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.
30episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
533: He learned 15 languages with this simple reading habit
1w 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
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532: Should you use subtitles to learn a language?
2w ago00:16:16Tap 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
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531: If you've got 15 minutes, you can learn a language
3w ago00:13:40Tap 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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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526: How to learn a language you hate (and actually enjoy it)
Mar 2500:12:09Tap to summarize👉 Grab your FREE Language Goal Planner: https://l.storylearning.com/set-goalsWhat do you do if you hate the language you're learning? Is this even possible? I'm tackling a genuine listener question about this topic. It's something that can happen to a lot of immigrants, but there is a way around it. 👉 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
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525: The lazy language habit that actually builds fluency
Mar 1800:39:35Tap to summarize👉 Grab your FREE StoryLearning Blueprint: https://l.storylearning.com/free_storyIn this episode of the StoryLearning podcast, I reconnect with longtime language-learning friend Kerstin Cable, creator of The Fluent Show podcast and teacher on my course, German Uncovered. Kerstin is one of my oldest internet friends who gave me some excellent advice in the early days of my blog that I still remember 13+ years later! We talk about AI, choice overload in the modern world, habits and why my parent's generation were such good language learners. More about today's guest: Kerstin Cable is a language learning expert and consultant living in England. Kerstin is the author of 15+ books and courses for language learners including German Uncovered at StoryLearning, co-founder of AI Language Club and the Women in Language conference, and creator of the Fluent Show podcast. She is a native German speaker who hails from the beautiful Moselle valley. Kerstin studied 6 languages in Germany and has added 4 more so far, including her language crush, Welsh. AI Language Club: https://www.ailanguageclub.com/Kerstin's website: https://www.fluentlanguage.co.uk/👉 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
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524: 3 things I wish I knew when I started learning languages
Mar 1100:15:45Tap to summarize👉 Grab your FREE Goal Planner: https://l.storylearning.com/free_plannerThere are all kinds of techniques and tricks and that you can use to learn a language. But they're all just that - tactics and techniques. In today’s episode, I’m answering an interesting question about the deep truths that I’ve learned over the years that I’d like to pass on to the next generation of language learners. Link mentioned in this episode: Story about my breakthrough in Spanish: https://storylearning.com/olly-story👉 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
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