Best Italian Listening Practice Podcasts (2025)

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Massey Lecture 2: The six years that remade human rights 1:03:31

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10m ago1:03:31

1:03:31

The ideals behind the concept of human rights — such as the sacredness of life, reciprocity, justice and fairness — have millennia-old histories. After the carnage of the Second World War and the Holocaust, these ideas took a new legal form. In his second Massey Lecture, Alex Neve considers six dizzying years that laid out a blueprint for a new wor…

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🦋 Your Own Butterfly Effect 11:47

5h ago11:47

11:47

I want you to think about a specific moment that changed you forever...

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Massey Lecture 1: Renewing the promise of human rights 1:04:22

1d ago1:04:22

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Universality is the core promise of human rights: these rights extend to everyone, everywhere. But above all else, this is where we have failed. In his first CBC Massey Lecture, Alex Neve explores how to ensure the “lifeboat” of human rights is seaworthy for everyone. Visit cbc.ca/masseys for more details about this lecture series.…

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👀 Bonus Episode 09 Preview – Shadows, Figures, and Hidden Voices – Chap 2 Part 2 8:09

3h ago8:09

8:09

Send me a text 🎧 Bonus Episode 08 Preview – Shadows, Figures, and Hidden Voices – Chap 2 Part 2 In this preview, we take the first steps into Chapter 2, Part 2 of Le Pagine del Passato. Strange meetings in the city, elegant streets, and hidden voices set the atmosphere. You’ll hear: 🏙️ Category 1: City & Places with words like avvocato, pareti, raf…

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Buttons give the illusion of power but hide the consequences 54:08

1h ago54:08

54:08

Whether mechanical or digital, a button delivers the promise of power — but it's far from simple. The small and mighty technology has a riveting history, a story of control, power, freedom and oppression. From the podcast Media Objects, this episode traces the evolution of the button, and asks what happens when every command is reduced to a single …

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🗞️ Weekly News with Brian (Nov 14) 9:53

2h ago9:53

9:53

Let's cover a few stories from around the world...

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The people who inspire Alex Neve to fight for human rights 54:08

10h ago54:08

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When he was eight, 2025 CBC Massey Lecturer Alex Neve watched his mother fight for daycare in Alberta. It’s shaped how he thinks about human rights. Ahead of his Massey Lectures next week, Neve shares the pivotal moments in his life that led to his human rights advocacy — and shines a light on the chorus of people he carries with him.…

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🤌 Am I Italian Now? 11:36

4d ago11:36

11:36

So many people tell me: "Brian, you're Italian now!" ...but am I? 😏

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How overlooked veterans make history in their own words 54:09

5h ago54:09

54:09

There’s history, and then there’s oral history. And when it comes to the impacts of war on those who fight them — oral history opens doors to the past that would otherwise stay firmly shut. Michael Petrou, an historian with the Canadian War Museum, argues oral history is especially valuable because it allows us to hear from people "whose voices are…

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4 chiacchiere e 1 caffè - Gli italiani e il caffè 12:37

2h ago12:37

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====> Scarica il glossario Benvenuto in 4 chiacchiere e 1 caffè, la nuova serie podcast di Arkos Academy, pensata per studenti di livello intermedio e avanzato (B2–C1) che vogliono ascoltare l’italiano autentico — quello che si parla davvero. Ogni episodio è una chiacchierata naturale e spontanea, ricca di modi di dire, curiosità e riferimenti cult…

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⚔️ Translation Arena #12 8:14

6h ago8:14

8:14

Today's theme: Get + Adjective

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Why Canadian veterans are conflicted about Remembrance Day 54:08

6h ago54:08

54:08

Remembrance Day. Every year we are called on to remember, to reflect on the sacrifices of those who fought in Canada’s wars. Veterans of those wars have a conflicted relationship with Remembrance Day: sometimes their own acts of remembrance include official ceremonies, while others avoid them altogether. *This the second and last of a two-part seri…

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🛜 The Version of YOU: 1825 vs 2025 13:14

11h ago13:14

13:14

How would YOU be different now compared to in 1825?

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Not a war story. This is about what comes after for veterans 54:08

3h ago54:08

54:08

Even when wars end, they go on — transforming the people who fought them, their families, and even society. A former war correspondent interviewed more than 200 veterans of all of Canada’s wars for an online oral history project by The Canadian War Museum. The focus is not so much on preserving memories of their combat experiences, but to reflect o…

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🪂 Risking Nothing is Risky 12:00

4d ago12:00

12:00

Risk nothing and you'll risk everything. What does this mean?

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Episode 13 - Adverbs of Place - Finding Your Way in Italian 38:14

7d ago38:14

38:14

Send me a text 🎧 Episode 13 - Here, There, and Everywhere - Finding Your Way in Italian Today we dive into gli avverbi di luogo — adverbs of place. These small but powerful words like qui, lì, lassù, laggiù, dentro, fuori, and dappertutto help paint a scene and make your Italian sound natural and confident. We return to our story outside the train …

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What it takes to become a ruthless tyrant 54:08

12m ago54:08

54:08

Look back about 3,000 years and you will find the playbook on authoritarianism remains pretty much the same as it is today. Back in the 5th century BCE, when Herodotus travelled the ancient world gathering stories, he became an expert in would-be tyrants. His tome, The History, shared vivid descriptions of autocratic and tyrannical rulers. Herodotu…

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🗞️ Weekly News with Brian (Nov 7) 10:01

9d ago10:01

10:01

Four big news stories from this past week...

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First historian Herodotus knew the power of story 54:09

1h ago54:09

54:09

For someone who died more than 2,400 years ago, Herodotus's voice is still very much alive. "He knows the way [a good story] can elevate but also corrupt and destroy our thinking," says professor Lindsay Mahon Rathnam in this IDEAS episode. The ancient Greek writer observed different cultures first-hand, while capturing the stories they share in an…

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🪴 Don't BE Right, GET it Right 12:54

12d ago12:54

12:54

This simple skill will help you see the world more clearly...

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Hope lies in knowing that "we've changed the world before” 54:39

16h ago54:39

54:39

Political analyst Rachel Maddow and author/activist Rebecca Solnit are sharp observers of Trump 2.0. They both share a common ground: opposition to anti-democratic actions taken by the second administration of U.S. President Trump, and where those actions are taking America, if not the world. The two American writers spoke with Nahlah Ayed about th…

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⚔️ Translation Arena #11 8:15

1d ago8:15

8:15

Today's theme: Prepositions of Certain Verbs

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How mind-bending theories could solve mysteries in physics 54:39

1d ago54:39

54:39

Physics has been full of astonishing discoveries over the past century. But they open up even bigger mysteries that scientists are working feverishly to explain. What is dark energy? And why is the expansion of the universe accelerating? In public talks at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo, Ontario, two prominent physicist…

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💔 My Heart is Broken Right Now 11:40

3d ago11:40

11:40

Guys, I'm in pain. Let me explain...

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To fix America's caste system, acknowledge it exists: author 54:08

3d ago54:08

54:08

The true story of America is that it was built on a caste system comparable to India’s, says Pulitzer-prize-winning American journalist Isabel Wilkerson. The author argues that it's key to recognize the roots of the U.S. caste "structure" as she calls it, to understand why conflicts relating to race and class persist. Wilkerson delivered the 2025 B…

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🛫 Spontaneous Champions! 11:48

4d ago11:48

11:48

I just did something crazy. Let me tell you about it...

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Bonus Episode 08 Preview - Dove si trova il pacco? – A Neighborly Mystery of Italian Commands 7:09

13d ago7:09

7:09

Send me a text 🎧 Bonus Episode 8 Preview - Dove si trova il pacco? – A Neighborly Mystery of Italian Commands Elena’s package has disappeared, and the clock is ticking before her nonna’s birthday! Follow the mystery from the very beginning in this preview of our newest Power Up story. In the full version, you’ll practice all types of Italian comman…

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Mexican fiction turns drug kingpins into vicious vampires 54:08

6d ago54:08

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There’s a burgeoning genre of fiction coming from Mexico — stories that merge socio-political history and the impact of drug-related violence with fantastical stories of eerie ghosts, zombies, and monstrous cannibals. IDEAS explores dozens of gothic, horror and crime fiction novels. *This episode is part of our ongoing series, IDEAS from the Trench…

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🗞️ Weekly News with Brian (Oct 31) 11:09

18d ago11:09

11:09

Here are three interesting news stories from the past week...

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Can democracies survive the attacks on the rule of law? 54:08

7d ago54:08

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Even in some of the world’s sturdiest democracies, leaders are deliberately undermining courts to weaken checks on their power. In many cases, the justice system is being sidelined. How much damage has already been done? And how worried should we be about the future of democracies around the world? We'd love to hear from you. Fill in our listener s…

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🎃 Is Halloween Healthy? 10:46

19d ago10:46

10:46

We humans like the feeling of controlled fear and we manifest it during holidays like Halloween and Day of the Dead...

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This lawyer turns real legal cases into page-turners 54:08

8d ago54:08

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War criminals, Nazi fugitives, and a viable threat to American democracy — sounds like a classic page-turner but author and lawyer Philippe Sands isn't making this up. His book, 38 Londres Street is a retelling of legal history that probes the connections between former Nazi leaders and Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. The payoff isn’t just an in…

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Podcast - Michelangelo - parte 4 11:51

15d ago11:51

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I'm back! 🎉 And as a gift for your patience 💙 free content for you https://arkos-academy.systeme.io/free-library ====> Read the text while you're listening! https://arkosacademy.com/4michelangelo-pod/ Let's summarize some of Michelangelo's most famous works in today's podcast. Then write in the comments: how many of these works did you already know…

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⚔️ Translation Arena #10 9:01

20d ago9:01

9:01

Today's theme: Would, Could & Should

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How Indigenous Americans discovered Europe 54:09

9d ago54:09

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Indigenous Americans on European soil can be found throughout historical records, but historian Caroline Dodds Pennock says they have largely been ignored. In her book, On Savage Shores, she traces the history of Indigenous lives in Europe during the 1500s. The author told IDEAS host Nahlah Ayed about her research collecting evidence of the widespr…

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⌚ The Perception of Time (US vs Italy) 11:58

21d ago11:58

11:58

Would you be surprised if I told you that in Italy and the US we perceive time completely differently?...

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33 years of the campus free speech controversy 54:07

11d ago54:07

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In the early 1990s, “woke” was "politically correct," "DEI" was known as "affirmative action,” and the term “cancel culture” had yet to be coined. The language was different, but the controversies of today were just beginning. In a 1992 episode of IDEAS, journalist Linda Frum took on the issue of free speech on campus. With notable guests like Dine…

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🧠 Why You're Wiser in English 10:55

22d ago10:55

10:55

Here's why speaking a foreign language makes you so much wiser...

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Episode 12 - Trust Yourself… or Don’t! – Italian Negative Reflexive Commands in Action 21:47

22d ago21:47

21:47

Send me a text 🎧 Episode 12 - Trust Yourself… or Don’t! – Italian Negative Reflexive Commands in Action In this episode of Impariamo l’italiano piano piano – Un impegno quotidiano, we return to Le Pagine del Passato, where Mariella meets a mysterious woman who tells her, “Fidati del tuo istinto.” But what if she wanted to say the opposite - “Non ti…

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Can you have compassion for someone you never agree with? 54:08

13d ago54:08

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Ask yourself: can you? It is a question that George Eliot asks over and over through her characters in Middlemarch, a 19th-century novel that speaks to our own fractious age. Eliot highlights how important it is to see the world from the point of view of others — even characters we don’t like. *This is second episode in our two-part series. It orig…

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🗞️ Weekly News with Brian (Oct 24) 10:53

25d ago10:53

10:53

What happened at the Louvre last week?!

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George Eliot's invaluable life lessons on confronting reality 54:08

14d ago54:08

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Virginia Woolf called George Eliot's novel, Middlemarch “one of the few English books written for grownups.” It’s a book full of characters asking: is it a good thing to live a life of duty, or is it ridiculous? Even after over 150 years since the book was published, it provides up-to-date lessons in how to live a modern life. *This is part one or …

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🔬 Why "Zooming Out" Will Help You 10:32

26d ago10:32

10:32

Living in the moment isn't always the best way to live. Let me explain...

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The real reasons why more young women freeze their eggs 54:08

15d ago54:08

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Egg freezing is one of today’s fastest-growing reproductive technologies. It's seen as a kind of 'fertility insurance' for the future, but that doesn’t address today’s deeper feelings of uncertainty around parenthood, heterosexual relationships, and the reproductive path forward. In this documentary, freelance producer Alison Motluk explores the hi…

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⚔️ Translation Arena #9 8:00

27d ago8:00

8:00

Today's theme: Short and Tricky Sentences

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New details on Canada's first documented 'demon possession' 54:08

24d ago54:08

54:08

A demonic possession, a do-it-yourself exorcism, and the execution of an accused witch — welcome to daily life in Quebec City, circa 1660. IDEAS digs into the story of Canada’s earliest reported ‘demon possession caused by witchcraft’ case. *This episode originally aired on June 9, 2023. We appreciate your input. Fill out our listener survey here.…

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🫵🏻 Doable Discipline 11:18

28d ago11:18

11:18

I consider myself pretty good at discipline, so let me share a piece of advice if you're open to hearing it...

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Can abolishing all political parties topple fascism? 54:08

17d ago54:08

54:08

In the aftermath of the First World War, French philosopher Simone Weil had a solution to address the fascism that surged across Europe: abolish political parties. She argued political parties were not democratic, they were dangerous. With the help of former politician Michael Ignatieff and other guests, IDEAS producer Nicola Luksic explores the ra…

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👨🏻‍⚖️ The New Rule in School 11:24

29d ago11:24

11:24

This one rule changed everything at my friend's school...

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Episode 11 - The Rebel Verbs: Mastering Italian's Irregular Commands 35:20

28d ago35:20

35:20

Send me a text 🎧 Episode 11 - The Rebel Verbs: Mastering Italian's Irregular Commands In this episode of Impariamo l’italiano piano piano, Myra and Antonio return to the story “Le Pagine del Passato” to uncover a new set of Italian imperatives—this time, the irregular ones! After revisiting the mysterious encounter under the lamplight, they dive in…