Podcast
StoryLearning Podcast
Hosted by Olly Richards · EN
Got a burning language learning question? I’m Olly Richards and I've learned 8 languages through stories. Every Wednesday, I answer your questions and chat to world-class language experts. Whether you're learning Spanish, German, Japanese, or something else, tune in for insider tips and practical strategies to get fluent fast.
Each week you get:
- Answers to your biggest language learning challenges
- Story-based techniques to accelerate your progress
- Tried and tested tips from my 25+ years of experience
No flashcards or memorisation. Just story-based learning that actually works.
33episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
536: How to learn a language with ZERO motivation
1w ago00:16:11Tap to summarize👉 Grab your FREE Binge-Worthy Resources for Fluency: https://l.storylearning.com/fluencyIn this episode, I’m tackling a really difficult question that I feel a lot of sympathy for: how you can learn a language when you have no motivation? I taught English for five years in Asia and the Middle East. I met a lot of students who had to learn English because they needed it for their job. They had no desire to learn, but they had to. So if you’re trying to learn without motivation, I can imagine myself looking right into your eyes and understanding the situation you're in. Let’s see if I can help. 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearning.com/Language_Courses👉 Check out my all-inclusive VIP language programme with guaranteed results: https://storylearning.com/StoryLearning_VIP_InfoLinks mentioned in this episode: LanguaTalk is my favourite place to find 1:1 language teacher: https://l.storylearning.com/languatalk #storylearning #learnthroughstories
Transcribe →
535: I created the ultimate reading app for language learners
2w ago00:11:46Tap to summarize👉Join the app waiting list: https://l.storylearning.com/app_wait_listIn this episode, I’m doing something a little bit different. I'm going to take you behind the scenes of the new StoryLearning app that I've been building. It's a work in progress, but I thought you might like a sneak peek. I'm pretty excited about it. In fact, I haven't been as excited about something since I wrote my first book of short stories over 10 years ago. I have the feeling that you’re going to find this app really useful. I’ve been using it daily to read in Italian.👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearning.com/Language_Courses👉 Check out my all-inclusive VIP language programme with guaranteed results: https://storylearning.com/StoryLearning_VIP_Info#storylearning #learnthroughstories
Transcribe →
534: How to read any language when you're a beginner
3w ago00:15:53Tap to summarize👉 Grab your FREE Language Goal Planner https://l.storylearning.com/goal_planHow do you bridge the gap between being a complete beginner and not being able to read anything and then doing what I did a few years ago, which is to learn Italian from scratch in 90 days through reading? That's what I'm going to cover in this episode.Mentioned in this episode: Olly Italian project playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9F81zlDaaE&list=PLQJscr8iS4eEuHPHQerHMBxZ68O8jiq12Details of the materials I used as a beginner are on my Italian project page: https://storylearning.com/italian-project-home👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearning.com/Language_Courses👉 Check out my all-inclusive VIP language programme with guaranteed results: https://storylearning.com/StoryLearning_VIP_Info#storylearning #learnthroughstories
Transcribe →
533: He learned 15 languages with this simple reading habit
4w ago00:41:44Tap to summarize👉 Grab your FREE Guide, Luca's 12 Rules for Learning Any Language Faster in 2026: https://l.storylearning.com/Luca_tips I am absolutely thrilled to be joined by Luca Lampariello who has been teaching languages online longer than I have. He was one of my very first references when I first started creating content online. He’s been on the podcast a number of times over the years and here is again to talk about how he’s learning languages these days. More about today's guest: Luca Lampariello is an internationally recognised language coach, polyglot, and communication expert who has spent over three decades mastering more than a dozen languages. He is the founder of Smart Language Learning, where he helps learners worldwide bypass traditional, rigid methods in favour of natural, highly effective acquisition strategies. Through his coaching, writing, and videos, Luca focuses on the psychology of learning, phonetics, and building the core habits necessary to achieve true fluency. Website: lucalampariello.comYouTube Channel: @LucaLampariello👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearning.com/Language_Courses👉 Check out my all-inclusive VIP language programme with guaranteed results: https://storylearning.com/StoryLearning_VIP_Info
Transcribe →
532: Should you use subtitles to learn a language?
May 2000:16:16Tap to summarize👉 Grab your FREE Binge-Worthy Resources for Fluency: https://l.storylearning.com/TV_movies I've had a lot of comments come in all asking the same thing: when you watch TV or movies, should you use subtitles or not? Subtitle on or subtitles off? Subtitles in which language? Which subtitle-audio combination is best? I have a rather controversial take on this, which is that I generally don't recommend TV or movies for language learning. Now, before you throw me under the bus, let me explain why. Mentioned in this episode: The main StoryLearning channel: https://www.youtube.com/@storylearning👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearning.com/Language_Courses👉 Check out my all-inclusive VIP language programme with guaranteed results: https://storylearning.com/StoryLearning_VIP_Info#storylearning #learnthroughstories
Transcribe →
531: If you've got 15 minutes, you can learn a language
May 1300:13:40Tap to summarize👉 Grab your FREE Language Goal Planner: https://l.storylearning.com/language_planWhy do we fail at language learning? It's not that we find it difficult, it's that staying consistent is difficult. We set ourselves this target of studying for an hour a day and invariably life gets in the way. And before you know it, three months have gone past and we've done nothing. This is the uncomfortable truth about language learning works - we struggle to be consistent. So we have to confront the question - how can we best make sure that we are moving towards our goals and that we don't fall off the horse? That’s what this episode is all about. 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearning.com/Language_Courses👉 Check out my all-inclusive VIP language programme with guaranteed results: https://storylearning.com/StoryLearning_VIP_Info#storylearning #learnthroughstories
Transcribe →
530: How to learn any language fast starting from zero
May 600:14:30Tap to summarize👉 Grab your FREE Language Goal Planner: https://l.storylearning.com/plan_studyWhat's the best way to learn a language as a complete beginner? The whole premise of my method, StoryLearning, is that you learn a language through reading. People understand the concept. But then they say - I'm a complete beginner, how on earth do I start to read? I don't know any words! So how do you get started? Should you download an app? What should you be doing? Let's start from the bird's eye view and work our way down.Mentioned in this episode: The main StoryLearning YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@storylearning 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearning.com/Language_Courses👉 Check out my all-inclusive VIP language programme with guaranteed results: https://storylearning.com/StoryLearning_VIP_Info#storylearning #learnthroughstories
Transcribe →
529: I learned impossible languages with stories - here's why it worked
Apr 2200:19:19Tap to summarize👉 Grab your FREE Binge-Worthy Resources for Fluency: https://l.storylearning.com/fluent_resources How do you learn difficult languages with the StoryLearning method? This is a question that came from Carlos Rabino 5125. He asked - how does your method work with Russian, Chinese, or Japanese? Reading between the lines, I guess what Carlos is asking is: how do you read when the language is really difficult? So let's get into why stories are so powerful and how to learn with story when a language is hard. 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearning.com/Language_Courses👉 Check out my all-inclusive VIP language programme with guaranteed results: https://storylearning.com/StoryLearning_VIP_Info#storylearning #learnthroughstories
Transcribe →
528: Polyglot reveals how to learn 10 languages FAST
Apr 1500:38:17Tap to summarize👉 Grab your FREE Language Guide, A Polyglot's “No-Method” Method: https://l.storylearning.com/polyglot-tipsStefano Suigo is one of the most interesting language people (if I can put it that way) that I know, and I know quite a few. He’s fluent in 10 languages and can get by in more. A lot of people claim to speak lots of languages, but Stefano is the real deal, and I know he is because I've just spent a lot of time with him and I’ve seen him use these languages. He really does have a unique profile with languages that we dig into in this interview. Enjoy! More from today's guest: Stefano’s YouTube channel, linguaEpassione: https://www.youtube.com/@linguaEpassione👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearning.com/Language_Courses👉 Check out my all-inclusive VIP language programme with guaranteed results: https://storylearning.com/StoryLearning_VIP_Info#storylearning #learnthroughstories
Transcribe →
527: Why you can't stop translating in your head (and how to fix it)
Apr 100:13:48Tap to summarize👉 Grab your FREE Grammar and Vocabulary Study Sheet: https://l.storylearning.com/learn-vocab In this episode I'm going to tackle the second most popular question I've ever been asked about language learning: How do I stop translating in my head? It is easy to say "stop translating in your head" and that is well-intentioned advice, but not very practical. The truth is, translation is inevitable and not necessarily a bad thing, at least at first. Research mentioned in this episode: The Effects of Using L1 Translation on Young Learners’ Foreign Language Vocabulary Learning, Jan 2015, Aïda Codina Camó and Elisabet Pladevall Ballester: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/297653279_The_Effects_of_Using_L1_Translation_on_Young_Learners'_Foreign_Language_Vocabulary_Learning👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearning.com/Language_Courses👉 Check out my all-inclusive VIP language programme with guaranteed results: https://storylearning.com/StoryLearning_VIP_Info#storylearning #learnthroughstories
Transcribe →