Do you understand Spanish in class but find real conversations much more difficult?
You’re not alone.
Listening to native speakers can feel challenging because real Spanish doesn’t always sound like the Spanish we find in a textbook.
People speak naturally. They connect words. They change direction. They use expressions we haven’t studied yet.
And that’s exactly why real conversations can be such a useful way to improve your Spanish listening skills.
Today, we’re leaving the textbook behind and turning a real podcast interview into a Spanish listening practice activity for A2, B1 and B2 learners.
Ready?
A real Spanish conversation: from Alicante to Kuwait
I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by Miguel Moreno for his podcast Vivir Lejos Hablar Cerca – Learn Spanish.
Miguel is a Spanish teacher living in France, and his podcast is based on interviews with people who have lived outside their home countries. Through their stories, learners can hear Spanish while discovering different cultures, experiences and ways of life.
In episode 84, “Kuwait: De Alicante a Oriente Medio,” we talk about my experience as a Spanish teacher living abroad, from my roots in Alicante to life in Kuwait. The conversation touches on living abroad, cultural differences, international experiences and teaching.
And we’re going to use it as today’s Spanish lesson.
▶️ Watch the interview:
Watch Kuwait: De Alicante a Oriente Medio on YouTube
Before listening: don’t try to understand everything
Here’s one of the most important things I tell my students:
You don’t need to understand every word.
When listening to Spanish, your first objective should be to understand the message, not translate every sentence.
Before watching, look at these words:
vivir en el extranjero — to live abroad
mudarse — to move
adaptarse — to adapt
choque cultural — culture shock
costumbres — customs
echar de menos — to miss
experiencia — experience
enseñar — to teach
extranjero/a — foreign / abroad
raíces — roots
Which words do you already know?
Now press play.
Spanish Listening Exercise – A2
If you’re an A2 Spanish learner, don’t worry about understanding the complete interview.
Listen for information you recognise.
Your challenge
While listening, try to identify:
- Where is Esther from?
- Which country did she move to?
- What is her profession?
- Can you identify the names of any places?
- Write down five Spanish words you understand.
A2 challenge
Complete:
Esther es de __________.
Vivió en __________.
Trabaja como __________.
Una palabra nueva que he aprendido es __________.
Spanish Listening Exercise – B1
Ready to go a little further?
At B1 level, try to stop listening for individual words and concentrate on ideas.
Answer in Spanish:
- ¿Por qué crees que vivir en otro país puede cambiar a una persona?
- ¿Qué diferencias culturales aparecen en la conversación?
- ¿Qué aspectos de vivir en el extranjero te parecen más interesantes?
- ¿Qué palabras relacionadas con los viajes o la cultura has escuchado?
- Resume una parte de la entrevista en 3–4 frases en español.
Don’t replay every sentence immediately.
Listen once for the general meaning. Then listen again for details.
Spanish Listening Exercise – B2
At B2, we can turn listening into a more complete communication activity.
After watching, consider:
¿Cómo puede vivir en otro país cambiar nuestra identidad?
¿Qué aprendemos cuando nos enfrentamos a una cultura diferente?
¿Es necesario hablar perfectamente el idioma de un país para sentirse integrado?
¿Qué ventajas y dificultades tiene vivir lejos de tu país?
Now give yourself 60 seconds to answer one question aloud.
Try using connectors such as:
Desde mi punto de vista…
Por un lado… por otro lado…
Sin embargo…
Además…
Una de las principales ventajas es…
En mi experiencia…
You’ve now transformed a podcast into listening + vocabulary + speaking practice.
Why use podcasts to learn Spanish?
At Cucu Spanish, we don’t want students to experience Spanish only through exercises.
Language exists in people, stories, places and experiences.
A real interview exposes you to something a textbook cannot completely reproduce: spontaneous communication.
You learn to recognise meaning from context, listen to different ways of speaking and become more comfortable when you don’t understand 100% of what you hear.
That’s particularly valuable for expats living in Madrid and international families in Spain.
You may understand the grammar you’ve studied and still struggle when someone starts speaking to you at school, at work, in a café or at an appointment.
That’s why listening to authentic Spanish should become part of your learning routine.
A simple Spanish listening routine
Try this with today’s interview:
First listening: Don’t pause. What is the conversation about?
Second listening: Write down five words or expressions.
Third listening: Choose one section and listen again carefully.
Finally: Explain aloud what you understood — in Spanish.
Even two or three sentences are enough.
That’s active listening.
About Vivir Lejos Hablar Cerca
Vivir Lejos Hablar Cerca – Learn Spanish is created by Spanish teacher Miguel Moreno.
The podcast features people who have lived away from their home countries and uses their experiences to explore subjects including cultural differences, emotions, food, customs and adapting to life abroad. Miguel describes the interviews as adapted for different Spanish levels so learners can practise through real-life stories.
A big gracias, Miguel, for inviting me to participate and for turning real people’s experiences into opportunities to listen to and learn Spanish. 💛
Learn Spanish through real life with Cucu Spanish
If you’re learning Spanish in Madrid — or from anywhere in the world — remember:
Spanish doesn’t only happen in the classroom.
It happens when you order your coffee.
When another parent speaks to you at school.
When your colleagues start chatting.
When you listen to a podcast.
And when you finally realise:
“Wait… I understood that!”
At Cucu Spanish, our Spanish lessons combine language, culture and real communication to help international students, professionals and families become more confident using Spanish in everyday life.
Ready to use Spanish in real life? 🇪🇸
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Listening is only the beginning.
At Cucu Spanish, we help international students, professionals and families move from understanding Spanish to actually using it with confidence.
Through conversation, culture, real-life activities and personalised support, Spanish becomes part of your everyday life.
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