19 Best Spanish Series on Netflix For Learning Spanish Fast [2025]

If you’re trying to learn Spanish, watching Spanish TV shows on Netflix is one of the easiest ways to do it. You get to hear how people actually speak — not slow, scripted lines from a textbook, but real conversations, accents, slang, everything. Plus, you’re picking it up while watching something you enjoy.

In this list, I’ll show you some of the best shows to learn Spanish, especially if you're using Netflix. Whether you’re just starting out or already understand a bit, these Spanish series on Netflix are great for getting better without it feeling like work.

Why Watching Spanish Netflix Shows is One of the Best Ways to Learn Spanish

If you’re learning Spanish, one of the most effective things you can do is surround yourself with the language. Spanish Netflix shows give you the two kinds of input language learners need: intensive input, where you focus on details and break things down, and extensive input, where you’re simply exposed to large amounts of language in context.

As you have probably noticed, most Spanish courses only offer one of the said inputs. You’ll either get tough grammar drills or simple, slow conversations that don’t reflect how people actually speak. Netflix offers both, all in one place. And with tools like Lingopie, you can fine-tune the experience even more.

Why this works so well:

• There’s endless content: You’re getting hours of real Spanish (and its dialects) across different countries, accents, and topics.
• You can progress naturally: Start with English subtitles, switch to Spanish, or use both. It’s flexible and lets you build confidence over time.
• You get real cultural notes: Spanish Netflix shows let you see how the language is used and hear native speakers talk, joke, argue, and connect.

Most importantly, it’s enjoyable. Watching a show you like makes it easy to stay consistent. You’re still learning, but it doesn’t feel like a chore — and that’s what makes the biggest difference over time.

Best Spanish Shows To Learn Spanish

Most language experts suggest you need around 1,500 vocabulary words before you can start understanding Spanish TV shows. That might sound intimidating if you're just starting out, but the truth is that you don’t actually need to memorize all those words first.

If you use tools like the Lingopie extension with Netflix, you can learn vocabulary while watching. Click on any word in the dual subtitles for instant translations and pronunciation, building your vocabulary as you go. This means you can start with Spanish shows right away, regardless of your current level.

1. Narcos

Set in Colombia and Mexico, Narcos follows Pablo Escobar's rise and the law enforcement agents hunting him. The show mixes real historical events with gripping storytelling, earning international acclaim, including the Best Ibero-American TV Miniseries award at the 2019 Platino Awards.

From a language learning perspective, Narcos is a solid choice for intermediate to advanced learners. While much of the narration is in English, a large portion of the dialogue is in natural, fast-paced Spanish spoken by native actors. You’ll hear a wide range of regional accents, especially Colombian and Mexican, along with slang and phrases related to crime, power, money, and law enforcement.

Technically, it's not the easiest show to follow without subtitles, but every episode from this Spanish show will expose you to plenty of verbs in the past tense (perfect for listening practice), common conversational connectors, and emotional tone shifts.

2. La Casa De Papel

La Casa de Papel (Money Heist) is a Spanish crime series about a group of robbers who plan and carry out a detailed attack on the Royal Mint of Spain. Led by a strategist known as “The Professor,” each member plays a specific role as the team works to print billions of euros while dealing with police, hostages, and growing internal pressure.

For learners, the show offers clear examples of Castilian Spanish, with a mix of formal and informal language. You’ll hear practical vocabulary related to planning, persuasion, tension, and relationships. The conversations are fast but often repetitive in structure, making it easier to catch key phrases. It’s handy for improving listening skills, picking up natural speech patterns, and getting used to how Spanish sounds in different emotional situations.

3. Vis a Vis

Vis a Vis tells the story of Macarena, a young woman sent to prison after being caught in a fraud scheme she didn’t fully understand. Inside, she’s forced to adapt quickly to a brutal environment where power shifts fast and trust is hard to earn. The series focuses less on plot twists and more on character tension, earning it strong comparisons to Orange Is the New Black, though the tone is darker and more grounded.

The Spanish here is raw and reactive, where people interrupt, swear, shout, and shift tones mid-sentence. You’ll also hear a lot of prison slang, street-level vocabulary, and fast-paced exchanges that mirror real-world speech. If you’re looking for polished grammar, this isn’t it. But if you want to hear how Spanish sounds when emotions run high, Vis a Vis is one of the most honest examples out there.

4. Club De Cuervos

Translated in English as Club of Crows, Club De Cuervos is a binge-worthy comedy show that pokes fun at sports culture, privilege, and family politics. It mainly centers on a pair of siblings who inherit their father’s soccer club and subsequently vie with each other over issues such as the club presidency.

In each episode, you'll hear fast Mexican Spanish packed with slang, playful insults, and sarcasm. The dialogue also captures how people actually talk in modern Mexico - casual, quick, and full of double meanings. Perfect for intermediate learners who want to understand informal conversations and pick up phrases you'd use with friends.

Don't expect to catch everything the first time through, but you'll develop an ear for Mexican rhythm and tone that no textbook can teach.

5. Paquita Salas

Paquita is a talent agent who peaked in the early 2000s and hasn’t really noticed she’s no longer relevant. The show follows her trying to save her agency, hold onto her clients, and pretend she still runs the industry. It’s awkward, ridiculous, and full of real emotion underneath the jokes. If you like dry humor like "The Office" and characters who don’t know when to stop talking, this one’s for you.

From a language angle, Paquita Salas is packed with casual, everyday Spanish. You’ll hear filler words like en plan, tía, bueno, and vale almost constantly. There’s also a lot of emotional language: frustration, gossip, passive-aggression. If you're learning Spanish in Spain or planning to travel there, this show will help you get used to the tone and rhythm fast.

6. Velvet

Velvet is a romantic drama set in a 1950s fashion house in Spain. It follows Ana, a seamstress, and Alberto, the heir to the company, as they try to be together in a world that keeps pulling them apart. It’s full of big emotions, old-school elegance, and slow-burning storylines. If you like love stories, period pieces, or shows with beautiful sets and costumes, Velvet has a lot to offer.

Language-wise, this show is slower and easier to follow than most on this list. The Spanish is clear and well-pronounced, with very little slang or fast back-and-forth. You’ll hear formal phrases, polite speech, and vocabulary related to work, fashion, and relationships. This makes it a good pick for beginners or anyone who wants to train their ear before jumping into faster shows. If you’re used to Latin American accents, hearing Castilian Spanish spoken this clearly is a helpful bridge.

7. Griselda

Griselda tells the true story of Griselda Blanco, a woman who built a drug empire in 1970s Miami. Played by Sofía Vergara in a serious and intense role, the show follows her rise in a world where violence, loyalty, and fear decide who stays in power. While it’s centered on crime, the story also shows Griselda as a mother and a woman trying to survive on her own terms.

The Spanish in this series is fast, emotional, and full of slang. You’ll hear mostly Colombian accents, along with some Cuban and Miami speech styles. Characters often speak in tense situations, which means a lot of strong expressions, commands, and quick responses. It can be hard to follow for beginners, but intermediate learners will get used to the rhythm with subtitles. This is a good show to learn how people speak when emotions are high and time is short.

8. Gran Hotel

Focusing on the lives of those who own, work for, or are guests at the Gran Hotel, this series is set in 1905 and will be a firm favorite for those learners who love all things Downton Abbey.

The cinematography is a joy to behold, and the series is so suspenseful that you’ll be gripped from the very first episode.

Gran Hotel has notched up eleven award wins, and twenty-two nominations in the course of its run and is perfect for new learners to start gaining familiarity with the Spanish language and for those at an intermediate level to polish up their conversational and listening skills.

The series has been so popular that it has spawned several international remakes and adaptations, including an Egyptian and a French version of the show.

9. Escobar, El Patron Del Mal

Highly bingeable, it’s lucky that there are more than seventy episodes of this Netflix hit, and each is an hour-long, providing viewers wishing to learn Spanish with plenty of opportunities to immerse themselves in the language.

Escobar is particularly useful for those wishing to learn the Colombian dialect and become familiar with the accent of this country. Two words of warning, though.

Firstly, you are guaranteed to be hooked after the first episode. And secondly, it’s not for the faint-hearted: expect blood, gore, and violence throughout.

10. El Tiempo Entre Costuras

Translated as The Time In Between, this big-budget, sprawling Spanish drama is set in the period leading up to the Spanish Civil War and follows the fortunes of Sira Quiroga, a young seamstress from Madrid.

El Tiempo Entre Costuras is not only beautiful viewing but is an excellent source of knowledge regarding this point in Spanish history. It was filmed on-location in Spain, Morocco, and Portugal with a budget of approximately half a million euros per episode.

11. Isabel

Isabel tells the story of Queen Isabella I of Castile, starting before her rise to power and following her life through major political and personal decisions. The show focuses on her strength, struggles, and the key moments that shaped Spain’s future. It is slower and more serious than most modern dramas and includes historical events, religion, and court politics.

This show is useful for learning formal Spanish and historical vocabulary. The dialogue is clear but old-fashioned, with polite forms, long sentences, and little slang. You will hear words related to politics, faith, family roles, and power. It is best for intermediate learners who want to improve listening by focusing on pronunciation, tone, and respectful speech.

12. Elite

This popular choice is one of the best shows to learn Spanish on Netflix! It concerns three students from disadvantaged backgrounds who gain entrance to an elite school on scholarships and is a mystery-thriller-high school drama mash-up that’ll have you wanting to devour whole seasons at a time - especially once the twist in the first series is revealed…

The ensemble nature of the cast means that there are lots of opportunities for learners to get familiar with the vosotros form of verb conjugation: this can be difficult to explain in a textbook, but actually hearing it is a great way of learning both how and when to use this form.

The series is perfect for general Spanish practice, too, and you’ll hear plenty of examples of fun Spanish slang.

13. The Accident

The Accident centers on a community torn apart after a bouncy castle at a birthday party is lifted by the wind. Three children die and another disappears, sending parents and friends into a spiral of grief, blame, and buried secrets. The story digs into how families cope with sudden loss and betrayal as trust erodes and alliances form and break.

For learners, the show offers slower, emotionally loaded conversation that fits serious themes. You’ll get exposure to clear, careful speech filled with regret, accusation, and heartbreak. Vocabulary revolves around loss, justice, truth, and doubt, with pauses and hesitation reflecting the characters’ pain.

If you're at an intermediate level, watching with Spanish subtitles and focusing on emotional cues can help you unpack meaning beyond words. Beginners might find it tough, but the emotional context helps bridge gaps in understanding.

14. Siempre Bruja

Buffy the Vampire Slayer buffs will love the Spanish series Siempre Bruja, which translates as Always a Witch. The show tells the story of Carmen, a young seventeenth-century witch who travels forward in time to present-day Colombia and has to make her way through the fantastical modern landscape she finds herself in while seeking a way back home.

The show features many characters with Colombian accents, so it is the perfect choice for those wishing to learn this particular dialect or who already have a good grasp of Spanish and want to further develop their language skills.

There are eighteen episodes of this series in total, perfect for a mini-weekend binge.

15. Trollhunters - Tales of Arcadia

This Spanish language offering from Dreamworks is a perfect family watch for when the kids want in on the language learning fun!

Suitable for beginner and intermediate learners, this show was developed and directed by acclaimed Mexican director Guillermo del Toro (the mastermind behind Pan’s Labyrinth) and features plenty of basic, modern Spanish words and phrases in European Spanish accents.

Fans of The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra are sure to enjoy this beautifully animated fantasy frolic.

The show garnered a slew of positive critical reviews and received a total of eighteen industry awards and an impressive twenty-five nominations.

16. Las Chicas Del Cable

A historical drama set in 1920s Madrid, the Netflix original series Las Chicas Del Cable (Cable Girls) tells the true story of four women fighting for gender equality as employees of Spain’s first national telephone company.

The portrayal of this historic moment in the women’s rights movement is both a gripping watch and the perfect way to effortlessly immerse yourself in the language.

This show won in the GLAAD Media Award’s Outstanding Scripted Television Series (Spanish language) and was nominated for a Platino award in the category of Best TV Series.

And, best of all, there are five whole series to enjoy, with episodes running at fifty minutes each.

17. La Casa De Las Flores

Slick, smart, and darkly humorous, La Casa de las Flores (The House of Flowers) explores what happens when the body of a man’s lover is discovered at his own engagement party.

This Spanish series was so successful that it generated a movie spin-off of the same name earlier this year.

Build your Spanish language muscles while relaxing in front of this seriously addictive series that follows the fortunes of a rich and famous family that aren’t all they seem.

18. The Ministry of Time

Followers of Doctor Who and Quantum Leap will be hooked from the very first episode of this sci-fi show which, in English, translates as The Ministry of Time.

The premise concerns a top-secret Spanish agency whose role is to send its officers through time to prevent criminals from changing the course of significant historical events.

The beauty of this series is that it makes for an immensely entertaining way to both learn about important points in Spanish history - such as the painting of Picasso’s ‘Guernica’ and the ascension to the throne of Isabel of Castille (who is also the star of her own show, mentioned above) - and to help you learn the language of the country itself.

19. The Cook Of Castamar

If you prefer shows that take their time, focus on small moments, and explore feelings without always saying them aloud, The Cook of Castamar might be what you're looking for. It’s set in 1700s Spain, but it isn’t about royalty or war. It’s about a cook named Clara who tries to stay invisible in a wealthy household but slowly becomes the center of the story. There’s grief, romance, class tension, and a lot of quiet power dynamics.

Language learners who want to slow down and focus on formal Spanish will find this helpful. The characters speak with respect and distance. You won’t hear slang or modern expressions, but you will hear how people choose words carefully depending on who they’re talking to. It’s not the easiest Spanish to copy, but it’s great for listening closely and learning how tone works in polite conversation.

How To Use Spanish Series On Netflix To Learn Spanish

Watching Spanish shows the right way can accelerate your learning, but most people make the same mistakes. Here's how to get the most out of your Netflix time.

Choose Your Subtitle Strategy

Your subtitle choice determines how much Spanish you'll actually learn:

• English subtitles only — Good for following complex plots when you're tired, but you won't learn much Spanish vocabulary or reading skills
• Spanish subtitles only — Forces you to connect spoken Spanish with written Spanish, improving both listening and reading comprehension
• Dual subtitles — Tools like Lingopie show both English and Spanish simultaneously, perfect for beginners who need translation support while building Spanish recognition

Most learners start with dual subtitles, then gradually shift to Spanish-only as they improve. English-only subtitles are useful for entertainment but won't advance your Spanish skills much.

Make Words Clickable

Regular Netflix subtitles are just text on screen. With Lingopie's browser extension, every word becomes clickable for instant translations, pronunciation, and example sentences. You can learn new vocabulary without leaving the show or breaking your focus.

This eliminates the biggest friction in learning from TV — having to pause, grab your phone, and look up words manually. Instead, click once and keep watching.

Turn New Words Into Lasting Knowledge

The words you encounter while watching will disappear from memory unless you review them. Lingopie automatically creates flashcards from words you click, complete with the original scene context and audio pronunciation.

These aren't boring flashcard lists — each card shows the exact moment from the show where you heard the word, making it easier to remember and use correctly.

Balance Difficulty With Enjoyment

If everything you understand feels too childish, and everything interesting feels too hard, use time boxing. Spend 15 minutes with easier content (even kids shows), then 15-30 minutes with more challenging shows using English subtitles. This keeps you progressing without burning out.

How to Talk About TV Shows in Spanish

Learning Spanish through Netflix is great, but it helps even more when you can talk about what you’re watching. Here are some useful phrases to help you ask for recommendations, talk about your favorite Spanish shows, or explain how you watch them.

Common Phrases to Talk About TV Shows

Talking about what you watch in Spanish builds confidence and helps you use real-world vocabulary. Once you’re comfortable with basic phrases, it’s also useful to know how to describe the type of show you like. Genres are easy to learn and often look similar to English, which makes them a great place to start.

Common TV Genres in Spanish

Try Lingopie For Better Results

The truth is that watching Netflix without language tools means you'll forget 80% of the new words you hear within a week. Lingopie fixes this problem by adding the intentional learning layer that regular streaming lacks.

With clickable subtitles and automatic flashcard creation, Lingopie helps you actively build vocabulary and understand grammatical complexities with every episode. Now wonder why many Lingopie users report understanding significantly more Spanish within their first month because they’re finally combining entertainment with structured learning.

Ready to supercharge your Spanish learning? Try Lingopie free for 7 days and see how much faster you progress when every show becomes a personalized Spanish lesson.

FAQs: Best Shows to Watch To Learn Spanish

What is the best show to watch to learn Spanish?

La Casa de Papel is the best show to learn Castilian Spanish. Club de Cuervos and La Reina del Sur are better for Latin American Spanish.

Can you learn Spanish through TV shows?

Yes, watching Spanish shows helps improve vocabulary, listening, and pronunciation through real conversations.

Can you use Netflix to learn Spanish?

Yes, Netflix has many Spanish series and Spanish TV shows that are useful for learning different accents and natural speech.

What is the fastest, most effective way to learn Spanish?

The fastest way is to watch Spanish Netflix shows with Lingopie daily, practice speaking, and review common words often.

What is the most-watched Spanish series?

La Casa de Papel is the most-watched Spanish series on Netflix and is popular for learning everyday Castilian Spanish.

How do I get Spanish content on Netflix?

It’s easy to find Spanish shows and movies on Netflix that can help you learn the language. Here are a few quick ways to get started:

• Change your language settings
  Go to your Netflix account settings and switch your language to Spanish. This will help bring more Spanish Netflix shows into your homepage and recommendations.
• Browse by language
  On the Netflix homepage, choose “Browse by Language” and pick “Español.” You’ll see a full list of Spanish TV shows on Netflix, including popular Spanish series and movies.
• Use the search bar
  Type in things like “Spanish shows,” “Spanish series on Netflix,” or even the name of a specific show like Money Heist or Elite. You can also try “best shows to learn Spanish” or “TV shows to learn Spanish.”
• Turn on Spanish audio or subtitles
  When you pick a show, check the audio and subtitle settings. Choose Spanish to watch with Spanish voices or text — perfect if you’re looking for Netflix shows to learn Spanish.