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

Stations
fluentu.com/blog/german/learn-german-radio/

caitlinhardee February 2, 2015

“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.

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1. Deutsche Welle – For the novice German learner

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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

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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

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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

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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.

Remember, music can be one of the best tools for aiding the brain in remembering new
words and grammatical structures! So whether you’re listening to music, comedy, sports or
talk shows, German radio is an awesome tool for German language learning.

And One More Way to Learn German with Music, Talk and More
If you enjoy learning with the authentic German on these radio stations, you can take your
learning even further by checking out the specially-selected material on FluentU.

FluentU takes great videos and turns them into language learning experiences so that you
can learn real German as people really speak it.

It’s like having access to a continuous playlist of the best German content that’s out there,
the same stuff that native speakers are watching and listening to every day:

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Watching a fun video, but having trouble understanding it? FluentU brings native
videos within reach with interactive transcripts.

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You can tap on any word to look it up instantly. Every definition has examples that have
been written to help you understand how the word is used. If you see an interesting word
you don’t know, you can add it to a vocab list.

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And FluentU isn’t just for watching videos. It’s a complete platform for learning. It’s
designed to effectively teach you all the vocabulary from any video. Swipe left or right to see
more examples of the word you’re on.

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The best part is that FluentU keeps track of the vocabulary that you’re learning, and it
recommends you examples and videos based on the words you’ve already learned. This is
a level of personalization that hasn’t been done before.

Start using FluentU on the website with your computer or tablet or, better yet, download
the FluentU app from the iTunes store or Google Play store.

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