15 Best Must-Watch TV Series for Learning Spanish in 2023

The Spanish TV show is one of the many important reasons to learn Spanish. And why not? Besides being entertaining and engaging, it enhances your language talents effectively.

Learning from a teacher or language school is the most popular way to learn Spanish. Then we have traditional methods like books, notes, audio & video lessons, and practicing with natives or those who speak well.

The conventional day-to-day approach is fantastic and time-tested to learn and improve Spanish.

But the modern technology and innovative tools like podcasts, software, apps, music, movies, radio channels, etc., can help you achieve a higher level of Spanish.

Another creative option to enjoy and improve Spanish is television shows. It can immensely enhance your language talents in a fun and educative way. They are simple and memorable; you don’t need to put much effort into them.

You will connect with the language faster and understand the different emotions and purposes behind words. This is a splendid way to build your fluency in Spanish.

How to watch TV series to improve your Spanish skills?

Here are some tips for studying Spanish from these series to maximize your learning experience.

(i) Watch it Regular

Continuous exposure to a language is the best way to learn and become fluent. For example, the key to learning Spanish through TV shows is to watch them regularly.

Streaming services like Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, and Disney, or watching online, could be more convenient as you can pick your viewing time. Still, it is best to sit down and watch semi-regularly.

(ii) Use Spanish Audio and Subtitles in Spanish

Watching TV series in Spanish and following the Spanish subtitles is the best way to improve your Spanish. Yet, English subtitles distract you from learning if you are focused on the English words.

It is a good idea to watch with subtitles in your native language to understand the dialogue and follow the story fully.

But once you are more comfortable with the language, you can see with the subtitles turned off to challenge yourself and improve your listening comprehension.

(iii) Pause and Rewind the Shows

In case you want to look up a common word that keeps getting spoken, pause it if there is something important you don’t want to miss.

You can also increase or decrease the speed to match your current ability. You can also rewatch specific dialogue, scenes, or even entire shows or films for Spanish learners to help you learn more efficiently and fast.

(iv) Watch something that interests you

No matter how interested you are in studying Spanish, you will only be able to enjoy the show with interest and likeness. Otherwise, you will quit midway and won’t benefit from it.

Spanish language learning through TV shows can help you hear the sound authentically. You are also aware of the lives, practices, and cultural aspects in an entertaining way.

Language learning TV series must grab and keep your attention to be practical. If you force yourself to see, boring content isn’t the most effective learning tool.

15 Must-Watch TV Shows for Learning Spanish

In the era of entertainment, we can find every culture and language out there marking their existence boldly in each genre.

Studying Spanish through television shows is a fantastic way to improve communication mastery. You will better understand and get an authentic how to use the language in real-world settings.

With hundreds of choices, I cannot list all of them. But plenty of good TV series can be outstanding resources for learning Spanish.

Here are 15 top recommendations, in no particular order, for your viewing delight. Taking advantage of these can help improve your Spanish. Read along!

1. Who Killed Sara (¿Quién mató a Sara?), 2021-22

Genre — Melodrama, Mystery, Thriller, Crime
Where to watch — Netflix

On Netflix, you can watch this Mexican mystery thriller series. This TV series is filled with all emotions surrounding a girl named Sara and her mysterious death. Her brother was convicted falsely for 30 years for her murder.

Determined to get revenge on the people who murdered his sister, Lex sets out to trace the perpetrator of the crime and prove he was framed.

Who Killed Sara explores every emotion of the GenZ and Millenials, which keeps you interested more in modern culture. You will also learn new and old Spanish words.

You can watch all three seasons on Netflix that were released in 2021 and 2022. If you are a fan of cliffhanger mystery, you will enjoy non-stop mystery throughout 25 episodes.

2. Cable Girls (Las chicas del cable), 2017-2020

Genre — Drama, Telenovela, Historical drama
Where to watch — Netflix

It’s a 5 season series filmed in Madrid, Spain, with four young women who get a job in the first National Telephone Company in Spain around the 1920s. Even though the series resembles the 1920s Spain culture, it’s not a Historical show.

The story is about four young working women working and how their lives changed. They all came from different families, cultures, and backgrounds and worked together to support women’s rights and equality.

Through 42 episodes of 50 minutes each, spanning through 5 seasons, you will immerse yourself in everything: Spain and Spanish.

Through women in the series, you can learn the elegance of the Spanish language and plenty of helpful words and phrases. A bonus is the incredible fashion of Spain and the music.

3. Luis Miguel, 2018-2021

Genre — Biographical, Drama, and Musical
Where to watch — Netflix

This Biopic of the greatest artist of Latin America, whom you may know from hits like “La Incondicional” (The Unconditional).

Diego Boneta plays the lead role in this authorized biography about Luis Miguel. It tells the story of a Mexican superstar singer who captivated Latin American audiences for a long time.

It surrounds Luis’s life from becoming an international star and how it impacted his private life and his love for his family. The 27 episodes through 3 seasons will keep you hooked on the screen till the end.

This show has many characters with Mexican dialects and accents. Thus, it is the perfect choice for those wishing to learn this variant. It also helps you develop your language aptitudes and enjoy Latino music.

4. Extra, 2002-2004

Genre — Comedy
Where to watch — YouTube

Extra is a TV program specially recreated in the format of the famous American series “Friends.” It was explicitly made to teach or portray the Spanish Language to school, novice, and non-native speakers.

This is an ideal TV series if you are a beginner at learning Spanish. The story is about a guy named Sam, an English native living in Barcelona to learn Spanish. He lives in the same place with two girls, Lola and Ana, and a guy named Pablo.

An exploration of romantic relationships, life crises, and contrasting personalities occurs between four young people. It has lots of wit and humor to entertain you through the entire 13 episodes.

This show will challenge your basic skills as they constantly correct each other’s mistakes and laugh. It also repeats many everyday phrases, suitable for A1 and A2 of SIELE or DELE.

You can check this Spanish TV series on YouTube and get started. The benefit is that they speak slowly, making it effortless to understand. The dialogues are easy-to-understand and helpful for every learner.

5. The Ministry of Time (El Ministerio del Tiempo), 2015-2020

Genre — Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, and Science-Fiction.
Where to watch — Netflix, HBO, Hotstar, Voot

The Ministry of Time Series was a top-secret department. A 19th-century female university student, a 16th-century warrior, and a 21st-century paramedic formed a secret agency.

All came together to stop the Spanish government’s use of time travelers. As the officers move through time, they prevent criminals from interfering with critical historical events.

This Spanish TV show has nearly everything to entertain you till the end. So whether you are a fan of Sci-Fi and mystery, adventure and action, or comedy and drama, you will get all for the price of one.

Through this series, you will discover Spain’s ancient history and culture, like Picasso’s painting ‘Guernica’ and the rise to the throne of Isabel of Castille. You will also learn how people spoke the language back in time.

6. Money Heist (La Casa de Papel), 2017-2021

Genre — Heist, Drama, Crime film, Thriller
Where to watch — Netflix

La Casa de Papel, which has an English version of Money Heist, should not be left off a list of the best TV series to learn Spanish.

Spanish tv shows for intermediate learners

The show was initially broadcast on a regular Spanish TV channel. But later, Netflix acquired this series, edited, made changes, and re-aired it. Finally, it became one of the most popular foreign language shows.

Money Heist needs no introduction for its spectacular heists. An unusual group of people, led by a professor, tried to steal 2.4 billion euros from the Spanish Royal Mint, but they could not get the money.

You don’t have to touch a book to learn the criminal and legal vocabulary of La Casa de Papel. The dialogue is spoken in standard Spanish, with little slang here and there.

You’ll learn to understand the language spoken in authentic conversations by listening to many realistic dialogues. This is suitable for intermediate-level like B1 of SIELE or DELE.

7. Grand Hotel (Gran Hotel), 2011-2013

Genre — Drama, Crime, and Mystery
Where to Watch — Netflix

Julio Olmedo searches for his sister at the Grand Hotel in the period drama. This belonged to a family in the fictional coastal Spanish town of Cantaloa in 1905.

Gran Hotel is set in the early 20th century and follows the lives of the guests and workers of a luxury hotel in Spain. The show combines drama, romance, crime, comedy, blackmail, and mystery and features many fascinating characters with complex relationships and narratives.

The story circles around Julio Olmedo’s Sister’s disappearance cover-up by the hotel’s owners, guests, detectives, and residential employees. This TV series is known for its period of setting and costume design, as well as its intricate plot and interesting characters.

Spanish audiences and critics praised the period drama that covers the reign of King Alfonso XIII. It has been adapted for international audiences in France, Italy, and the USA.

If you’re interested in learning Spanish by watching TV series that is both entertaining and educational, “Gran Hotel” could be a superb choice.

It’s a brilliant series to learn words with minimal slang, easy dialogues, and clear pronunciation. Plus, it has a rich cultural and historical context that can help you learn more about Spain and its language.

8. Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia, 2016-2018

Genre — Animation, Action, Adventure
Where to Watch — Netflix

This TV series was developed by the famous Mexican director Guillermo del Toro. An ordinary boy is chosen to be the Trollhunter after discovering a magic amulet. He must protect both humans and the trolls.

The show follows the story of a teenager named Jim who becomes the “Trollhunter” and goes on many adventures to find the true evil of the world.

As Jim and his friends embark on a series of adventures, they learn how to navigate the world of Trolls.

“Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia” is a fun show with colorful animation, interesting characters, and exciting action scenes. It suits viewers of all ages and received positive reviews for its storytelling and themes of friendship, courage, and commitment.

The plot is simple and easy for all Spanish levels to follow. This series will introduce you to many basic and modern phrases and help you prepare for the Spanish DIE test.

9. Elite (Élite), 2018 –

Genre — Adolescence, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Where to Watch — Netflix

“Elite” is a Spanish teen drama series from Carlos Montero and Daro Madrona that premiered on Netflix in 2018.

A prestigious Spanish high school is the setting for the show, which follows a group of students. Scholarship students from working-class backgrounds clashed with wealthy students as soon as they enrolled in a web of lies and murder.

This is an engaging and addicting show with complex characters, class, intense plot twists, privilege, and social justice themes. Writing, acting, and cinematography have all received positive reviews. It has spawned six successful seasons, with the seventh set to be released in 2023.

This Madrid series with European Spanish will help you with casual talks between friends. It covers various accents, words, phrases, and colloquial expressions commonly used in Spain.

10. Always a Witch (Siempre Bruja), 2019-2020

Genre — Romantic Comedy, Drama, and Fantasy
Where to Watch — Netflix

A time travel series of a seventh-century witch in present-day Cartagena, Columbia. It’s the story of Carmen, a 19-year-old enslaved person, and a witch. But, sadly, she fell for a white man, a crime in the 17th century. And that has her scheduled to be burned at stake.

When an old wizard offers her the ability to jump in time to a place where nobody believes in witches. She vows not to use her powers for time travel.

During her time there, she meets new friends, goes to college, and even starts a new life. But, there is only one constant — if you are a witch once, you are always a witch.

It’s a great show with a Romantic Comedy with teenage youngsters going to college surrounded by a Columbian accent with clear Spanish dialects.

This is an easy-to-follow TV series for Spanish learners. If you’re looking for an intriguing TV series that helps you learn new words and enhance your speaking skills, I suggest you look no further than this series.

11. Locked Up (Vis a Vis), 2015-2019

Genre — Drama and Thriller
Where to Watch — Netflix

In 2015, Antena 3 in Spain aired the Spanish crime drama Locked Up, created by Iván Escobar and Esther Martínez Lobato. You will enjoy your time through 48 episodes and 5 seasons of this fun, nail-biting TV series.

The story is about a woman named Macarena Ferreiro. She was working for a company and was falsely accused of financial fraud by her boss, whom she was in love with.

Her story starts in the middle of the Spanish high-security women’s prison between dangerous women of all kinds, making her life in prison hard. She is now forced to navigate the corrupt world of a Spanish women’s jail.

The show is a rich source of phrases, words, and slang, allowing the viewer to hear a range of Spanish accents. This series helps you learn the language spoken daily, particularly if you plan a trip to the country.

12. The Mess You Leave Behind (El Desorden Que Dejas), 2020

Genre — Crime, Drama, and Mystery
Where to Watch — Netflix

Aitor Gabilondo and Carlos Montero created this Spanish drama television show for Netflix in 2020.

This TV series is about a young high school literature teacher named Raquel who returns to her hometown in Galicia. In a mysterious turn of events, her former mentor had recently died, and she took over his class.

A web of secrets and lies threatens to destroy Raquel’s life as she tries to find out the truth about her mentor’s death. Per her investigation, Viruca committed suicide under suspicious conditions and left some pretty dark secrets behind.

“El Desorden Que Dejas!” can teach you a great deal of formal Spanish. Besides, you’ll be able to pick up Spanish from Spanish literature since many scenes occur in a literature classroom.

This show is a good option for learning Spanish, as it features primarily Galician Spanish, a regional variant of Spanish in northwest Spain. You also learn different terms and colloquial phrases useful in the area.

13. The Queen of South (La Reina Del Su), 2011, 2019, 2022

Genre — Action, Crime, and Drama
Where to Watch — Netflix

The Spanish-language television series La Reina del Sur is based on the same-name novel by Arturo Pérez-Reverte.

This show follows the story of Teresa Mendoza, a young woman from a poor neighborhood in Sinaloa, Mexico. After the murder of her boyfriend, a drug cartel member, she escaped to southern Spain to start a new life.

Later, she became a powerful queen in narco-trafficking in South Spain and the USA. She raised her empire through clever dealings and powerful alliances with her. Still, she risked her business and personal life.

The show was filmed in different international locations. Thus, it gives a bonus to different Spanish-language accents and perfect exposure to the viewers.

“The Queen of the South” is excellent for studying Spanish, as it contains a mix of Mexican and American Spanish. It also has words and sayings from Spanish-speaking areas. This is appropriate for all levels of learners.

14. ¡Nailed it! México (2019-2021)

Genre — Reality Show, Food Competition
Where to Watch — Netflix

“Nailed It Mexico” of 2018 is a Spanish-language version of the famous baking competition TV program “Nailed It!”. With 30-35 minutes of running time, you will enjoy 18 episodes through 3 seasons.

This is an entertaining reality show about a baker’s competition for the prize of $10,000 for the best dessert and recipes.

Amateur bakers contest under time pressure, which results in funny moments. The show is all fun and makes for excellent, lighthearted viewing full of jokes, friendships, and wisecracks from the judging panel.

This shows you can learn different kinds of words and verbs in Spanish vocabulary around baking and cooking.

It’s relatively easy to follow what’s going on from the context and recaps. It is good even if you’re at a beginner’s level or preparing for A2 of the Spanish language exam.

15. Victim No. 8 (Víctima Número 8), 2018

Genre — Action, Drama, and Thriller
Where to Watch — Netflix

El Víctima Número 8 is a Spanish thriller television series created by Aitor Gabilondo that was released in 2018. It is loosely based on the Barcelona attacks of August 2017.

A young man, Omar (César Mateo), is wrongfully accused of a devastating crime he did not commit in the 8-episode action-packed drama. Initially, it appears as if everything is clear-cut. But, despite that, everything seems to be murkier after this tragic incident.

He then fought to clear his name while uncovering a conspiracy threatening the region’s stability. Finally, with many twists and nail-biting moments, the police investigate catching the responsible for the killing.

You will also hear plenty of examples of Spanish slang, which is perfect for general Spanish practice.

Fast-paced dialogues, tricky words, and expressions require advanced language ability. As a result, if you are at higher levels like B2 of DELE, you will get through is easily.

Final Words on TV Series for Spanish Learners

These are just some of the best television series for learning Spanish and viewing pleasure. So choose any of these shows to enjoy and get a better grip and grasp on the language.

Of course, Spanish TV shows aren’t enough to make you fluent, but you’ll keep those words, sentences, and sounds.

You also gain new vocabulary and phrases, and enrich your reading, speaking, and listening skills. Finally, take your Spanish to a higher level.

It is best to learn Spanish through multiple forms and resources. For example, offline or online Spanish lessons with a language tutor or an institute. And other resources, including Spanish language TV series, as excellent additions.

Learning Spanish this way is certainly more fun than memorizing list after list! You will gain confidence and improve your skills in no time.

Now that you know what to watch, time for you to start the journey to fluency in Español! Share your recommendations and thoughts in the comment below!

15 Best Television Series to learn Spanish

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