Have a borÂing comÂmute? A long road trip comÂing up? ConÂsidÂer using that time well and learnÂing a lanÂguage as you driÂve. While rumÂmagÂing around on SpoÂtiÂfy (downÂload their free softÂware here), we noticed that they give you free access to the mulÂti-part colÂlecÂtions: Learn SpanÂish in Your Car, Learn French in Your Car, Learn ManÂdarin in Your Car, Learn ItalÂian in Your Car, Learn RussÂian in Your Car, and Learn GerÂman in Your Car.
RunÂning 10–14 hours, the colÂlecÂtions (usuÂalÂly retailÂing for $22.95 on AmaÂzon) build in difÂfiÂculÂty, movÂing from “LevÂel 1” to “LevÂel 2” to “LevÂel 3.” We’ve embedÂded the playlists below, and you can always find them listÂed in our colÂlecÂtion, Learn 45+ LanÂguages Online for Free: SpanÂish, ChiÂnese, EngÂlish & More.
SpanÂish:
French
ManÂdarin
GerÂman
ItalÂian
RussÂian
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I don’t have a mobile device (e.g., smartÂphone) that will enable me to stream the lessons while driÂving. I do have an mp3 playÂer that will play through my car’s sound sysÂtem. I know I can stream the lessons from SpoÂtiÂfy and capÂture the audio on my lapÂtop in real time and proÂduce mp3 files, but is there a way to downÂload the files instead? It would be much easÂiÂer and quickÂer to go at it this way. Thanks for any help you Open CulÂture fans can proÂvide.
SpoÂtiÂfy also has sumÂmaÂry playlists such as “Learn SpanÂish” and “Learn French,” each comÂprised of sevÂerÂal coursÂes by difÂferÂent pubÂlishÂers. It’s worth spendÂing an evening samÂpling each pubÂlishÂer’s proÂgram.
For MP3 coursÂes, see http://www.openculture.com/freelanguagelessons.
As an admitÂtedÂly Apple-cenÂtric alterÂnaÂtive, the SpoÂtiÂfy (preÂmiÂum) mobile app has an “AvailÂable Offline” togÂgle, which would let you use an iPod Touch. The same hardÂware would work with an Apple Music subÂscripÂtion: you can downÂload lanÂguage albums (like the Learn in Your Car series feaÂtured here) for offline use.
Being one of the three indiÂvidÂuÂals in the world who still does not have a mobile device (Apple or othÂerÂwise) leaves me at a cerÂtain disÂadÂvanÂtage. After postÂing my iniÂtial comÂment, I did some more research into the matÂter of downÂloadÂing files from SpoÂtiÂfy (rather than getÂting the mateÂrÂiÂal by means of the tedious process of recordÂing the lessons as they played). I’m now pretÂty sure it can’t be done. ConÂseÂquentÂly, I appreÂciÂate your sugÂgesÂtion and link to the MP3 coursÂes, and I intend to purÂsue it. Thanks.