Learning Spanish by watching Spanish movies on Netflix and Spanish TV shows on Netflix is fun and easy. You can improve your listening skills, get a better understanding of the Spanish language in everyday conversation, and learn about the cultures where this language is spoken.
When watching Spanish TV shows on Netflix, you can learn Spanish-language expressions and jokes without even realizing that you’re improving your understanding of the language. How will you know? If you laugh at the joke, you got it!
Watching the best Spanish movies on Netflix is one of the best ways of learning Spanish because you not only have access to all the Spanish and Latin American shows, but you can also choose from any Spanish accent!
- If you’ve just started Spanish lessons, Netflix Spanish subtitles are recommended when watching Netflix Spanish language content. Or if you’re confident enough, you can choose Spanish audio as well. This way, you set your brain to the Spanish sounds you find easy and enjoy the most.
- If you’re a complete beginner, watch a show that you’ve already seen, but this time choose Netflix Spanish subtitles. However, if you would rather watch something new, start with sound in Spanish and watch Spanish Netflix shows with English subtitles (or subtitles in your native language). This way, your brain will associate the Spanish words in your own language.
- If you’re an advanced level language-learner, the next step is to set up subtitles in Spanish as well. As you progress, you can choose to watch good Spanish movies on Netflix without Spanish subtitles.
Netflix offers you the chance to see the TV shows’ location. Choose the one you prefer, adjust your ears to the accent, and prepare to learn and enjoy. If you watch, for example, many of the Colombian Telenovelas (soap operas), Netflix will display all the TV series from the same country and the same genre. These are very useful tips for new Spanish learners who prefer to learn a specific Spanish accent.
Ready to learn Spanish using Netflix, but wondering what to watch to learn? Enjoy our guide to the best TV shows on Netflix for Spanish-language learners! We’ve included Spanish Netflix shows for beginners, as well as shows that more advanced learners are likely to enjoy and benefit from. Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
- Las Chicas del Cable: Cable Girls
- La Casa de Papel: Money Heist
- Paquita Salas
- La Reina del Flow: The Queen of Flow
- La Casa de las Flores: The House of Flowers
- La Niña: The Girl
- Élite
- Pablo Escobar, el Patrón del Mal: Pablo Escobar, the Boss of Evil
- El Puntero
- El Club de la Comedia: The Comedy Club
- Final Thoughts
1. Las Chicas del Cable: Cable Girls
This Spanish series on Netflix is set around 1920 in Madrid, a time when women were starting to fight for equality in Spain. This Spanish Netflix show is about four women who work in the first national telephone company, hence the name Cable Girls. The storyline revolves around what they have in common: their families, their husbands, and their memories.
This series features some famous Spanish actors such as Blanca Suarez, who also appears in the movies Perdiendo el Norte and El bar. Nadia de Santiago and Yon Gonzalez are in this as well. Fun fact: This is also one of the first Spanish Netflix shows.
Although it’s based in 1928, this show is one of our picks because its language is fresh and pure colloquial feminism. What kinds of situations did our grandmothers live through? How did they fight during a dictatorship, where men were at the top of everything: in the home, at work, and in political environments?
Watching this show, you’ll be able to learn a European Spanish accent. Assuming you’re an intermediate-level language-learner, you should know all the expressions used. If this isn’t the case, you should still be able to enjoy the subject matter, so we recommend using subtitles in your mother tongue if you’re just starting with Spanish. Later, you can switch the audio to Spanish to start getting used to it.
Some famous sentences of the show include:
- ¿Pensar o dejarse llevar? Ese siempre es el dilema. El corazón nos hace soñar, pero es la cabeza la que convierte los sueños en realidad.
“Think or let it be? This is always a dilemma. The heart makes us dream, but it is our heads that make our dreams come true.” - Hacen falta muchos golpes para que los ojos dejen de mirar a través del corazón.
“It takes a lot of blows for the eyes to stop looking through the heart.” - La confianza se gana día a día, pero se pierde en un instante, como un vaso de agua que se derrama en el suelo.
“Trust is gained day by day, but it is lost in an instant, like a glass of water spilling on the ground.” - Uno no elige de quien se enamora… pero elige con quién se queda.
“You do not choose who you fall in love with…but you choose who you stay with.” - Diez años no son suficientes para olvidarte.
“Ten years is not enough to forget about you.”
2. La Casa de Papel: Money Heist
One of the most-watched Spanish shows on Netflix, this show is about a robbery. A group of highly experienced criminals, eight thieves to be exact, take people hostage and lock themselves in the Royal Mint of Spain. The leader of this heist is the mysterious “Professor” who manipulates the national police to carry out this plan. The show has plenty of head-spinning twists and turns, psychological games, hostage situations, and political messages throughout.
Úrsula Corberó stars in this series, a well-known actress from the Spanish show Física o Química. Alba Flores takes part in the cast as well. She’s known for her role as Saray in the popular Vis a Vis series which Spanish Netflix no longer offers.
This show has a lot of hidden swearing. So, subtitles are highly recommended. It doesn’t matter if you have a high level of Spanish, because you don’t only need the translation, you also need the context to get these expressions. Through watching this Spanish Netflix thriller, you’ll be able to learn some Spanish slang. Here are some examples:
- Soy la puta ama.
“I’m f*cking God.” - Me has cortado el rollo.
“You cut my mood.” - Me he sobao.
“I fell asleep.” - Qué pachorra
“Such laziness.” - Me he pasado la vida siendo un poco hijo de puta, pero hoy creo que me apetece morir con dignidad.
“I’ve spent my whole life being a son of a b*tch, but today I think I prefer to die with dignity.” - Solo vemos las consecuencias cuando están delante de nuestras narices.
“We only see the consequences when they are in front of us.” - Las cosas se van a poner muy feas y no soy de quedarme quieta, soy más de ponerme a disparar.
“Things are going to get worse and I can’t be still, I’m the one who starts shooting.”
3. Paquita Salas
Paquita Salas is one of the best TV shows on Netflix for Spanish language learners. Why? Because you will not only learn, but laugh as well. This show is about her life as an artist manager in the 90s, more particularly about her misfortune. Watch how her career falls apart while she refuses to let it go.
This series was created, written, and directed by a young and well-known gay couple in Spain: Javier Calvo & Javier Ambrossi. Javier Calvo’s first hit was on Física y Química. Then, together they participated in Operación Triunfo, the singer’s reality show where both are interpretation teachers. If you want to know more about these two artists, they also appear in some of the best Spanish movies on Netflix, such as La Llamada, a great comedy musical.
Produced by Apache Films, this show has three seasons. It’s full of actors who are pretty well-known, starring Brays Efe and Belén Cuesta. Other appearances include Yolanda Ramos, Anna Castillo, and Lidia San José.
You should watch this Spanish Netflix series from Spain because you can learn easy, common Spanish language with a European accent, as well as a lot of Spanish idioms based on the entertainment business in Spain. If you find yourself laughing at these Spanish idioms, you can be sure that you’re improving your Spanish skills. You can use the subtitles to internalize these advanced idioms even further.
- Que ella es actriz, que se ha hecho cursos.
“She’s an actress, she has taken courses.” - El teatro lo tienes que ver de lejos, como si fuera un primer plano. Si eres buen actor es un primer plano de lejos.
“You have to see the theatre from far away like it was a close-up. If you’re a good actor, it is a close-up from a distance.” - Una gorda vale para cualquier época si lo hace bien. Véndelo.
“A fat woman is worth any season if she does it right. Sell it.” - Buscamos a la actriz 360.
“We are looking for actress 360.” - La carrera no se la sacó, pero las prácticas se las hizo todas.
“She did not finish her college degree, but she did all her placements.”
4. La Reina del Flow: The Queen of Flow
This show is another easy pick. It follows the life of a teenager named Yeimy, who loves music. She falls in love with a musician who steals her music and puts her in jail. You should watch this Colombian TV series if you’re a fan of soap operas. Why? Because it has all the drama of a South American Telenovela, and is one of the best telenovelas to learn Spanish on Netflix. This show is recommended for beginners, especially if you’re interested in learning a more Latino accent.
In this show, you’ll learn other ways to say hello: ¿Qué hubo pues? and ¿Qué más pues? The pues is a pet word used excessively by paisas, but this is because of the city where this show is set: Medellin.
Some new Spanish learners find it easy to listen to South American accents because of the pronunciation, but you have to take into account that the words and meanings are different than those in other Spanish-speaking countries. However, if you’re an advanced learner, you’ll find this type of show very useful for improving your understanding.
Watch the trailer and see if the accent helps you learn faster!
5. La Casa de las Flores: The House of Flowers
Another pick for one of the best telenovelas to learn Spanish on Netflix is La Casa de las Flores. This show is a dark comedy, which means you’ll laugh till you pee yourself. Why? Well, you’ll find out by watching this dysfunctional Mexican family Los Mora.
A mother tries to keep her family together after her husband’s affair was discovered while she takes refuge in weed. To further complicate things, her daughter has a crush on her new sister’s brother, and her son has an identity crisis.
If you’re a beginner Spanish learner, this show is perfect for you. Unlike the slang language in other Mexican TV shows on Netflix, this type of Spanish Mexican accent is a little posh. The famous actress Cecilia Suarez speaks so slowly, which is great for Spanish learners (but be patient, and you’ll find out why she speaks like that by episode ten). If you like Mexican Spanish accents, you should also watch one of the best Spanish movies on Netflix, Roma.
6. La Niña: The Girl
This show, one of the best shows on Netflix to learn Spanish, follows the life of a former guerrilla fighter who faces challenges as she tries to reintegrate into society and overcome her traumatic past memories.
The Spanish language used in this TV show is mostly slang, but it’s very useful for intermediate learners because of the Colombian accent. Some Spanish learners may find this accent very understandable and clear.
In this series, you’ll learn to say “friend,” “mate,” or “buddy” the Colombian way: mijo and mano. These are basically the union of mi hijo (mijo) meaning “my son,” and a shortened version of hermano (mano), meaning “brother,” respectively. These two ways of saying “my friend” are very common in the region where this series is set: The Colombian jungle.
If you’re still interested in shows that follow subjects like Narcos and Breaking Bad, this show is for you. But, be careful; you’ll find yourself watching one episode after another, since this Colombian telenovela is meant for that. In other words, a great excuse to stay home all day on Sunday.
7. Élite
Elite is the last international push that Netflix in Spain made of a non-English language show. This show is a teen drama based in an exclusive school in Spain, Las Encinas, where three working-class students are awarded scholarships to study.
Elite makes our list of best TV shows on Netflix for Spanish language learners because of its drama, which is being compared to shows such as Gossip Girl or 13 Reasons Why. You’ll get hooked on this teenage drama and the great mystery of a murder! You’ll want to know who died and who did it while you improve your Spanish.
This TV show makes our list of great Netflix shows to learn Spanish. It uses teen language that’s all about drugs, immigration, and discrimination in Spain.
You’ll get hooked with their flashbacks, and at the same time learn with a very neutral European accent from the start. Famous Spanish actors take part in this show such as Maria Pedraza, Itzan Escamilla, and Miguel Bernardeau. One of the best students, Lucrecia, is a Mexican actress and singer; her accent and idioms will enrich the language that appears on the show. Can you spot the difference between accents?
Some famous sentences from the show:
- Bájate de ahí de una vez, porque necesito abrazarte.
“Get out of there, because I need to hug you.” - Nosotros siempre nos hemos apoyado, en las buenas y en las malas.
“We’ve always leaned on each other, in good and bad times.” - Me gusta mucho pero no voy a poder estar con él nunca.
“I like him a lot but I can never be with him.” - Vamos a por ellos.
“Let’s go and get them.”
8. Pablo Escobar, el Patrón del Mal: Pablo Escobar, the Boss of Evil
If you watched Narcos, you’ll probably enjoy watching Pablo Escobar, the Boss of Evil. It may feel like too much at first, I understand, since this type of series has become very popular on Netflix. Oh, there are too many to choose from.
Unlike the famous Narcos, this Pablo Escobar series is based on the real life of the drug dealer, and is produced in his homeland: Medellin, Colombia. What’s more, all the actors, including Andres Parra and Angie Cepeda, are Colombians, so you’ll get your Latino accent right.
You should watch this Spanish Netflix TV series if you want to improve your understanding of the language and set your ears to it. The main Colombian expression of this series is: Plata o plomo, meaning “Money or death.” Although it uses a lot of Latino slang, this show is very useful for beginners because the Colombian accent is neutral and the actors articulate very well.
You should watch the trailer to get a real sense of Colombian drug culture during Pablo Escobar’s life.
9. El Puntero
This TV series follows the life of a social leader in a conflicting neighborhood. The main character, played by Julio Chavez, will try everything to have more power and negotiate the needs of his people.
You should watch this show on Netflix if you want to take your Spanish to the next level: an advanced level. Why? This Argentinian TV show has so much slang.
You may have learned all the Mexican and Colombian slang from Narcos., In this show, you’ll learn Argentinian slang which is influenced by Italian. Can you spot the difference between Spanish accents yet?
In this show, you can learn the Argentinian use of vos instead of tu (both meaning “you”).
Watch the trailer to learn more about this Argentinian accent.
10. El Club de la Comedia: The Comedy Club
Spanish Netflix offers two seasons of this stand-up comedy show, ten episodes which are about seventy-five minutes long. It includes all of the best comedians from all around Spain. This Netflix series contains European Spanish from many places. Dani Rovira from Malaga, Eva Hace from Central Spain, Dani Mateo from Catalunia, and Ernesto Sevilla from Albacete.
With these stand-ups, you’ll learn (as Ernesto Sevilla usually says): A partirnos el culo. This expression means that you’ll laugh till you pee yourself.
This Spanish comedy program is the type of show that will speed up your learning. You may find it hard at the beginning, but once your ears get used to it, you’ll find yourself laughing.
This type of TV show will definitely improve your level of understanding. Once you understand a joke, you come to realize how much you understand the language and the culture where the language is spoken.
This is certainly one of our Netflix shows to learn Spanish that we highly recommend for all our advanced learners.
11. Final Thoughts
In this article, we’ve introduced you to the concept of how to learn Spanish with Netflix, and provided you with a Netflix Spanish TV shows list. We firmly believe that watching any of these good Spanish series can significantly improve your language skills and enhance your cultural knowledge!
If you liked this top ten, then feel free to find more resources, lessons, and videos from our website SpanishPod101. There are more than 2,000 lessons made for you to learn and improve your Spanish.
Let us know which of these Netflix shows you plan on watching first and why! On SpanishPod101, we have a lively community forum that can help you with your Spanish needs in a fun and easy manner! We’d love to hear from you.
Know that your hard work will pay off, and you’ll soon be speaking like a native!
