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Can You Learn a Foreign Language Through Subtitles?

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Can you learn a language by watching a movie with subtitles?

The short answer is yes. Just as subtitles are an effective way for ESL students improve their English skills, the reverse is true as well to improve foreign language learning. While formal language study can be highly beneficial in learning a new languages, never under estimate the value of self study. For example, when asked how he learned English, Spanish movie star Antonio Banderas explained that he learned by watching cartoons with English subtitles!

Among its many advantages, subtitles offers a new way of understanding language. In fact, a study by Holger Metterer (Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics) and James McQueen confirmed that, in addition to regular study, subtitling can help students learn a language faster.

One of the main conclusions of this study is that listening and reading a foreign language at the same time helps the individual's phonetic understanding. It also helps to become familiar with the vocabulary and sounds of the language through repetition.

What are the other benefits of watching shows or movies with subtitles?

Improves reading speed and listening comprehension
Increases vocabulary
Improves word recognition and grammar
Helps visualize a new language
Subtitles improve reading speed and listening comprehension

Subtitles increase reading speed and comprehension

Unlike language learning apps or foreign language courses, which tend to slow down speech, subtitled movies run at the same speed as a normal conversation. For a new language learner, this may seem fast. The benefit of this is that it will increase your listening comprehension and help improve your reading speed.

When studying a new language, people often discuss the concept of "training your ear," which is the practice of becoming accustomed to the verbal and phonetic of words in a foreign language. What does this mean, exactly? Think about how you speak in English. Imagine reading a sentence out loud, making sure to pronounce every word and syllable, as if you were giving a speech in front of a group of people. Now, imagine saying the same sentence, but as if you were talking to your friends. Words become shortened and strung together, and your speed changes. With subtitles, you can compare what is said with a visual cue, and help understand how words are pronounced in the real world, not in the classroom.

Subtitles expand your vocabulary

One of the great advantages of watching foreign films is that you can experience language growth. Not only will you learn a whole new set of familiar phrases and expressions, but you'll also experience them in context. This is often difficult to master and requires spending time talking to other people who speak the language. Watching foreign films with subtitles can speed up this learning process. Good subtitles will make or break your language learning experience. Idiomatic USA, for example, has vast experience in providing subtitles in over 100 different languages for all kinds of TV shows and other types of media.

Quick Tip: Repeat movie lines and common phrases out loud to learn new vocabulary. Over time, this will help you sound more confident and natural when you speak.

Subtitles improve word recognition and grammar

Although you may know everyday language expressions like lunch or hotel, movies expose you to new phrases. Some of them may be more common than the traditional words you have learned. How? For the most part, foreign films use less formal slang terms used by locals. Reading subtitles is a great way for viewers to expand their vocabulary.

Reading subtitles on the screen also improves grammar. Take advantage of the pause and pause button to study the translation on the screen. It helps language learners identify and understand types of verbs, tenses and sentences. Looking at a new language in this unconventional way leads to better overall understanding.

The visual nature of film adds another punch

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a movie is worth a million. Especially when it comes to learning a new language. The visual aspects of the film help support listening comprehension and vocabulary retrieval. In addition to new vocabulary, you can also match them using visualization. This means that people learn more by watching subtitled movies than by just listening to the audio. A film is much more fun compared to pouring over a set of conjugation flash cards.