Best Movies to Learn Spanish on Netflix
One of the milestones a student often sets is to watch a full movie in the language they are learning, and selecting the best movies to learn Spanish on Netflix can be confusing and time-consuming sometimes.
It might seem to be a huge challenge to transition from the flawless audio from their books, with its neutral accent and graded pace, to native speakers chatting or even arguing at normal speed.
However, watching good Spanish movies on Netflix can only be beneficial both from a language and cultural perspective.
If you find it difficult to pick your next one or choose where to start, here is a list of the best movies to watch to learn Spanish and the reasons you should watch them. Ready to bookmark them?
Best movies to watch to learn Spanish
1. La Odisea de Los Giles (Heroic Losers)
Top line: “Pero un día [...] uno dice basta” - (But one day [..]you say: “Enough”)
Summary
This film tells the story of robbing the thief and concentrates on collective retribution. It is set in a secluded village in the province of Buenos Aires during the terrible bank freeze of the 2001 economic collapse.
Variant: Argentinian Spanish
Genre: Adventure / Comedy
Why it is one of the best movies to learn Spanish on Netflix
This movie offers a window into a significant period of Argentine history.
You will hear how common terms like "yo" or "llegar," where the "jd" sound is distinctive, are pronounced differently.
2. El camino de Xico (Xico’s Journey)
Top line: “No tienes ni idea de quién eres, ¿verdad?”
(You have no idea who you are, do you?)
Summary
A little girl, her best friend, and a dog want to save a mountain from a profit-seeking corporation. Help will come from where they least expect it: puppy Xico.
Variant: Mexican Spanish
Genre: Animation
Why it is one of the best movies to learn Spanish on Netflix
This movie has a strong environmental message and incorporates elements of mysticism and mythology, giving viewers the chance to learn more about Mexican culture and language.
3. El Laberinto del Fauno (Pan’s Labyrinth)
Top line: “[...] es en el dolor donde encontramos el sentido de la vida”
([...] it is in pain that we find the meaning of life)
Summary
This award-winning dark fantasy is set in 1944, the year of Franco's dictatorship in Spain.
The story follows a little girl who discovers a labyrinth where legendary creatures come to life as the movie blends political tension with a twisted fantasy.
Variant: Mexican Spanish
Genre: Fantasy
Why it is one of the best movies to learn Spanish on Netflix
Guillermo del Toro's El Laberinto del Fauno sheds a lot of light on the Spanish Civil War and its immediate aftermath. Due to the dialogue's leisurely pace, both beginning and experienced students can enjoy this movie.
4. El autor (The Motive)
Top line: “Hay un escritor ahí adentro. Sáquelo.”
(There's a writer in there. Let him out.)
Summary
Álvaro is an average clerk who aspires to be a famous writer, despite his lack of ability. In order to get motivation for his work, he will start to have an impact on his neighbours' lives.
Variant: European Spanish and Mexican Spanish
Genre: Comedy / black humour
Why it is one of the best movies to learn Spanish on Netflix
The movie gives an engaging cross-section of real-world scenarios. Two of the characters are from Mexico, but the majority of the characters are Spanish, making it an ideal opportunity to hear the differences between these two dialects.
5. Soltera codiciada (How to Get Over a Breakup)
Top line: “[...] princesa se respeta, se rescata sola.”
([...] a princess respects herself, she rescues herself)
Summary
In Lima, Peru, a heartbroken publicist finds inspiration to write a blog about her single life and is surprised by its success.
Variant: Peruvian Spanish
Genre: Romantic comedy
Why it is one of the best movies to learn Spanish on Netflix
This film definitely is one of the best movies to learn Spanish for beginner viewers. Peruvian Spanish is recognised as being one of the most fundamental variants. The storyline is rather straightforward and involves real-life situations.
6. Toc Toc
Top line: "Menudo circo estamos montando aquí"
(Menudo circo estamos montando aquí)
Summary
While waiting for the doctor, some patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder find themselves putting up with each other's peculiarities.
Variant: European Spanish
Genre: Comedy
Why it is one of the best movies to learn Spanish on Netflix
Since it is based on the well-known Laurent Baffie play, comparable movies may be available in other languages, making the narrative more recognisable to foreign viewers.
The characters in this movie have a fairly neutral European Spanish accent, and the students will acquire new vocabulary words and phrases associated with psychology and health.
7. La noche de 12 años (A Twelve Year Night)
Top line: "Ni usted ni nadie va a darme por derrotado”.
(Neither you nor anyone else is going to defeat me.)
Summary
Three members of the urban guerrilla organisation Tupamaros were imprisoned in the calabozos in Uruguay in 1973, during the height of the military dictatorship, where they endured physical and psychological abuse for more than 12 years in complete seclusion. In real life, one of these men later became Uruguay's president in 2010.
Variant: Uruguayan Spanish
Genre: Historical drama
Why it is one of the best movies to learn Spanish on Netflix
Two important reasons make this film one of the best movies to learn Spanish. 1) The movie relates to a true event and is based on the book "Memoirs from the calabozo, 13 Years Underground" (Memorias del calabozo). 2) Viewers get a unique opportunity to hear Uruguayan Spanish.
8. Pickpockets: Maestros del robo (Pickpockets)
Top line: “Encima de todo el mundo. Yo estoy encima de usted.”
(On top of everybody. I'm on top of you.)
Summary
Chucho, a skilled international pickpocket, mentors Fresh, a newbie. Fresh is inspired by his newly acquired skills to pursue more money. Will Fresh and his friends succeed as pickpockets in Bogotá's streets?
Variant: Colombian Spanish
Genre: Drama / Crime
Why it is one of the best movies to learn Spanish on Netflix
Given that it garnered unfavourable reviews from Colombian viewers who said that it inaccurately represented Colombian reality, this movie is perfect for igniting discussion. From a linguistic perspective, it is a very helpful introduction to Colombian Spanish, and the video is simple to follow due to the dialogue's repetition.
9. Akelarre (Coven)
Top line: “¿Y si el Sabbat no existiese? ¿Si sólo fuese un sueño?”
(What if the Sabbat didn't exist? What if it was just a dream?)
Summary
Inquisitors are searching for witches who could reveal the mysteries of the Witches Sabbath, or Akelarre, in the Basque Country in 1609, at the height of the Spanish Inquisition. Six local girls are abducted and subjected to interrogation.
Variant: European Spanish and Euskera
Genre: Historical drama / Social topics
Why it is one of the best movies to learn Spanish on Netflix
This movie portrays a significant historical period in Spain and other Southern European nations. Spanish is the primary language used in this movie, and it is spoken with a neutral accent. Additionally, students are given the uncommon opportunity to learn Euskara.
10. Roma
Top line: “No importa lo que digan, las mujeres siempre vamos a estar solas“.
(No matter what they tell you, we women are always alone.)
Summary
This film by Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuarón offers an intense and moving depiction of a maid's life against the backdrop of a prosperous Mexican family and political turmoil in 1970’s Mexico.
Variant: Mexican Spanish
Genre: Drama
Why it is one of the best movies to learn Spanish on Netflix
The main language is a plainly spoken form of Mexican Spanish, despite numerous lines using the regional dialect to depict the reality of maidens' interactions and relationships with their superiors in Mexico in the 1970s.
NOTE: Not all titles may be available depending on the country from where you are. If you can't find what you're looking for, type "Spanish" into the search field to watch the best Spanish movies on Netflix available in your country.
How to benefit from watching movies to learn Spanish
Finding the best movies to learn Spanish on Netflix might seem easy now, but how can you make the most of them?
¡A ver!
- Start with movies you are familiar with or that you may like. Watching a movie in Spanish might be a challenge already, so let’s not make this boring!
- Turn on the subtitles. If you are starting to watch movies to learn Spanish, you may want to activate the subtitles. As you progress, switch the subtitles to Spanish and stick to Spanish only!
- Try to read as few subtitles as you can. You should not depend entirely on subtitles. Read them when you feel like you didn’t catch something or if there’s a really interesting expression you want to grasp.
- Use Language Learning With Netflix.It is a Chrome extension that lets you interact with subtitles. It offers a freemium option but it provides the very minimum functionality.
- Keep a notebook close to your popcorn. Quickly note down just a few interesting expressions or words as you watch the film BUT check their meaning after you finish watching the movie. Otherwise, this would be a never-ending and tiring activity.
- Be consistent. Watch a movie in Spanish at least once a week.
New to Netflix? Here's a quick guide on how to watch movies in Spanish on Netflix!
How to use good Spanish movies on Netflix to teach Spanish
If you are a teacher, you know that movies give students a true immersion in the language and enable them to learn quickly about social or historical topics.
It is not always simple, though, to incorporate this content into your lessons.
How could you overcome this stumbling block?
- Get your students used to watching videos by using short clips for your listening exercises to introduce them to movies in Spanish.
- Understand what your students like watching.
- Co-teach lessons if you are a teacher at a school. For instance, while your Art colleague teaches Cubisms, you may co-teach a session about Picasso by playing a documentary.
- Start a movie club, where you would gather once per month to talk about a movie you have already agreed to see.
Summary
Might binge-watching Netflix be a useful exercise to enhance your Spanish listening skills? Absolutely, yes!
This is only a short selection of the best Spanish movies on Netflix. However, there are plenty of Spanish-language films available in a range of genres, dialects, and levels of difficulty, so you will certainly find a couple that suit your personal language goals and entertainment inclinations.
Grab your popcorn or tea and biscuits, the movie is about to start!
*Tudum*
Author:
Fabia Parodi
Fascinated by foreign languages and cultures, Fabia Parodi was determined to be a polyglot since she was a child. Fluent in Italian, English, French and Spanish and competent in Mandarin Chinese, Fabia is an experienced language teacher, translator and multicultural marketing specialist.
When in class, she always make sure to include graded and authentic materials in her lessons to expose students to foreign cultures and to introduce a more natural use of the language they are learning. The two things she loves more than languages are travelling and exchanging stories with people from all over the world.
