What to watch on Netflix to learn English? Check out these tips

If you're looking to improve your English language skills in a fun and effective way, Netflix can be an incredible tool for achieving this goal. With a wide range of films, series and documentaries available in English, you can immerse yourself in the language while being entertained.

Why use Netflix to learn English?

Before we get into the specific recommendations, it's important to understand why Netflix can be such a valuable tool for language learning:

• Linguistic Immersion: By watching English content, you are constantly exposed to the language, which can help improve your listening comprehension, vocabulary and pronunciation.
• Cultural Context: As well as learning the language, you also become familiar with English culture, idioms and different accents, which enriches your learning experience even more.
• Diversity of Content: Netflix offers a wide variety of genres and styles of content, allowing you to choose something that really interests you and maintain your interest during the learning process.

Now that we understand the benefits, let's explore some specific recommendations on what to watch on Netflix to learn English:

1. TV series

TV series are one of the most popular forms of entertainment on Netflix and also an excellent tool for improving your English language skills. Here are some reasons why TV series are so effective for learning English:

1. Continuous Narrative:

One of the biggest advantages of TV series is that they present a continuous narrative over several episodes or seasons. This allows you to get deeply involved with the characters and follow the development of the plot. By watching episode after episode, you'll have prolonged exposure to the English language, which can help improve your listening comprehension and your ability to follow natural conversations in English.

2. Variety of accents and vocabulary:

TV series often feature a variety of accents and vocabulary, depending on the characters and the setting in which the story takes place. This is especially useful for exposing you to different ways of speaking English, helping to develop your understanding of different pronunciations and dialects. What's more, you'll have the opportunity to learn new words and expressions as you expand your vocabulary in the process.

3. Cultural Context:

Watching TV series in English not only improves your language skills, but also offers valuable insights into English-speaking culture and society. Many series portray aspects of everyday life, traditions, values and challenges faced by people in different parts of the world where English is spoken. This helps you to better understand the mentality and lifestyle of native English speakers and enriches your cultural experience.

4. Fun and Motivation:

The main advantage of learning English through TV series is that it's fun! By choosing series that you really like and are interested in, you will naturally be more motivated to watch and follow the episodes. This intrinsic motivation is key to maintaining your dedication to learning the language over the long term, making you more likely to continue practicing regularly.

TV series recommendations:

• Friends: A classic comedy that is loved by people of all ages and nationalities. With funny dialogues and everyday situations, it's perfect for practicing casual English.
• The Crown: A drama series that offers a fascinating portrait of British royalty and important historical events. The formal dialog and British accents are excellent for improving your listening skills.
• Breaking Bad: An intense drama about a chemistry teacher who becomes a methamphetamine manufacturer. With a gripping script and complex dialogues, this series will challenge your comprehension and vocabulary skills.
• Stranger Things: A suspense and science fiction series set in the 80s. With a mix of humor, mystery and action, it's a great option for practicing contemporary English in a fun context.
• The Office (US): A mockumentary comedy series that follows the daily lives of employees at a paper company. With snappy dialogues and quirky humor, it's excellent for improving your understanding of colloquial English and idioms.

2. Movies

Movies are an exciting and immersive way to improve your English language skills. Here are some reasons why movies are a great way to learn English:

1. Concentrated narrative:

Films tell complete stories in a relatively short period of time, which makes them ideal for shorter study sessions. You can experience a complete narrative, with a beginning, middle and end, in just a few hours. This allows you to get deeply involved with the characters, follow the development of the plot and absorb a variety of vocabulary and grammatical structures while watching.

2. Variety of Genres and Styles:

Netflix offers a wide selection of movies in English, covering a variety of genres and styles. Whether you're a fan of drama, comedy, action, science fiction or romance, there's something for everyone. This diversity allows you to choose movies that really interest you, keeping you interested and motivated during the learning process.

3. Exposure to different accents and dialects:

Watching a variety of movies in English also exposes you to different accents and dialects, depending on where the actors come from and where the movie is set. This is useful for developing your listening comprehension and familiarizing yourself with the nuances of English pronunciation and intonation. The more variety of films you watch, the more comfortable you will become with understanding different forms of speech in English.

4. Visual Learning:

Films combine verbal and visual language in a powerful way, which can make the learning process easier for many people. When you watch English movies, you not only hear the language being spoken, but you also see facial expressions, gestures and visual contexts that help you understand the meaning of words and phrases. This visual learning can make the learning process more intuitive and memorable.

Movie recommendations:

Here are some recommendations of popular movies to watch on Netflix while learning English:

• The Shawshank Redemption: A moving drama about hope and redemption inside a prison.
• Forrest Gump: A captivating story about an ordinary man who lives an extraordinary life, going through key moments in the history of the United States.
• The Social Network: A movie about the rise of Facebook and the complexities of human relationships and technology.
• Inception: A fascinating science fiction movie that explores the world of dreams and reality.
• The Pursuit of Happyness: An inspiring drama based on the true story of a man who fights against all odds to achieve success.

3. Documentaries

Documentaries are a fascinating way to learn English while finding out about a variety of interesting topics. 

1. Educational and Informational Content

Documentaries cover a wide range of topics, from science and history to culture and the environment. They provide detailed, contextual information on the subjects in question, allowing you to expand your knowledge while improving your English language skills. In addition, many documentaries feature interviews with experts and engaging narratives that keep the viewer interested from start to finish.

2. Specific and technical vocabulary

Watching documentaries in English is a great way to familiarize yourself with specific and technical vocabulary related to the topics covered. For example, if you're watching a documentary about space, you can learn terms like "orbit", "galaxy" and "cosmic radiation". This kind of vocabulary is useful not only for expanding your knowledge of the subject, but also for improving your listening comprehension skills in more specialized contexts.

3. Exposure to different accents and dialects

Like films and TV series, documentaries also offer an opportunity to be exposed to a variety of English accents and dialects. Depending on where the documentary was produced and the people involved in the production, you may encounter a diversity of ways of speaking the language. This is useful for developing your listening comprehension and your ability to understand different variations of English.

4. Cultural and Global Awareness

Documentaries often explore social, cultural and political issues in different parts of the world. By watching documentaries in English, you not only improve your language skills, but also develop a deeper understanding of global issues and cultural diversity. This is important not only for language learning, but also for expanding your perspective and awareness of the world around you.

Documentary recommendations:

Here are some recommendations of documentaries available on Netflix that are excellent for learning English:

• Our Planet: A stunning documentary series that explores the beauty and fragility of the natural world.
• 13th: A provocative documentary that examines the US criminal justice system and its relationship to systemic racism.
• Chef's Table: A series featuring some of the world's most renowned chefs and their unique culinary journeys.
• Making a Murderer: A documentary investigating the case of Steven Avery, a man wrongly convicted of a crime he didn't commit.
• Inside Bill's Brain: Decoding Bill Gates: A fascinating look into the mind and projects of Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

4. Children's programs

Children's programs are a fantastic option for learning English, especially for beginners and children who are just starting to get to grips with the language. Here are some reasons why children's programs are such an effective choice:

1. simple and clear language

The children's programs are designed with simple, clear language suited to children's level of understanding. This makes them ideal for beginners who are just starting to learn English. The dialogues are often slower and more articulate, making it easier to understand and assimilate basic vocabulary and grammatical structures.

2. Repetition and Reinforcement

Children's programs often present themes and concepts that are repeated throughout each episode. This repetition is an effective technique to help consolidate learning. By hearing the same words and phrases over and over again, viewers have the opportunity to reinforce their vocabulary and listening comprehension in a natural and intuitive way.

3. Visual and Interactive Context

Children's programs often use visual and interactive resources, such as colorful animations, music and captivating characters, to engage viewers. This visual context helps to reinforce the meaning of words and phrases, making it easier to understand and learn the language. In addition, interactive elements such as puzzles, games and songs make the learning process more fun and engaging.

4. Educational and Cultural Themes

Although children's programs are aimed at kids, many of them also address educational and cultural themes that are relevant to all ages. For example, programs about nature, science, history and social values can offer meaningful learning opportunities for viewers of all ages, while still providing an accessible and entertaining learning environment.

Children's Program Recommendations:

Here are some recommendations of children's programs available on Netflix that are excellent for learning English:

• Peppa Pig: An adorable animated series about a little pig called Peppa and her adventures with her family and friends.
• Paw Patrol: An action-adventure series that follows a group of heroic puppies as they protect their community.
• The Magic School Bus: An educational series that follows the eccentric teacher Mrs. Frizzle and her class on exciting educational trips.
• Word Party: An animated series that helps children learn new words through games and music.
• Super Monsters: A series about monster children who attend a school to learn how to control their special powers.

Watch English content on Netflix

Watching English content on Netflix can be a fun and effective way to improve your language skills. Whether you're watching TV series, movies, documentaries or children's programs, there's something for all levels of proficiency and interests. So, grab your popcorn, relax and start learning English while having fun on Netflix!

See also: 10 best thriller movies you need to watch

April 1st, 2024