What to watch to learn a language
We asked professional language teachers a simple question: what would you actually put in front of a learner? These are the shows, channels and podcasts they sent back, each one chosen and explained by the teacher who recommended it.
263
Recommendations
24
Teachers
11
Languages
The best thing to watch as a language learner is authentic content pitched at, or just above, your level: real shows, YouTube channels and podcasts made for native speakers, not textbooks. Below, working teachers of Russian, Chinese, German, English, Dutch, French, Arabic, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish and Italian share exactly what they’d recommend, and why each one works.
Русский
What to watch to learn Russian
Lidia Pyzhik, Anna Moravskaya and Maria Vance
See all Russian picks
中文
What to watch to learn Chinese
Olle Linge and Zoey Huang
See all Chinese picks
Deutsch
What to watch to learn German
Laura Linden, Irene Malagon-Bisanz and Andrea
See all German picks
English
What to watch to learn English
Gabby Wallace, Stuart Carson-Gravé and Eliza Marabyan
See all English picks
Nederlands
What to watch to learn Dutch
Anouk van der Linde and Mariska van der Meij
See all Dutch picks
Français
What to watch to learn French
Ines Lluch del Campo and Marion Sokhi
See all French picks
العربية
What to watch to learn Arabic
Mikael Jamin, Amani Abduh and Khaled Jasem
See all Arabic picks
Português
What to watch to learn Portuguese
Sara Durães
See all Portuguese picks
Español
What to watch to learn Spanish
Lalu, Kevin García and Santiago Caamaño
See all Spanish picks
Svenska
What to watch to learn Swedish
Caroline Ståhl
See all Swedish picks
Italiano
What to watch to learn Italian
Samuele Cerquetella
See all Italian picks
Frequently asked
Can you really learn a language by watching TV, YouTube and podcasts?
Yes, watching and listening to authentic content is one of the most effective ways to build real comprehension, as long as it is roughly at or slightly above your level. Language teachers routinely point learners to shows, channels and podcasts alongside formal study, because that is where you hear how the language is actually spoken.
How should I watch a show to actually learn the language?
Start with content pitched at your level, use subtitles in the target language once you can follow along, and rewatch favourite scenes. Short clips you can replay beat long films you only half-understand. Every pick on this page is tagged with a recommended level so you can start where you are.
Who chose these recommendations?
Experienced language teachers: these are the shows, channels and podcasts they regularly recommend to their own students. 24 teachers so far across 11 languages, each credited by name with a link to their school. We add more as new picks come in.
How this list is made
Every recommendation comes from an experienced language teacher: the shows, channels and podcasts they already point their own students to. We gather them here, credit each teacher by name, and link their school so you can find them. More languages and teachers roll in as new picks arrive.
Reelang turns clips like these into short, subtitled lessons you can actually follow, see how it works.