Welcome!
Are you learning Spanish and wondering what you should watch next? Or are you watching something now but it’s simply … meh?
This blog is dedicated to spotlighting my favorite Spanish-language media so you can avoid the meh while working through the dreaded “intermediate plateau” in language learning.
I aim to give you what I lacked during my language learning journey — a trusted resource for curated recommendations of high-quality, often lesser-known, entertainment.
I believe the most effective factor in language learning should be fun. My goal is for you to be so invested in stories that you are impatient to find out what happens next. And when that happens, you learn more Spanish.
Let me do the hard work for you. Just hang out on your sofa and have some fun!
Written with zero AI. Always.
Questions?
Life is too short for mediocre content.
Think of these lists as my personal recommendations to you, a good friend from afar to help you bridge your learning from intermediate to advanced listening skills while enjoying every episode along the way.
It depends! My recommendation is to consider 1) audio quality and 2) your goal for the content.
- Audio Quality: Modern sound mixing can be difficult for audiences. If you cannot distinguish enough enunciation during the quietest dialogue, or the loudest dialogue is too disruptive, I recommend subtitles to preserve your viewing experience.
- Your Goals: If your primary goal is to enhance your listening comprehension, turn off the subtitles while ensuring clear audio quality (e.g., use headphones). If your goal is to “get” every piece of dialogue for maximum viewing pleasure, then use subtitles.
I do not recommend non-Spanish subtitles for language learning purposes.
It should always be, on average, more fun than difficult regardless of subtitle usage.
For language acquisition, I recommend understanding at least 80% of the overall plot so long as you are okay with missing some details, but use your best judgment.
I recommend checking difficulty levels on Learnnatively.com to compare different shows/movies.
The difference between intermediate and advanced content is impossible to truly quantify. However, differences can include speed and pattern of speech, specificity of slang, and complexity of plot.
Using CEFR levels, I describe intermediate as B1-B2 while advanced is B2-C1 level content. I split intermediate into a low and high category because “intermediate” is often a wide range in which learners feel stuck between content that is slightly too easy versus slightly too difficult.
These levels typically correspond to each program’s listed difficulty level on Learnnatively.com with the ranges below.
Low Intermediate: 25-29
High Intermediate: 30-33
Advanced: 34+
Dreaming Spanish is my personal pick for building beginner and intermediate listening comprehension.
After that, I recommend dubbed cartoons — Bluey, Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Simpsons, South Park for example. I found once I became somewhat comfortable with cartoons made for adult audiences, I could start to watch intermediate native shows.
Keep in mind these are simply recommendations. Do what feels best for you!
Yes!
For pronunciation, I recommend the Sounds of Spanish project from Iowa University, which shows you each sound found in Spanish with two graphics showing how the sound is produced both inside and outside the mouth. I also recommend Ten Minute Spanish’s pronunciation playlist.
Once you are comfortable with your pronunciation, I recommend becoming familiar with the linking (i.e., encadenamiento) of sounds between words. This can be an incredibly nuanced topic in phonology, but Carlos Spanish’s 15-minute video will give you the most important tools.
Keep in mind these are simply recommendations. Do what feels best for you!