As a child, Dr. Linda Valencia was fascinated by her grandmother, a traditional healer in Guatemala. But after choosing a different path and becoming a medical doctor, Linda realized that she could integrate the best parts of her grandmother's practices into modern medicine, in order to transform healthcare across Guatemala.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/42fEwT6.

In El Salvador, waist loom weaving is a revered craft, historically undertaken by women — until Ronald Vega had to take over the job from his sick mother, becoming the first man in his family, and his country, to practice this ancestral technique.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3MKjZBs.

In May 2019, twenty Paraguayan soccer players traveled from their hometown to Asunción, the nation’s capital, to play the most important game of their lives. Led by their captain, José Elías Argaña, they were the first indigenous team to qualify to Paraguay’s national soccer league. 

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3BhJ8Nj.

Dr. Magaly Blas trades the security of a city hospital job for a post in the Amazon, where she serves pregnant women who don't have access to modern healthcare. But when Magaly discovers that she, too, is pregnant, her work takes on a whole new level of meaning.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3Lz086z.

A group of indigenous women from Bolivia go to great heights to show the world that mountaineering is for everyone — including cholitas who wear their traditional skirts and shawls with pride.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/449EAWr.

A young Mexican man discovers that he can use rap as a tool to help save his native language. But can he convince a new generation to love this new form of rap, too?

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3Al1v3e.

Rodrigo Pacheco worked in some of the world's best restaurants, but he never truly felt like the chef he aspired to be until he found himself far from the culinary scene on the Ecuadorian coast. That's where his quest to build a 100% sustainable restaurant began.

A transcript of this episode is available at http://bit.ly/3KZGHEV.

In 2013, a Peruvian photographer visits his parents’ village and unexpectedly becomes dedicated to improving literacy in rural Peru. 

A transcript of this episode is available at http://bit.ly/4385i17.

The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back with new episodes starting April 6, 2023. Listen to the trailer now!

Ricardo Bordones and Carlos Cortés are caught in a huge storm and fear they may suffer the same fate as the passengers of the Vapor Itata. How much will they risk to find the sunken shipwreck?

A transcript of this episode is available at podcast.duolingo.com.

Carlos and Ricardo set out on a journey to find the remains of the Vapor Itata, a century after it sank. They receive an important tip about its location, which sends them to the high seas, where a storm gets in their way…

A transcript of this episode is available at podcast.duolingo.com.

Following the sinking of the Vapor Itata, Jorge X and others make it to a beach near the coastal village of Los Choros.

A transcript of this episode is available at http://bit.ly/3JSFj6X.

As a violent storm descends on the Vapor Itata, Jorge X realizes he and his fellow passengers are in great danger.

A transcript of this episode is available at http://bit.ly/3Hc5lyK.

In this episode we’ll travel back to Chile in 1922 to witness the Vapor Itata’s last voyage. There, we’ll follow Jorge X, a journalist who was heading north to cover a story that would expose the injustices in his country. But all the while, a bigger story was unfolding…right aboard the ship.

A transcript of this episode is available at http://bit.ly/3H1eryb.

Ricardo Bordones, a Chilean sociologist, discovers that a century ago, a ship sank off the coast of his country, taking over 500 lives with it. When Ricardo starts to investigate the shipwreck, he realizes that almost no one knows about it. So, together with his longtime friend and marine biologist, Carlos Cortés, Ricardo decides to embark on the adventure of a lifetime, to find the Vapor Itata and honor its memory.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3GApWwB.

The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back with a special season on Jan 12. Listen to the trailer now!

In Mexico City, tacos run the gamut, from late night snack to haute cuisine. As a chef and food tour guide, Yimnah Rosas has tried them all and uses this iconic street food to reveal a deeper side of Mexican culture.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3TbVs8Y.

In 2005, Brenda Sánchez Freixanet moved to La Roma in Mexico City and fell in love with its charm and culture. But it was the neighborhood’s community and people that made her stay.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3EnnABz.

A writer and historian give us a tour of Mexico City’s centro histórico, the area connecting the city of today with the ancient city of Tenochtitlán.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3SKXTPx.

Photographer Aldo Gracia shows us why the leafy, relaxed enclave of La Condesa has become the canine capital of Mexico City.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3C0LpNW.

Feminist author Plaqueta takes us on a journey into the world of Mexico’s mighty muralistas, the women who shaped the nation’s identity through art.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3dhQgAS.

The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back with a special season exploring Mexico City. It starts on September 15th. Listen to the trailer now!

When the glaciers in Ayacucho, Peru started disappearing, intense water shortages made life in the region unsustainable. Until two sisters revived the ancient practice of building sacred water reservoirs in the mountains.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3S9Xt5y.

A Bolivian scientist sets out to study a species of bears critically endangered by drought and loss of habitat. Along the way, she shows the local community how helping the bears can protect their livelihood and the forest against climate change.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3ohWr9Z.

After Hurricane Maria knocked out power on Puerto Rico for months, Ada Ramona Miranda Alvarado worked to protect communities on the island against future outages, using solar power.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3OjofW2.

Industrial designer Enrique Lomnitz wanted to use his creativity for good. When he learned that climate change was making water scarcity even worse for Mexico City’s low income residents, he tried to harness a natural resource: rain.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3PhQzZX.

A young Argentinian is inspired by Greta Thunberg to create one of Argentina’s most influential environmental organizations.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3yxSweY.

When Julio Cusurichi saw loggers push deeper and deeper into the Amazon, he realized they threatened both the fragile rainforest and the traditional way of life for Indigenous communities in Peru. So he decided to make it his life's work to protect Indigenous lands and rights.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3tVN7f8.

When primary school teacher Helena Vilardell’s students told her they wanted to ride their bikes to school, she came up with the idea of the “bicibús.” It quickly took off as a movement to take back the streets, helping create a cleaner environment and better future.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3b6AA1N.

A college student in Uruguay finds a way to salvage food that would otherwise be thrown away. With the help of friends, he manages to not only provide healthier food options for vulnerable communities, but also fight climate change.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3MJSx3G.

The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back for a special season, with new episodes on June 9th. Listen to the trailer now!

Leonor Torres finds a sense of community and a way to preserve customs from Puerto Rico at El Flamboyan garden and its casita in the Bronx, but it almost gets destroyed.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3K3yUC0.

Growing up in Venezuela, Gyorgy Aponte played a makeshift version of baseball, “chapitas,” using bottle caps and a broom. With his family and baseball buddies dispersed around the world, he decides to pass on the custom to his son in Canada.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/37m6vKs.

Journalist Kalú Downey and her friend worried that Chilean teatime known as “la once” was fading, so they launched a social media project to celebrate it, only to discover deeper meanings behind the custom.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3v3ZIMX.

As the daughter of recent immigrants from Ecuador, Francis Gortaire didn’t get to have a traditional quinceañera when she turned 15. But, for her 30th birthday, she decided to host the quinceañera she never had and shared an important announcement with her community.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3x8n1bc.

Julián Meconetzin Rangel Sosa learned how to craft piñatas when he was a kid. So when he launched his own business, he also taught children in schools how to make them, passing the custom onto the next generation.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3JIGfHV.

An asadora — a woman grill master — in Argentina breaks into the male-dominated field of barbecuing, creating an entire movement.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/34V2nzO.

In Quito, entrepreneur Paúl Mendez updates his community’s New Year’s custom — burning effigies, or monigotes — to make it healthier for the environment.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3MELryi.

When a Spanish mayor signs a yearly proclamation requesting everyone respect the hours of the siesta, his small town suddenly makes headlines around the world.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3MkEW3B.

The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back for a special season, with new episodes on March 3rd. Listen to the trailer now!

For almost a decade, Leydis Lopez put her career in education on hold. Until one day, she finally decided to lean into her native Spanish language to give children the gift of bilingualism.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3HoUG2U.

At eight years old, Margarita Lora Prats left Cuba in a plane full of children, thinking she was headed on a vacation. But she was actually one of thousands of children airlifted to the United States during the Cuban Revolution, in a covert program called “Operación Pedro Pan.”

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3rZbDdq.

After fleeing her hometown of Capulhuac, México, Cristina Martínez starts all over in Philadelphia, where she rises to fame as a barbacoa chef.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/35xJz9v.

Growing up in Venezuela, identical twin brothers Emilio and Orlando Tovar Gil had to lean on each other to survive. After working hard to pursue an international dance career, will a series of setbacks cause them to break up?

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3ufWU0O.

For years, Jane Terrazas lived in fear of violence in her hometown of Juárez. But later, she used her skills as a designer and artist to empower women to gain economic freedom and personal safety.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3Giecg3.

Ever since he was a kid, Rafa Millan-Garcia got through tough times by getting on his bike and pedaling alone for miles. But after one very long bike ride took him 1,700 miles from his home in Mexico City to Colorado, this nomad found a community that he never wanted to leave.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/340ZDAv.

In 2013, a Peruvian photographer visits his parents’ village and unexpectedly becomes dedicated to improving literacy in rural Peru.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3GiQb8x.

In 2011, Mónica Mera survived an accident that left her paraplegic and emotionally devastated. She thought her days of adventure were over, until she received an invitation to join a special journey on the famous Camino de Santiago trail in Spain.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3ucjXJB.

The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back with new episodes on October 28. Listen to the trailer now!

After a famous sculpture by Auguste Rodin goes missing, and then dramatically reappears, a Chilean filmmaker sets out to uncover the motives of the mysterious art student responsible for the theft.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3gdeqdI.

When two literature professors discover that a woman named María Lejárraga was behind some of the greatest Spanish literary works of the 20th century, they set out to learn why her name was omitted from history, and do everything in their power to restore her work to her name.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3IJiP4m.

For 47 years after her death, a room in Mexican painter Frida Kahlo’s house remained sealed to the outside world. When it was finally opened in 2004, it revealed amazing insights into the painter and her life.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3Gfumqw.

After a famous Matisse painting from a Venezuelan museum mysteriously shows up in a Miami art gallery, a journalist investigates and discovers the unthinkable: for years, the so-called masterpiece on display at the museum was a fake.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3KYKccz.

Pablo Picasso’s most famous work, the anti-war mural called Guernica, is returned to Spain under a veil of secrecy after 44 years outside the country during the Franco dictatorship.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/34q7ffG.

When a first edition of Gabriel García Márquez’s famous book, One Hundred Years of Solitude, disappears from a book fair in Bogotá, Colombia, a devoted bookseller vows to get it back.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3s4cGJe.

The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back with a very special season on August 5. Listen to the trailer now!

Marisa Rosales loved cars as a kid. But it wasn’t until she discovered lowriders as a young woman that she found a car community connected to her Mexican-American identity.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3IPIsk3.

Juan Pablo grew up fascinated with bullfighting, a tradition in his home country of Spain. But when he discovers recorte — the art of bull dodging — he sees it as a thrilling, more humane alternative. He throws himself into the dangerous sport, risking his life every time he faces a bull.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3ufOHcE.

Tango is Argentina’s most iconic cultural tradition. But for a hundred years, tangos have only been written from the perspective of men. The conductor of “La empoderada” or “The Empowered,” Argentina’s first all-female tango orchestra, is trying to change that.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3KVdoRI.

Uruguay consumes more mate than any other country in the world. But for a hundred years, almost all of that mate has been imported. Now, Rodrigo Patrón is trying to bring back mate production in Uruguay, in a way that respects both the environment and the famous tea’s origins.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3KYGvDx.

A group of indigenous women from Bolivia go to great heights to show the world that mountaineering is for everyone — including cholitas who wear their traditional skirts and shawls with pride.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3geYAzo.

After years of studying classical music overseas, a Peruvian composer returns home and decides to write an opera incorporating classical instruments as well as Andean ones like the zampoña and the quena — both types of flutes.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3gcZyMr.

Cacao was once a cash crop for Costa Rica — until a fungus in the 1970’s wiped out over 80% of the country’s cacao trees. Today, Juan Pablo Buchert is trying to revive the industry, by promoting sustainability and fair trade.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3s7B1Os.

Growing up, José Luis Hernández disliked lucha libre, the famous style of Mexican professional wrestling. So he never imagined that someday, he would be one of its biggest stars.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3HjrhHh.

The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back with new episodes on April 29. Listen to the trailer now!

When a family friend told Dolores Fernández that she’d seen her on television, Dolores was sure there must be a mistake. But then Dolores saw the program for herself…and there she was. Except Dolores had never been on television. So who was this mystery woman?

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3rcdcpo.

María Campos falls in love with a stray dog who has a knack for leading protests — and becomes a global symbol of unity and strength in Chile's historic social uprising.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3AKBlq4.

After experiencing climate change-fueled wildfires in person, a young Spanish businessman searches for a solution to reforest the planet, with help from a tree-whispering monk.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3Gaew0g.

Pushed away by growing insecurity and political unrest in her country, a Venezuelan woman follows her dream of moving to Georgia, USA. There, she faces a tough reality of the language barrier and harsh work conditions…obstacles she meets with a fighter's spirit.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3Hli55g.

A tattoo parlor in Barcelona helps survivors of domestic violence start a new chapter in their lives.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3gapNTRm.

Eleven years ago, a young geologist named Sandra Jara became an unsung hero in the high-stakes race to rescue 33 trapped Chilean miners. Now, she’s telling her story.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3HhSYAh.

After a fortuitous encounter in Taiwan, two Mexican friends decide to transform their national symbol into an ethical alternative for the fashion industry.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3s9934C.

In one of the poorest neighborhoods of Buenos Aires, a soccer coach helps girls fight for their right to play, building a feminist soccer league that becomes an example of inclusion in sports.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3GddG2J.

In this special episode, we go behind the scenes of “El gran robo argentino,” the first special mini-series from the Duolingo Spanish Podcast. Host and executive producer Martina Castro reveals the most intriguing secrets from this one-of-a-kind show — with a little help from those who made it possible.
If you want to hear the original music composed for this series, you can check it out here: http://bit.ly/3nIygi5 .

The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back with new episodes starting on January 21, 2021.

The robbers are forced to face the consequences of their crime, and find themselves up against potentially lengthy prison sentences. While the evidence against them is damning, they hope to make the case for leniency by arguing that they were unarmed. But the prosecutors intend to show they are not the non-violent folk heroes the media have made them out to be.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/344b0aJ.

It's the version of the heist you haven't yet heard: the day of the robbery, from the thieves' point of view. Hear the play-by-play of what really happened inside the Río Bank on January 13, 2006. With everything planned down to the smallest detail, what could go wrong?

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/32N6AV9.

The mysterious mastermind assembles a band of thieves to rob a bank without firing any shots. For a year, the gang thinks through every single detail. But can they really trust one another to pull off such an elaborate scheme?

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/32Ld2vF.

An unexpected betrayal leads to the downfall of the robbers. But police still struggle to answer a central question: Who is the man who dreamt up this audacious plan that made fools of them?

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3IQaP1t.

The police have finally put together how the robbers vanished with the loot. Yet despite several leads, agents are struggling to arrest any suspects. While the police try to keep their investigation secret, the reporters will learn that the thieves left behind a mysterious clue.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/32N6JIb.

In January 2006, a group of thieves entered a bank in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in what appeared to be just a regular theft. But soon, it became clear that this would be unlike any crime Argentina had ever seen. In part one of our first ever serialized story about one of the most shocking robberies in Latin America, you'll hear from several people who investigated the crime: Journalists Rodolfo Palacios and Maria Ripetta, prosecutor Ariel Apolo, and one of the police officers who arrived on the scene.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3ITu0HO.

The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back with new episodes starting on October 22, 2020. Listen to the trailer now!

A Bolivian biologist studies a lone frog named Romeo,, who's in danger of extinction — until she makes him a dating profile and starts an international fundraising campaign to find his Juliet and save the species.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3s5UXB9.

Irma Silva was born on a ranch, married young, and raised a large family — the traditional life of a rural Mexican woman. At 80 she thought that was it for her…until her grandson made an offer she couldn't refuse, and invited her to be the lead singer of his band.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3rfKVhB.

There are two places Teresa Valcarce calls home: Spain and the United States. But after discovering that one of her countries never fulfilled a centuries-old promise to the other, Teresa sets out on a mission to track down a missing portrait, and restore it to its rightful home.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3oa6kXC.

A young Mexican man discovers that he can use rap as a tool to help save his native language. But can he convince a new generation to love this new form of rap, too?

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3rdEUCb.

Dr. Magaly Blas trades the security of a city hospital job for a post in the Amazon, where she serves pregnant women who don't have access to modern healthcare. But when Magaly discovers that she, too, is pregnant, her work takes on a whole new level of meaning.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3rpove9.

Alejandro Méndez's new boss, café-owner Federico Bolanos, is obsessed with one thing: training Alejandro to compete in the world's toughest barista competition. But can a country like El Salvador hold its own against prevailing champions like Australia and the United States? Federico is convinced they can — and inspires Alejandro to believe the same.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/34q7WFO.

In 1973, 16-year-old Víctor Yáñez travels from his home in Chile to the former USSR to study agriculture. But when a military coup strikes at home, he's stranded in Communist Russia…for the rest of his life.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3KYKYX1.

Growing up in a house without books, Ana Sicilia always dreamed of having her own library. Years later, after teaching a writing workshop in a nearby prison, her dream would come true — just not in the way she'd imagined.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3HjElMO.

The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back with new episodes starting  July 2, 2020. Listen to the trailer now!

In this special episode, we answer your most burning questions about the Duolingo Spanish Podcast! Listen as host and executive producer Martina Castro takes you behind the scenes of this one-of-a-kind podcast — with a little help from some friends. And for those listeners who asked about starting your own podcast (there were a lot of you!), Martina recommends these resources: transom.org, training.npr.org, and googlecp.prx.org.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3AOaklH.

As the child of adoptive parents in 1980s Argentina, Tatiana Sfiligoy knew her family situation was unique. But it would be another decade before she uncovered the truth about what happened to her biological parents — including the role her country played in their disappearance.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3GaUqmF.

Like many others around the world, Spanish speakers on both sides of the Atlantic have responded to the coronavirus pandemic with exceptional acts of courage and kindness. In this special episode, we’ll hear stories of people who have stepped up to serve their communities with creativity, ingenuity, and solidarity. We dedicate this episode to the global community of front line workers who have worked tirelessly to keep others safe.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3GaOR7C.

In El Salvador, waist loom weaving is a revered craft, historically undertaken by women—until Ronald Vega had to take over the job from his sick mother, becoming the first man in his family, and his country, to practice this ancestral technique.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/34n4Jqy.

After an impressive career of cooking in some of the world's best restaurants, Marco Quelca decided to dedicate his life to bringing gourmet cooking to lower income communities in his native Bolivia, pioneering a new kind of performance art: high-end street cooking.
A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3gaozb9.

As a child, Dr. Linda Valencia was fascinated by her grandmother, a traditional healer in Guatemala. But after choosing a different path and becoming a medical doctor, Linda realized that she could integrate the best parts of her grandmother's practices into modern medicine, in order to transform healthcare across Guatemala.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/34nHuwe.

When María Elena Paz moved to a plot of land on the outskirts of Mexico City, she was shocked to find no water, electricity, or roads. She and her neighbors weren't even supposed to live in the ecologically protected zone. But María Elena was ready to move mountains to show her community that the power to improve their living conditions was in their hands.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3HhswXx.

Francisco Sanclemente is on the verge of professional soccer success when a serious illness leaves him wheelchair-bound. Without the use of his legs, he's forced to redefine what it means to be an athlete.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3L2yY74.

In 1961, 15-year-old Norma Guillard left her family behind and ventured into rural Cuba as part of a nationwide campaign to teach people how to read. Her eight-month journey would culminate in a historic accomplishment for her country—and give Norma an opportunity to leave poverty behind.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3udCR2K.

For 30 years, Ana Larriel struggled with her weight and her body image. Until she decided her body wasn't what needed to change. The cultural perspective she had grown up with was what needed changing.
A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3rg9zPl.

The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back with new episodes starting March 26, 2020. Listen to the trailer now!

A Spanish fashion designer works hard to give her autistic son every opportunity—then discovers that he has a special talent and makes him her business partner.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3Hu1ZpG.

A young Puerto Rican man takes a dish from his homeland and creates a global food sensation. But when Hurricane Maria hits, he finds a new way of using food to help the island he loves.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3HmCUgv.

Yola grew up watching her grandfather make mezcal. When he died, she took up the mantle. But how would she transform her grandfather’s hobby into a mezcal for the masses?

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/344bPjP.

Rodrigo Pacheco worked in some of the world's best restaurants, but he never truly felt like the chef he aspired to be until he found himself far from the culinary scene on the Ecuadorian coast. That's where his quest to build a 100% sustainable restaurant began.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/34q8iw8.

Working as a nurse in Venezuela during the worst economic crisis in the country's history, Fabiola Molero is used to seeing hardship. But when she and her team saw a photo of a girl suffering from extreme malnutrition on a nearby island, they knew the crisis had reached a tipping point.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3AV3iMc.

Eréndira Sánchez is a young skydiving apprentice in Mexico when a world-famous skydiver offers her a chance to train at his facility in the U.S. But after a tragic accident, Eréndira is forced to choose between a life of freedom in the sky or one of safety on the ground.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3LaQZ39.

In 1980s Quibdó, a rural, Afro Colombian city, homophobia was a part of everyday life. But when Erlin Mena found the courage to put on heels and dance in drag, he helped create a thriving queer community that endures to this day.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/32MCbWZ.

Growing up as the daughter of a mariachi, Mireya Ramos learned early on that mariachi was a male-dominated world. But after moving to New York City, Mireya decided to challenge tradition and create an all-female mariachi group, opening doors for other musicians and redefining the genre.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3s98VCg.

The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back with new episodes starting Thursday, December 12. Listen to the trailer now!

It took Vincenzo Bruno years to fully embrace his trans identity. But the moment he did, he became a fierce advocate for other LGBTIQ Costa Ricans, helping to launch a campaign that would end up altering the course of Costa Rican history.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3gcN9Il.

In May 2019, twenty Paraguayan soccer players traveled from their hometown to Asunción, the nation’s capital, to play the most important game of their lives. Led by their captain, José Elías Argaña, they were the first indigenous team to qualify to Paraguay’s national soccer league.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3AOyCMg.

In 1970, in a country polarized by cold-war politics, Jorge Gómez organized an outdoor music festival. But what he expected to be a peaceful gathering turned into a life-defining moment that would become an enduring myth in his country.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3s8KogC.

Mexican tenor Javier Camarena discovered he wanted to sing Opera the first time he heard it. His passion for singing Opera lead him to test his strengths and determination over and over.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3oel0Fd.

All her life, Cirle Tatis Ariza had been taught to think her curly hair was something to hide. But after years of harsh chemical treatments, Cirle learned to love her hair, and taught other women to do the same.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3reXj1m.

Ever since she was a little girl, Carmen Félix knew she wanted to work on something related to space. So she defied cultural expectations, became one of the first Mexican scientists to work for NASA, and helped create and participate in some of the first simulations of missions to Mars.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/35tJ5Bi.

Fernando Laposse is a Mexican designer with a particular obsession: corn. It’s an obsession that began in his childhood and would lead him to create a project that would not only help save the diversity of native corn in Mexico, but also revive a small farming town that was about to disappear.

Aa transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3IN0D9O.

Tatiana Calderón is the only female driver in Formula 2 racing, and she’s poised to make it to the top: Formula 1. In her career, she’s had to overcome many obstacles of a sport built by and for men–but now, she’s leading a revolution to go even further, and  adapt racing cars’ design to the female body.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3HiUhyQ.

The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back with new episodes starting Thursday, August 15. Listen to the trailer now!

Since he was a kid, Tito Vargas has dreamt of having his own coffee plantation. It’s a dream his parents tried very hard to dissuade him from pursuing because they knew first-hand the uncertainty and hardship of the coffee trade. But Tito persisted, and he too would learn of the ups and downs of life as a coffee farmer, until he found a solution that had been right under his nose that whole time. 

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3ufzl85.

When Danilo Manzano came out to his family, they didn't accept his sexuality and asked him to hide it from the world. But a key friendship would inspire Danilo to not only embrace his identity publicly, but to become an outspoken activist for LGBTQ rights in Ecuador.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3GiRRPn.

Andrés Ruzo grew up listening to his grandfather tell a story about a river with boiling waters in the Amazon. When he later became a scientist specializing in geothermal energy, he set a goal for himself: to go deep into the jungle and find that river.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3rer8Px.

Carlos Marroquín has always been an inventor. But he wasn’t putting that talent to much use in his native Guatemala until he saw a rare sight  on the road that stopped him in his tracks: bicycles. That turning point led Carlos to transform the lives of many farmers and towns through his bicycle-inspired inventions, or as he calls them, bicimáquinas.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3GdeQeB.

Héctor Vergara escaped dictatorship in Chile in the 1970s and fled to Europe, where he landed in the restaurant industry. There he discovered a passion and talent for wine that led him to become the first Master Sommelier from Latin America. But his biggest impact on the world wouldn’t take place until he found his way back home, where no one even knew what a sommelier was.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3s4e9PK.

The giant Galápagos tortoise is one of the most endangered animals in the world, and Lonesome George was the last of his particular species when he met conservationist Washington Tapia. They would go on to develop a bond that would inspire Washington to dedicate his life to protecting the tortoises of the Galápagos.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3GafQ3e.

Laura Ortiz thought she could change the lives of children in Colombia’s most remote region by giving them books. But a trip there teaches her that she was the one who had much to learn from those communities.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3gcU5p2.

Would you build a company based on trust? That’s what social entrepreneur Marcela Torres set out to do when she launched her Mexico City-based startup that paid young people to learn to code. No one believed she could do it, until she did.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3repZYi.

The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back with new episodes starting Thursday, May 2nd. Listen to the trailer now!

Cristian Gorbea had been running long-distance races for 20 years when he decided to enter his first ultramarathon. The race would begin at the base of a mountain in Argentina and last 24 hours — at least, in theory. For Cristian, the experience would last much longer, and test much more than his physical endurance. He’d test his faith, patience, and capacity to cede his fate to someone other than himself.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3AU1l2r.

Ana María grew up without a father. All she knew about him was his name, but when she set out to find him she discovered that even his name led her astray. Ana María’s endeavor to fill in the blanks her father left in her life story leads her to surprising places, as she learns startling details about her mother’s past and finds guidance where she least expects it.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3KZ2BWI.

When David Martínez was four years old, he and his parents took a bus to the north of Colombia to visit extended family for Christmas. They had many gifts with them, including a ham for the family dinner. But what should have been an uneventful trip turned into a dangerous journey that David would never forget.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/33Zb3oo.

After the September 11th attacks in 2001, Juan Pablo Villarino was dismayed to see how people were starting to lose trust in the ultimate good of humanity. So he figured the best way to prove he was still right to trust total strangers was to hitchhike through the epicenter of the war on terror.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3rfirV8.

When she was growing up in Santiago, Chile, Yasna Mussa says it was common for her friend’s families to employ nannies. Even though these workers, mostly women, spent most of their days caring for these families, Yasna remembers them being somewhat invisible. She didn’t take notice of this until she became a nanny herself in a foreign country.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/35F0jfe.

Federico Bianchini had always dreamt of traveling to Antarctica from his native Argentina. But little did he know that the great white continent had a plan of its own for him once he got there.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3GiS6df.

Flamenco is famous for the emotional intensity of its songs and dances. Argentinian Samanta Gamarra discovered that this ancient art from southern Spain has another quality that is less known for, the ability to heal wounds, the deepest ones.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3GgY8uP.

When Andrea Krichmar was a girl, she spent an  afternoon at her friend’s dad’s house. This was during the dictatorship in Argentina, and that afternoon, without knowing it, Andrea witnessed a scene that would change her life and make her key to the country’s historic return to democracy.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3AKOvDI.

The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back with new episodes starting Thursday, November 15th. Listen to the trailer now!

When Sonia González was a child, her father was the center of her universe, always leading the family on adventures to different parts of Venezuela. But one day, all of that changed and Sonia and her siblings became the leaders of the most challenging adventure the family had faced yet.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3rppF9v. 

When Nicolás Barreto went up the mountains of Venezuela for the first time, he was chasing after a girl. There he worked alongside her for a month putting together a play that would inaugurate the highest theater in the country. He came down from that mountain transformed, filled with a love he wasn’t expecting.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3ugHV6M.

Classifying for the World Cup is an emotional roller coaster for most soccer fans, but in 2018, that was especially true for Peruvians, who hadn’t seen their country compete on the world stage in over three decades. What did it take for Peru to qualify for the biggest event in world soccer? Peruvian fan and writer Toño Angulo Daneri believes it might have all boiled down to an unlikely good luck charm: his 4-year-old son’s favorite toy.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3gcUcAY.

In Perú, writer Marco Avilés and his dog Piji were inseparable. But when Marco decided they should pursue better lives in the United States, and Marco found himself working for a top chef, their bond and sense of adventure would be tested in ways he had never imagined.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/34ngMEj.

Stella Forner will never forget her first wedding anniversary. It was March of 1976 and she spent the day at the Mexican consulate in Montevideo, Uruguay, which was in the midst of a military dictatorship. She, her husband and their baby weren’t there for a romantic celebration but to ask for political asylum. They had no idea how long it would be until they again felt at home in their own country.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3IP9Nmo.

Maria Murriel used to struggle with living between languages and cultures, and for many years tried to hide that she was an immigrant in the United States. Eventually, she realized that what she had been treating as a challenge was actually a key part of her identity.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3oAezg3.

Fabio Manuppella used to walk by homeless people on the streets of Buenos Aires thinking they must have done something to deserve their fate. Until he had to learn first-hand what it means to lose everything you have.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3unvEgy.

María Clara Calle grew up hearing about the atrocities committed by the FARC rebels in Colombia. She never imagined that one day she would not only meet them, but eat and sleep among them, deep in their territory, as they thought about their role in the future of peace in their country.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3AJFyul. 

A mother and her young daughter leave Mexico, escaping violence in search of a better life. It’s a trip with a few unexpected turns that ends up taking longer than planned. But their constant companion was there for them whenever they needed to escape: an old blue suitcase.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3ITv8ew.

In 1996, Luis von Ahn left Guatemala to study in the United States and never moved back. That's partly because of something that happened just before his departure, something that changed his life forever: the kidnapping of his aunt.

Study materials and a transcript of this episode are available at https://bit.ly/3HoXtZW. 

Growing up in Ecuador, Carolina Loza-León didn’t feel particularly close to her father. He was withdrawn and not very affectionate; a military man who loved reading American books. But while Carolina felt distant from her dad, he in turn was close with an American couple who hosted him when he was an exchange student to the U.S. She never quite understood that period in his life, until she took her own trip to Cincinnati, Ohio.

Study materials and a transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3GaVEON.

Fabián Mauricio Martínez discovered his love for travel through his other passion – literature. So when he first read Jack Kerouac’s novel, "On the Road," he dreamed of crossing the United States from coast to coast as the main characters in the book had. One day, he decided it was time to make the trip his own.

Study materials and a transcript of this episode are available at https://bit.ly/3APaOZ2.

Actress Trinidad Piriz traveled to Berlin to study theater, hoping to fall in love and improve her quality of life. But six months later, she returned home having only accomplished one thing: to get scammed by a woman whose name would forever be etched in her memory — Helen Brown.

Study materials and a transcript of this episode are available at https://bit.ly/3gevkZu.

María Elizabeth Soto had never traveled to Asia before her office sent her on a three-week business trip to China. She wasn't prepared for the culture shock she'd face there. But the real surprise wouldn't come until she returned home to Chile.

Study materials and a transcript of this episode are available at https://bit.ly/3LaRZnV.

Roberto Herrscher was one of the many Argentinians who fought against Great Britain in the Falklands War in the 1980s. Decades later, Herrscher returns to the islands to confront his memories and ends up making an unlikely friend.

Study materials and a transcript of this episode are available at https://bit.ly/3uh4KqO.

When Belén Fernández Llanos turned 28, she decided to move from Chile to Argentina with her boyfriend of ten years to start a new life together. Belén was ready for an adventure, but the one that awaited her in Buenos Aires would turn out very differently than what she had imagined...

Study materials and a transcript of this episode are available at https://bit.ly/3rdEBHy.

The Duolingo Spanish Podcast brings you true stories in English and Spanish about what can happen when we are far from home. In this first episode, we head to Veracruz, México to hear how Rodrigo Soberanes managed to meet his childhood hero.

You can find study materials and a transcript of this episode at https://bit.ly/34q9OOQ.