It is Friday night. You are on the couch, remote in hand, scrolling through Netflix. What if this exact evening could bring you a step closer to the dream of finally speaking Spanish fluently? It can. Because learning Spanish with shows and movies is one of the most enjoyable ways there is to get a new language into your ear.
Learn Spanish With Netflix
Sure, an app is handy and a textbook has its place. But be honest: when was the last time you sat on the edge of your seat while drilling vocabulary? The best shows to learn Spanish give you something dry study never can. Real voices, real speed, real emotion. You hear how native speakers actually talk, with slang, with rhythm, with all the little words that never appear in a course book.
Why You Learn Spanish Faster With Shows Than You Think
Your brain loves stories. The moment you start rooting for the characters, it shifts into a mode where new words stick almost on their own. You learn Spanish in context, not in isolation. You link a word to a scene, a facial expression, a feeling. And that is what stays.
Your listening skills benefit the most. Native speakers talk fast, swallow syllables, and fire off whole sentences before you have sorted out the first word. That exact speed is what you train when you regularly watch movies in Spanish. The lovely side effect: you get used to the many different accents, from Spain to Latin America.
One quick pro tip before you start. Begin with subtitles in English or Spanish, depending on your level. Watching with subtitles is ideal for beginners, because you connect what you hear with what you read. Once you feel more confident, switch the subtitles to Spanish. And eventually, you will not need them at all.
The 10 Best Shows and Movies to Learn Spanish
1. La casa de papel (Money Heist)
A crew of brilliant thieves plans the heist of the century at Spain's national mint. Five months of preparation, eleven days of pure nerves. This Spanish Netflix series became a worldwide phenomenon, and it is perfect for getting your ear used to fast, rapid-fire Spanish from Spain. Even native speakers sometimes switch on the subtitles here, the dialogue moves so quickly. That is exactly why it makes such a great workout for your ear.
Spain, 2017 to 2021. Ages 16+.
2. Roma
In the Roma neighbourhood of Mexico City, a housekeeper holds a family together while her own life starts to unravel.
This Oscar-winning film by Alfonso Cuarón is some of the finest cinema Latin America has produced. Its calm, clear Mexican Spanish makes it a wonderful entry point if the pace from Spain still feels too fast for you.
Mexico, 2018. Ages 12+.
3. Vis a Vis (Locked Up)
Macarena lands in prison for embezzlement, and with it, a world that could hardly be harsher.
If you loved Orange Is the New Black, you will devour this one. Here you mostly pick up colloquial Spanish, the kind of expressions that come up in real life. There is a familiar face too: Alba Flores from Money Heist stars in it.
Spain, 2015 to 2019. Ages 16+.
4. Encanto
A Colombian girl is the last hope of her magical family. This enchanting Disney animation celebrates the colours, the music, and the sayings of Colombia.
Because it is made for all ages, it is one of the best picks to learn Spanish as a beginner and with the whole family. The songs lodge themselves in your head, and the vocabulary comes along with them.
Colombia, 2021. All ages.
5. Élite
Three working-class teenagers arrive at Spain's most exclusive private school and collide with the children of the upper class. It is a story of love, secrets, and a murder.
This Spanish show on Netflix is full of young language, exactly the slang that young people in Spain actually use today.
Spain, 2018 onwards. Ages 16+.
6. Coco
Miguel dreams of becoming a musician, but his family has banned the profession. On the Día de Muertos, he ends up in the colourful Land of the Dead.
This celebrated animated film is rich in Mexican culture and clear, easy-to-follow language. That makes it one of the loveliest movies to learn Spanish for beginners.
Mexico, 2017. All ages.
7. Las chicas del cable (Cable Girls)
Madrid, just before the great stock market crash. Four women find work at the country's first telephone company and fight for friendship, independence, and equal rights.
Set in the 1920s, the series offers an elegant, clear Spanish that is pleasant to follow.
Spain, 2017 to 2020. Ages 16+.
8. Todo sobre mi madre (All About My Mother)
In this acclaimed drama by Pedro Almodóvar, a mother travels to Barcelona to find the father of her son. It was the first Spanish film to win both the Oscar and the Golden Globe.
For advanced learners it is a treat, full of feeling and linguistic depth.
Spain, 1999. Ages 18+.
9. Narcos
The rise and fall of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, told from two perspectives.
The series mixes Spanish and English, which makes it a gentle way in if you want to ease into Colombian Spanish. Suspense is guaranteed, and with it, the motivation to keep going.
USA, 2015 to 2017, set in Colombia. Ages 16+.
10. El laberinto del fauno (Pan's Labyrinth)
In 1944 Spain, young Ofelia escapes a cruel stepfather into a dark fairy-tale world. Guillermo del Toro's award-winning masterpiece weaves history and fantasy into an unforgettable experience.
It is linguistically demanding, but a real must for anyone ready to take their Spanish to the next level.
Spain and Mexico, 2006. Ages 16+.
How to Get the Most Out of Every Film
Watching alone is not quite enough. With a few simple tricks, your show night turns into real training.
- Repeat out loud. Say short sentences back to the screen. You train your pronunciation and your speaking confidence at the same time.
- Note three words per episode. Not twenty. Three words that genuinely catch your attention will stick far better than an endless list.
- Rewatch favourite scenes. Once with subtitles, once without. You will be amazed how much already sits the second time around.
- Stay consistent. One episode a day beats a marathon once a month. Regularity beats quantity.
That is how you improve your Spanish almost in passing, without it ever feeling like work.
From the Sofa to the Real World
Shows and movies to learn Spanish are a fantastic start. Your listening grows, your vocabulary too. But sooner or later comes the moment when you no longer want to just listen. You want to speak.
This is where the next step begins. On a language trip to Spain, passive understanding turns into active speaking. With SPRACHCAFFE, you learn in class in the morning, explore Barcelona or Málaga in the afternoon, and sit down with new friends from all over the world in the evening. You order your café con leche in Spanish, laugh about your first slip-ups, and suddenly notice the sentences arriving all on their own. The show trained your ear. The real encounter gives you your voice.
Until then, here is the plan: pick your favourite series, get comfortable on the sofa, and simply let the Spanish wash over you. Your next favourite word is already waiting in the next episode. ¡Vamos!
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