Today on the Hablamos blog, we’re answering an email we received in response to one of our previous articles.
“Hi, my name is M. and I’ve been studying Spanish for a few months. I thought watching movies and series in Spanish would help improve my level, but I don’t understand anything! What can I do to make it easier?”
Thank you, M. You’re right — movies are a great way to practice Spanish! You can learn new vocabulary, set phrases, and tons of cultural references… but it’s not always easy, especially when you’re just starting out.
Listening is harder than reading
For beginners, listening to Spanish is often much more difficult than reading it. When someone speaks, their words literally disappear into thin air — so your brain has to process the information very quickly. It’s also harder to know where one word ends and another begins… not to mention the different accents or how fast some native speakers talk!
Movies and series are a great way to train your ear. You can pause, repeat, slow things down — and the best part? You don’t have to answer back! A good exercise is to pick one scene, write down what you hear, then turn on the subtitles and check your understanding. Watch the scene again, and train your brain to catch key ideas and fill in the gaps. You’ll see — it’s really useful practice!
Be careful with informal language
Most of the Spanish you’ll hear in TV shows and movies is informal. Only news programs tend to use more neutral or slightly formal Spanish. In beginner Spanish classes, we usually start with this neutral tone, as it’s the easiest to use in all kinds of situations.
Movies and series can help you get used to informal Spanish, even if you’re not ready to use it yourself. That way, the next time you’re talking with a native speaker and they use a slang expression, you’ll understand — and you won’t feel lost in the conversation.
Watching your favorite series in Spanish can help you spot these informal expressions. But remember: don’t try to use them unless you’re sure how they work — they can easily lead to cultural misunderstandings or awkward moments.
Learn culture while you learn language
In movies and series, you don’t just learn vocabulary, accents, and grammar — there’s also a lot of culture!
Try watching a series set in Spain and pay attention to how people dress or how they interact. What topics do they talk about? Which celebrities do they mention? Why not look for a show set in Madrid? You could even make a list of neighborhoods or places you like and, if you come to Madrid one day, go visit them in real life.
You’ll also start to hear regional variations of Spanish. For example, you’ll learn that “wey” in Mexico means the same as “tío” in Madrid or “pisha” in Andalusia.
Turn on the TV!
As you can see, even if you’re just starting out, movies and series can really help you improve your Spanish. Of course, learning in a classroom with a teacher is always the best option — that way, you can go deeper and learn faster.
So why not join us at Hablamos? We offer intensive and extensive Spanish courses for all levels. And if you’re a beginner who wants to discover Spain in a different way, check out our new summer course “Tourists in Spanish”!
Dare to be a different kind of tourist
Tourists in Spanish, Summer Course
We look forward to seeing you at Hablamos, the Spanish school for foreigners in Madrid!
