Improve Your Spanish by Watching TV

Mexican Spanish TV shows

Since it’s Cinco de Mayo—a Mexican holiday commemorating victory at the Battle of Puebla—we’re giving Mexican shows the spotlight. Pero no preocupes: A section on shows in other Spanish dialects follows this one.

Club de Cuervos | Netflix

This riotous Netflix comedy about two siblings trying to run their father’s soccer—sorry, fútbol—team is a must-watch. It has four seasons, and it’s hilarious, so you’ll get fully immersed. And, for bonus practice, check out the spinoffs La Balada de Hugo Sánchez and I, Potro, which follow two popular Cuervos characters.

The War Next Door (Guerra de Vecinos) | Netflix

This Netflix original series is a hit, frequently appearing in the streaming service’s Top 10 shows. Credit the casting, writing, and relatable premise, where a lower middle class family wins a home in a posh neighborhood and clashes with their wealthy next-door neighbors. You’ll pick up some sick Mexican burns from this series.

Búnker | Max

In this Max crime comedy, a man spends all of his time in his Cold War–era bunker—then it’s raided by bumbling kidnappers. It’s slow-moving so far, but we like the quirky, trippy Scott Pilgrim meets Acción Mutante vibe enough to give it a few more episodes. In the meantime, enjoy the master class in Mexican profanity.

Central, South American, and European Spanish

There are nearly two dozen Spanish dialects—and they all have different accents, pronunciations, words, definitions, and speech tempos. So here are some shows to help you practice those.

Porn and Ice Cream (Porno y Helado) | Prime Video

In Buenos Aires, two dorks lie about having a band—and are forced to prove it onstage at a popular music festival. That’s already funny, but creator/writer/costar Martin Piroyanksy injects it with plenty of heart, not to mention tons of musical references and some excellent original tunes.

So be sure to check out the Porno y Helado soundtrack on Spotify and Amazon Prime Music, because songs are another fun way to practice listening in Spanish.

Los Espookys | Max

This muy chistoso Max original series about a group of horror prankster-purveyors switches between English and Spanish audio—with subtitles for both. As such, the show is fantastic translation and listening practice. You’ll also pick up your first Spanish TV catchphrase, “Algo . . . oscuro” (“something dark”).

Los Espookys is set in a generic Latin American country, and series creators (and much of the cast) hail from Mexico, Central, and South America. So you may hear a blend of dialects in the show—another reason to use Los Espookys for Spanish practice.

Sky Rojo | Netflix

In this Netflix action-dramedy reminiscent of a Robert Rodriguez film, a trio of prostitutes beat up their pimp and are forced to flee. It’s funny, stylish, thrilling, violent, and rife with lessons in Castilian/Peninsular Spanish cursing. If all Spanish classes were like this, everyone would habla Español.