Published on October 17, 2023
11 newspapers in Spanish to read for language learning
Reading newspapers in Spanish is a great way for learners to practice realistic language skills. This is because newspapers in Spanish can offer incredible insight into local culture and current events. Texts covering everything from global politics to high society and fashion are available in newspapers across the Spanish-speaking world.
Stay up-to-date with world-famous Spanish language newspapers like El País, El Mundo and BBC Español. In Mexico, it’s common to see throwback scenes where street corner vendors still offer print newspapers in Spanish for purchase. My neighbors often discuss the day’s headlines around the local tamale vendor each morning. But if you can’t get hold of print copies, the good news (pun intended!) is that all our recommended newspapers in Spanish are available online. Here are 11 newspapers in Spanish for you to check out.
You won’t get far looking for a newspaper in the Spanish language before you encounter El País (literally “The Country”). El País was founded and is based in Madrid, Spain, where it is the 2nd most circulated newspaper. On the main page of El País, you can toggle the world region of your choice for scrolling.
The BBC offers a comprehensive and free website in Spanish that reports news from all over the Spanish-speaking world. There’s also a Spanish language learning section.
AJ+ Español is a news and documentary platform from the news outlet, Al Jazeera. AJ+ Español is funded by the Qatari state. It offers some of the highest-quality non-US non-EU centric reporting about Latin America in the world. The outlet often covers under-reported stories from non-Western countries, especially Muslim-majority parts of the world.
Along with El País, El Mundo (“The World”) is the top circulated newspaper in Spain. It was founded in 1989 and offers mainstream, centrist perspectives on daily news. There are no paywalls or article limits on the website.
20 Minutos (“Twenty Minutes”) is a free newspaper in Spain. The online newspaper is simple but totally free. They have editions for Spain, Madrid and Cataluña. Their international news tends to focus on Europe.
El Universal (“The Universal”) was founded in 1916 to report on the events at the end of the Mexican Revolution. It remains a widely distributed newspaper nationwide. Critics have hinted at a possible cozy relationship between the media and the government in Mexico. The film parody The Perfect Dictatorship alludes to this connection.
Based in Mexico City, Reforma (“Reform”) stresses its independence, neutral reporting, and anti-corruption measures. Still, the paper has been criticized by the current president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador as being right-wing.
Regeneración is a newspaper in Mexico with a more leftist stance. For those interested in a progressive perspective, Regeneración is an option.
There’s no shortage of Spanish-language newspapers in South America. It can be overwhelming to choose, but here are a few to get you started:
El Mercurio (|The Mercury”) is based in Santiago, Chile and is the oldest Chilean newspaper still in circulation. In the 1960s the paper faced some controversy for undermining socialist leader Salvador Allende and supporting the rise of dictator Augusto Pinochet.
Clarín (“Clarion”, or “trumpet”), is the largest newspaper in Argentina. It is generally considered center-right in its coverage and news editing choices.
El Colombiano is a Spanish-language newspaper dating back to 1912 and based in Medellín, Colombia. It’s good for local and nationwide news of the day.
There’s a lot of vocabulary you’ll encounter in the newspaper that you might not encounter in daily speech. You’ll see grammar like the impersonal “se” and lots of cifras (figures, numbers). Reading the news will help expand your vocabulary so you can chat with neighbors or your taxi driver about current events.
