The Only 4 TV Shows That Will Make You Fluent

The average person watches more than 9 years of TV in their lifetime! 

But if you’re wondering how to learn languages by watching TV, know this – there are only four types of TV shows you should ever watch 

Everything else? Banish it – mercilessly!

I’ve watched 100s of shows over the years to help me learn 8 languages. And much of that time was totally wasted until I eventually figured out the 4 types of TV shows that actually help you learn fast.  

In this post, I’m going to tell you what they are so you don’t have to waste your time on the wrong ones. And can just become fluent instead.

If you prefer watching videos to reading, hit play on the video version of this post at the top of this page. Otherwise, here's what you'll discover in this post:

#1 Choose TV Series Over Movies

So what are these 4 show types? The first thing you should do is pick TV series over movies!  

Why?

Well, if you just think about length, your average movie runs over two hours, while a TV episode is around 30 minutes. So TV episodes are far more manageable for language learning.

They’re much easier to soak up and take in. And shorter episodes have other benefits, too. You can watch a single episode a few times over, which is great because repetition is your best friend in language learning! 

Also, the dialogue in TV shows is often simpler than in movies, plus you’re getting that constant theme going for ages.  

And the characters? 

Each character has their own personality and special way of talking, and they stick to it episode after episode, which means you're hearing the same words and expressions over and over. This is gold for learners!

Here’s what else not to watch: shows that focus too much on visuals and action, like action-packed thrillers or sci-fi. They may be entertaining, but it’s going to be really hard to follow and absorb the language! 

And news stories? Forget about it – if you’re not interested,  it’s just tonnes of random complicated vocabulary. 

But back to the good stuff: TV series! 

They have that “baked in continuity” – one episode leads to the next. So if you watch an episode every day, it keeps you hooked and you keep coming back which is great for learning, because now you’re being consistent. 

Now do yourself a favour. Go into your Netflix settings and set your account to the language you’re learning.  

Don’t worry – you’ll still see your favourite shows pop up, but now everything’s in your target language. Bam! Instant immersion. 

By the way, watching a show with subtitles isn’t cheating – it’s a smart way to reinforce all those juicy new words you’re picking up! 

And when it comes to subtitles, I generally advise you to keep English out of the picture altogether.  

You can use English subtitles to help you follow what's going on, but the problem is that you just end up reading English! Which doesn’t help you at all. 

So, as a starting point, you can watch the show in English just to be sure you understand the storyline, but then switch to the foreign language and put the foreign subtitles on – it’s going to help you associate the sounds you hear with the words you see!

If you love comedy, language learning’s about to get a whole lot better.  

Sitcoms (Your Secret Weapon)

Whatever language you’re learning – German, Swedish, Arabic – sitcoms are a goldmine. 

Take “Friends” for example. Friends is a great show for people learning English, because they get to watch ordinary people in their 20s navigating different life problems.

There’s lots of relatable fun and humour, and the language is simple, so it’s very easy to learn things you can start saying right away.

If you want a hint, there’s a Spanish show called “Extra” which is based on “Friends”, and it’s amazing.

In “Extra”, you’ve got an American in Spain – he’s learning Spanish and makes all the hilarious mistakes you’d expect. His friends correct him, so you actually learn with him! 

You’ll love it if you’re an upper beginner in Spanish, because they speak so slowly. You can easily follow what’s happening, and pick up a shipload of Spanish slang and idioms. 

So why do these sitcoms work? Mostly because they’re relatable and packed with everyday, conversational language.

And when you catch a joke in another language, you get a laugh as an instant win – and that’s going to push your fluency.

Suddenly, you feel like an insider in that culture. Plus, if you’re getting their jokes, it’s a sign you’re doing well!

The best part is that sitcoms like “Extra” often come with transcripts online. You’ll have to do a bit of digging – for example, on fansites – but if you can find the transcript, print it out and follow along.  

This really locks in your learning. Actually, move heaven and earth to get your hands on transcripts! You’ll thank me later. 

But can you learn from shows that are even more outrageous and high stakes Absolutely! Here’s a world that’s gone totally loco… 

Telenovelas (Drama And Language All In One)

There’s a popular Spanish telenovela called Amar y Vivir.   

It’s the kind of drama that sucks you in and teaches you slang and if you love drama, let me give you the best news first: telenovelas don’t only come in Spanish and Portuguese! 

A lot of countries do similar things – Turkish shows have cliffhangers to rival “Breaking Bad”!

If you don’t know what a telenovela is, go watch “Days of our Lives”, and then we’ll talk. I have to say, though, the foreign ones are way more fun.

Telenovelas are packed with drama and give you tons of useful vocab along the way. They usually involve intense emotions, complex relationships, plots full of twists – you know the drill!

And since the characters often speak clearly and love to repeat themselves it's a perfect setup for learning. 

By the way, have you heard of Language Reactor?

It’s a Chrome extension that you can use for Netflix or YouTube and it gives you bilingual subtitles, so you see both languages at the same time.

It’s an awesome way to double check that you understand,

And it even lets you save words to upload to Anki or whatever flashcard system you use for remembering words. 

You know, in the intro in my short story books I mention how it's important not to look up too many words when you're reading because it can slow your progress through the book. 

The same goes for TV.  The real value to watching TV comes from the overall immersion you get in the language, not from pausing to look up every word, or even lots of words. 

If you do, your progress will just grind to a halt. You might learn a few words here and there, but you won't get the full benefit. So go easy on the study element of this! 

I wonder what TV show type number 2 is?

#2 Reality Shows (For Authentic Speech)

There’s a French “Survivor”! And a Spanish one, and a Finnish one – pick your language! 

When you’re in the mood for something more unscripted, go for reality shows or any other kind of nonfiction. 

Why? 

Because of two things:

• the language they use in a show that’s “real” will usually be a lot more straightforward, more simple and authentic
• it's also faster because there’s no-one controlling what they say, emotions come into it, tempers flare

Let's look at an example. The Japanese reality show “Terrace House” is pretty easy to follow – a bit like Big Brother – and you really get caught up in the drama. 

It can get intense, but it’s raw, and a fantastic way to see and hear the language in action in a ‘home’ environment. 

These guys aren’t actors! So you hear a lot of “ums” and “buts” and all the other ways native speakers fumble their own sentences! 

You're also getting heaps of unfiltered clues about the culture – I’m talking giant doses of natural, legit reactions to situations. 

For example, it’s quite interesting to see how younger Japanese people stylize their sentences, or wait for turns in conversations, or the very gentle apologies.  

It might not be what your textbook says, but it’s what Japanese people are saying! 

Bottom line: Reality TV is a powerhouse for language learning. You get a window into real life, and that’s exactly what makes it valuable. 

Another side of this is that you need to be able to motivate yourself when you’re learning a language. Not always easy, right? Well, these shows can be  an awesome foundational resource when you’re feeling stuck. 

Which reminds me… 

YouTube

What… YouTube?

Yep! YouTube is the one place you can find anything you like.

It’s a great place to get awesome reality content – which is 100% what you should focus on – and the subtitles are often right there for the taking. 

In fact, AI tools for YouTube can get you the transcript automatically.

Come to think of it… 

Know that Spanish show “Extra” I mentioned? It’s on YouTube. But don’t let yourself get distracted! The dangers lurk everywhere, so make sure you’re focusing on your language lessons! 

Ready for show type number 3? It’s a good one – something a little more serious, and definitely more inspired.

#3 Documentaries (For Clear, Slow Speech)

If you’ve ever watched a documentary in English, you know the narration is usually super clear and easy to follow – right? 

Well, the same goes for documentaries in other languages. 

And you’re unlikely to hear much slang, so you get the chance to really absorb the language in a purer form.    

Honestly, just pick a topic you’re passionate about – food, nature, history, music –  and learn something cool while you’re at it. 

In fact, how’s this for interesting. If you learn something new for the first time in a foreign language, your brain is more likely to remember the information in that language. It’s called ‘language-dependent memory'.  

How freaking cool is that? It’s a win-win. 

Now before I get to the best kinda show of all, I’m going to sneak in a fun bonus, or my Japanese students won’t forgive me.

Sneaky Bonus (Anime)

If you haven’t ever watched an Anime show before, you should! Anime isn’t just for kids. These shows can get pretty deep with complex storylines, fascinating characters and rich dialogue.   

And what’s really cool is that you’ll learn an absolute tonne about Japanese culture – Anime is jam-packed with it.   

Want a great starter show? “Spirited Away” is kind of mind-blowing. You can even get some helpful scene breakdowns on YouTube.

But even if you’re learning Swahili or Dutch or Korean, the goal is to find stories that align with your interests, because shows can reveal a lot more about a language than you think! 

Well, for once I’ve actually saved the best for last. Whatever could it be?

#4 The Best Kind Of Show Is… (One You Actually Like!)

The best kind of show is – dramatic drumroll – one you actually like!  

And this one’s key – you’ve got to choose shows you truly enjoy. 

Sounds obvious, but let’s be honest – how often do we push through a boring show just because we think it'll help us learn? Don't do it!  

If you don’t like it, you won’t stick with it, and you’ll learn nothing. 

When I started learning Cantonese, there were so few resources available that I actually turned to TV as my main study tool, and I watched a mega long series called Triumph in the Skies, which was 48 episodes or something.  

It was way over my head at the time, but I learned an absolute ton of vocabulary from it. And my teachers said my pronunciation had improved by a mile. Just goes to show how much exposure you can get from diving deep into a TV show!

I’ll tell you what my own trick is. I keep it easy – I choose shows I’d be glued to even if I didn’t need subtitles, like the Spanish show Casa de Papel – it’s insane, I couldn’t get enough of it!

And now, well, I’m pretty darn good at speaking Spanish. 

Find something you love to watch and you'll learn the language faster than you could have imagined.

How To Learn Languages By Watching TV FAQ

Olly Richards

Creator of the StoryLearning® Method

Olly Richards is a renowned polyglot and language learning expert with over 15 years of experience teaching millions through his innovative StoryLearning® method. He is the creator of StoryLearning, one of the world's largest language learning blogs with 500,000+ monthly readers.

Olly has authored 30+ language learning books and courses, including the bestselling "Short Stories" series published by Teach Yourself.

When not developing new teaching methods, Richards practices what he preaches—he speaks 8 languages fluently and continues learning new ones through his own methodology.