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Are you struggling with your language class? These fun shows will be a great source of motivation as you’ll improve not only your listening and speaking skills but also build your vocabulary.
Television is a great learning tool as “language experts say that watching shows in a foreign language – if done with near obsession – can help someone learn that language” (CNN). Below is a list of some French and Spanish shows you can add to your watch list.
Spanish Shows
1) Galerías Velvet (Velvet)
If you are a romance fanatic, this show is perfect for you. Set in the 1950s, the storyline follows the heir to a fashion house who falls in love with a seamstress. This show is all about love with a touch of drama as jealousy, money, and family makes this a complicated affair.
2) Nailed It! Mexico / Spain
This competition show is an iteration of the popular American competition all about baking imperfections. As amateur bakers try to replicate complicated cakes, this show will surely make you laugh because of the failed attempts. You can either choose to watch the Mexican or Spanish variation of this show. Or you can watch both! The more Spanish you consume, the better.
3) Made in Mexico
Glamorous lifestyles, fame, and money are great words to describe this show. Made in Mexico is a reality tv series following the lives of 9 young socialites and expats who are on their way to becoming famous models. Watching reality shows are especially great for learning Spanish as the conversations are more naturally flowing compared to scripted TV shows. Because of this, you’ll train yourself to be able to understand native Spanish speakers.
French Shows
1) Le Bazar de la Charité (The Bonfire of Destiny)
Set in 1897, this show will take you to a distant France. The show is a fictionalized version of the fire that broke out at an annual charity event for the Parisian aristocracy. However, three women come out of the fire alive which as a result causes them to protect their loved ones. This show will not only teach you french phrases, but you’ll also learn some french history too.
2) The Circle France
Another iteration of a popular American reality competition series, The Circle France is a social-media competition where your ranking among others determines the future of your stay there. Participants can choose to create fake personalities or be their authentic selves. This series shows you how easy it is to get catfished by someone.
3) Détox (Off the Hook
The show follows two young adults who decide to take a social media detox as they realize the apps like Instagram are making their lives worse. This sitcom is great as the narrative is easy enough to follow as a language learner but funny enough to keep you engaged.
Hopefully, this list of shows has inspired you to watch your favorite shows in another language. Remember that if you want this to be an effective tool for speeding up your language acquisition, you should watch the show on a regular basis.
