Movies and TV shows are a great tool for learning a language. They can help you improve your language skills and improve your speaking or listening skills. 

It does not matter what language or dialect you are trying to learn, it is important to be able to make the most of movies and TV series. These programs can create a positive attitude towards learning.

 They can also help you become a more active person and keep you motivated to spend more time doing things related to that language.

There are many interesting series and movies available; From the Spanish drama that aired on Netflix called La Casa de Papel, the series has become the most-watched non-English-language show, to classic films such as Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita or last year’s Oscar-winning Korean film Parasite.

It is much easier to learn a language this way. We certainly get to the last episode without learning anything from the movie and series. Here are four tips to help you make the most of your language learning through TV and movies. 

1. Pay attention to auditory sounds and body movements

Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of using film and television to learn another language is that films and series provide visual context for language learners and support individual learning by providing a visual framework.

 For example, movies can help people understand foreign words and phrases by providing a variety of visual and auditory cues such as facial expressions, body language, and multilingual knowledge (such as how to look or move a hand while speaking).

These clues can enhance learners’ listening comprehension and support the verbal language presented in the films. By watching a scene without subtitles, you may understand a few words, but with the help of pictures you can better understand what is happening, because they fill the language gap.

2. Imitate sounds

However, there are more movies and series than video media. Sound is a very important component for the narrator’s moods and development. 

Changes in music, background sound, or the use of effects allow learners to anticipate the development of the design and language used.

A very useful technique to help develop listening skills is to ignore visual images and describe characters and situations based on the sounds you hear.

 You can also use language features such as music, sound, and audio to identify the characters’ emotions. This will not only increase your connection with the new language but also help you to understand the difference between language and tone in certain emotional situations.

3. Remember the exact pronunciation

In common language teaching books and texts, conversation may seem somewhat artificial. “How are you?” “I’m fine, thank you,” Paolo says to the young man, to which he replies. In real life, people are reluctant to talk in these simple or straightforward ways.

Through film and television, you can become more exposed to the features of natural conversation in language communication situations and functions. This can help you to follow a more natural speech flow by imitating natural language phrases.

 Movies will also teach you more about sound and pronunciation and accurate pronunciation.

You can also learn different dialects, pronunciations and different types of sounds by listening to your mother tongue using special pronunciation patterns and natural speech flows. Imitating such sounds can help you with your pronunciation and ultimately improve your language.

4. Speak like a native!

When you are exposed to conversation, you can become acquainted with real-life conversation and everyday language and vocabulary. So film and television are credible sources of language and teach examples of the original language to learners, the same things people say outside the classroom.

While learning the grammar and vocabulary of another language is extremely important, film and television also introduce language learners to the real way of using language. 

For example, if you watch the French comedy Dix pour cent (meaning 10%, but known to English audiences as Call My Agent), you will find that there is a lot of meaning to the term n’importe quoi.

 Depending on the tone of the speaker and the text and the situation, this phrase can mean “anything”, “anything”, “meaningless”, “garbage” or even “nonsense”!