The Best TV Series for Learning Italian
Series for Learning Italian (A1-A2)
The beginnings of learning a language are the most important and beautiful, a stage of passion for hearing new words. At these levels, you will acquire basic knowledge, understand basic phrases and structures, and gradually progress to understanding newspaper articles, writing letters, and mastering conversation. The goal of watching series in Italian is to understand the context, so let's get started!
1. My Brilliant Friend (L'Amica geniale)
If you enjoy classics and dramas, we present the series My Brilliant Friend, based on the best-selling novels by Elena Ferrante. The series is set in a poor neighborhood of Naples and chronicles the lifelong friendship between two girls, Elena Greco and Lila Cerullo, from childhood into adulthood. This acclaimed HBO production offers an authentic look into Italian life in the mid-20th century. The narrative is rich with realistic dialogue, making it an excellent resource for beginners to grasp everyday Italian conversation. The series has multiple seasons and is available on Netflix and HBO.
2. Romeo and Juliet (Romeo e Giulietta)
If you like classics and dramas, we present the Italian series "Romeo and Juliet," an adaptation of the play by the English writer William Shakespeare, who published it in the 16th century. The works are set in Verona, in the Veneto region, in northwestern Italy. This production has been adapted into many languages and formats for television, theater, dance, opera, and music. If you still don't know its story, it's about the love of two young lovers belonging to powerful rival Italian families. The two families (the Montagues and the Capulets) oppose the couple's marriage, and Romeo and Juliet do not accept it. If you want to know the outcome of the drama, you can only find out by watching this Italian series, which lasts two seasons and is available on Netflix. You may be interested to know that the main role of Romeo is played by Martiño Rivas, a Spanish actor better known for his performances in "The Boarding School" and "The Girls of the Cable."
3. Winx Club
This Italian children's series was adapted into the English language and is called World of Winx. The original Italian version was produced by Rainbow and Netflix. The protagonists, the Winx, are a group of six fairies with magical powers who must fulfill missions to save the world. The story takes place in a magical world called Magix, and the main theme is the representation of good and evil. If you want to watch the Italian series Winx online (its original version), you can do so on YouTube or Netflix, and know that it has 8 seasons and consists of short episodes of about 25 minutes.
Series for Learning Italian (B1-B2)
Upon reaching an intermediate Italian level, you will be able to understand more complex texts and be more spontaneous in your conversations. To continue your Italian learning, we propose one of the most requested genres of Italian series, which is Italian comedy, as the understanding of a language is not only perceived by the script's content but also by the context. The scenes with Italian comedy characters will help you progress. You can also try shadowing, a technique where you repeat the dialogue after the actors.
4. Suburra: Blood on Rome
This crime drama is a prequel to the movie Suburra and is a great example of modern Italian Cinema. It explores the tangled web of corruption, crime, and politics in Rome. With its gripping storyline, the series delves into the underworld of criminal organizations and the power struggles among them. The dialogue is contemporary, offering a genuine taste of modern Italian and slang, which is crucial for intermediate learners. The series is available on Netflix, with multiple seasons to watch.
5. Boris
This TV series, produced between 2007 and 2010 by FOX, is an Italian satirical comedy that criticizes the loss of values in Italy. The plot revolves around a group of characters who record the filming of a soap opera called Gli Occhi del cuore (The Eyes of the Heart). The scene is therefore the film set, where there are many humorous situations. The story tells the experience of a young man passionate about entertainment and cinema, excited about the practice of filming for a production company. It will take little time to discover that the world of cinema is not exactly what he imagined.
Behind the scenes, you will meet countless characters who make this comedy a formidable work of humor and entertainment. The Italian series Boris has received very good reviews and has been considered one of the best. The reason for its great reception is that it was able to portray the character of Italians through many situations and scenarios, in addition to having a good script with touches of humor and cynicism that massively reached the public. So why not watch this quality Italian series? You have it available on YouTube and Amazon.
6. Grand Hotel Series (Grand Hotel)
This is an Italian mini-series directed by Luca Ribuoli and an adaptation of the Spanish series Gran Hotel. The series has 6 episodes and combines drama, suspense, and investigation on the part of the protagonist who is looking for his sister who disappeared from the hotel where he worked and was fired. This series is set in 1905.
Series for Learning Italian (C1-C2)
With a more advanced Italian level, you will be able to understand more complex topics such as historical and political facts, and you will know how to differentiate the different accents of the characters. Learning Italian at this stage will seem slower, as your level will be similar to that of a native.
For more advanced learners, exploring classic Italian films like La Vita è Bella, Cinema Paradiso, and The Great Beauty (La Grande Bellezza) is a great way to deepen your understanding of Italian language and culture.
7. 1992
This is an Italian television series based on real events on the Italian political scene of the 90s, created by Alessandro Fabbri, Ludovica Rampoldi, Stefano Sardo, and inspired by the idea of Stefano Accorsi, an actor in the television series itself. 1992 tells the year that revolutionized Italian politics and how Italian corruption affected the entire country and political parties. The series consists of two first seasons already broadcast: 1992 in 2015, 1993 in 2017, and a third expected for 1994. With this series, you will not only learn Italian, but also the history of Italian politics.
8. Gomorrah (Gomorra)
This is an Italian series created by the writer Roberto Saviano and based on the novel "Gomorra," inspired by real events. The series describes the Italian Camorra, the Italian mafia of northern Naples and Casal di Principe. Drug trafficking, piracy, and the rivalry of rival clans for control of the areas, are the topics covered. This series has 3 seasons and was first broadcast in 2014. Its fourth season will be released in 2019. If you are intrigued by the history of the Italian Camorra, the series has a lot to say.
You can see Gomorrah online in France via the Atresmedia and HBO platforms. But if that was not enough, you also have a film of the same name, directed by Matteo Garrone and released in 2008, which has received more than twenty international awards. The book of Gomorra has been published in 52 countries and has become a best-seller in many countries, including Spain. It was also chosen by the RAI (Italian broadcasting company) as the book of the year 2008 in Italy.
The Italian Cinema Academy has recognized many of these works, including the acclaimed film Call Me by Your Name, which, although set in Italy and featuring Italian dialogue, is a great example of the rich storytelling coming from Italian-speaking productions.
