künftig keinen Professor mehr und keinen Rektor, auch keine Doppelformen mit Binnen-I oder Schrägstrich Professor/Professorin. Es gibt nur noch die weibliche Form: Professorin, Rektorin, Assistentin – und eine Fußnote erklärt, dass zu der weiblichen Form auch die Männer gehören. Fertig! Generisches Femininum heißt das. Da kann man nur sagen: Respekt, Herr Professorin! 

 

Das ist mal eine klare Sache; Schluss mit dem Herumgeeiere, wie etwa in der neuen Straßenverkehrsordnung, wo sich jahrzehntelang die Autofahrer herumgetrieben haben  bis man jetzt, um endlich auch die Autofahrerinnen verwarnen zu können, die beiden zu "Autofahrenden" verschmolzen hat.

Die Stadt Hannover wollte – Zeit wars – endlich auch Frauen ins Freie lassen und machte deshalb aus der Fußgängerzone – Sie merken „Gänger“, keine „Gängerinnen“ – aus der Fußgängerzone machte man in Hannover einfach die Flaniermeile. Gottseidank!

Der Anfang vom Ende des Patriarchats

Da ist die Uni Leipzig radikaler. Und vielleicht wird ihre Entscheidung einmal als Anfang vom Ende des Patriarchats gewürdigt werden. Das Beispiel muss natürlich Schule machen – überall wo Männer und Frauen zusammen sind. 

Damit es jetzt nicht gegenüber den Männern ungerecht wird, könnte man ja – frei Karl Valentins Modell zur Verkehrsberuhigung – abwechseln. Zum Beispiel: in Bayern alles männlich, in Baden-Württemberg bei Herrn Ministerpräsidentin Kretschmann weiblich. Oder: Medizinberufe männlich, die Bundeswehr weiblich – zu Befehl, Herr Oberfeldwebelin!

Klar – das mag auch verwirren. Und es wird manche am Sinn der geschlechterneutralen Sprache zweifeln lassen – wie den Diskutanten im Internet, der den Leipziger Beschluss mit dem Satz kommentierte: "Da haben wir die Salatin."

Leserreaktion  am 07.06.13 um 01:53
An der Uni Leipzig sollten schlaue Leute sitzen die an Hand der allgemein in Deutschland üblichen umgangssprachlichen Anrede wie Frau bzw. Herr erkennen welchem Geschlecht der Herr Lehrer, Herr Dozent, Herr Professor oder Frau Lehrerin, Frau Dozentin, Frau Professorin, bzw. Herr Amtsträger oder Frau Ministerin angehört. Wenn nicht, sollten sich die Entscheidungsträger für diesen Schildbürgerstreich mal genetisch untersuchen lassen, ob da noch alle Chromosomen am
richtigen Platz sitzen oder ob diese sich per geistigen Stuhlgang bereits zu diesem Geschlechts= verdrehungs - Dünnschiss völlig gehirnverkompostiert haben. Selbst wenn es an der Uni Leibzig eine X- Chromosomen Mehrheit, sprich weibliche Majorität gibt, kann das unmöglich Grundlage für solchen Bezeichnungs- und Entscheidungsschwachsinn sein. Das wäre ja gleich zu setzen mit der

Forderung alle feminine Pronomen bei Zahlen der fairen Ausgeglichenheit mit dem Neutrum Pronomen zu ersetzen, "das 13" statt "die 13", oder Herr.....

Der Küken-Tanz: Im Radio

 Daniel Fischer, Julia Nestle und Martin Gudd aus der FFH-Morningshow...

Was sagen diese Tiere?
die Küken  macht Piep
die Henne  macht Goak
der Gauke macht Kikeri-ki!
die Putte  macht Gugeligu?
die Taube macht Gurr
die Katze  macht Miau
der Hund  macht Wau-Wau!
das Schaf macht Määh!
die Ziege macht Bääh
die Kuh macht Muuu
der Stier macht Bruuu
der Trecker macht Brummm..  Oh-oh!



Hier: im Radio...



Oder auch:  (langsamer?)

http://www.ffh.de/bilder-videos/meController/Mediathek/meAction/index/meType/video/meTopic/im-hit-radio-ist-ein-kueken-ffh-tanzt.html

Sollten wir so tanzen?





--  Ach!  Die Bilder!