Tips for Learning Spanish through Mexican Music, TV shows, and Movies

Learning Spanish is not only a very enriching experience but can also be incredibly fun—especially if you use Mexican music, series, and movies as tools.

These resources are not only useful to help you improve your language skills but also to allow you to immerse yourself further in Mexican culture, making your learning journey more enjoyable, effective, and meaningful.

In this article, you’ll find some basic tips to help you learn some new vocabulary while enjoying your favorite songs or gaining a better understanding of Mexican customs through a TV show or a good movie.

The Benefits of Learning with Mexican Media

Mexican music, TV shows, and movies are excellent ways to learn Spanish because they allow you to hear the language as it’s spoken in everyday life. This includes colloquial expressions, regional accents, and unique slang.

Additionally, you’ll develop listening comprehension and pronunciation skills while enjoying entertaining stories or catchy music. This makes learning more fun and keeps your motivation high since you can choose content that matches your personal tastes and interests.

So, without further ado, let’s explore some options!

Mexican Music

While banda or mariachi music might be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of Mexico, you’ll discover that Mexican music is actually quite varied. It offers many opportunities to learn Spanish while enjoying catchy melodies and unforgettable lyrics.

Here are 10 iconic Mexican songs to get you started:

1. "Cielito Lindo" - Pedro Infante (Regional Mexican): This traditional song has become a symbol of Mexican pride. You can learn common expressions like “canta y no llores” (“sing and don’t cry,”) which reflect joy and comfort. Plus, the catchy melody will be easy for you to remember, and it will help you improve your pronunciation skills.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41xqsorstKQ

2. "La Bikina" - Luis Miguel (Pop-Ranchera): This song describes a strong and independent woman, using words like “solitaria” (lonely) and “altanera” (haughty). It's ideal for learning descriptive adjectives and practicing the characteristic intonation of this musical genre.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=970nS5ZGcdw

3. "Hasta la Raíz" - Natalia Lafourcade (Pop-folk): This song uses poetic language and metaphors that can teach nature-related terms like “ríos” (rivers) and “montañas” (mountains), along with emotional concepts like “dolor” (pain) and “amor” (love).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKmPci5VXz0

4. "Amor Eterno" - Rocío Dúrcal (Regional Mexican): This classic tackles themes of loss and unconditional love. Words like "eterno" (eternal) and "corazón" (heart) will help you express deep, personal emotions in Spanish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XAUNqTOQx8

5. "Eres" - Café Tacvba (Pop rock): The song is an ode to love, with lines like "Eres lo que más quiero" ("You're what I love the most."). It's great for learning romantic vocabulary and practicing relative adjectives and pronouns in a modern context.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98Akpf1ph2o

6. "Como Quien Pierde Una Estrella" - Alejandro Fernández (Regional Mexican): This song can help you learn Spanish as you hear about a lost love using simple words and easy-to-understand emotions, allowing you to become familiar with the language more naturally.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXlwuZ_nEk0

7. "Bésame Mucho" - Consuelo Velázquez (Bolero): This classic ballad is an excellent introduction to the language of love and traditional music, and its repetitive and simple lyrics will be easy for you to learn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BY4zsI6x8Xw

8. "Así fue" - Juan Gabriel (Regional Mexican): Juan Gabriel is one of Mexico's most iconic artists, and in this song he tells a story of love and heartbreak in a clear and emotional way, using simple language that makes it easy to understand common expressions and feelings in Spanish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0O4CLgXvbjU

9. "¿Con Quién Se Queda El Perro?" - Jesse & Joy (Pop): This song uses fun, everyday language to tell a story about a breakup, but it also lets you learn vocabulary about home like “maletas” (“suitcases”), “cama” (“bed”) or “tostador” (“toaster.”)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhgxpYNZxgk

10 "La Mejor De Todas" - Banda El Recodo (Banda): This song talks about a person who feels deeply in love, using simple and very expressive phrases in Spanish that will allow you to become more familiar with the language.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcfhMuvrU5Q

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Mexican TV Shows and Telenovelas

Mexican TV series and telenovelas are another excellent tool for improving your listening comprehension, learning everyday vocabulary, and immersing yourself in captivating stories.

Here are 10 recommendations, along with their ratings:

1. "El Chavo del 8" (TV-PG): This classic television show will introduce you to many idioms, puns, and common phrases that are still popular in Mexican culture. Plus, the characters have very repetitive language, which is ideal for beginners.

https://youtu.be/Ak6u-F-k2ag

2. "Rebelde" (TV-14): This early 00s hit telenovela will allow you to learn vocabulary about school life, as well as youth colloquial terms and various social dynamics in a glamorous environment. Plus, it has very iconic and catchy songs that you are not likely to forget soon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bI25u-GFqac

3. "La Casa de las Flores" (TV-MA): It's ideal for those who want to learn about modern expressions, cultural topics and enjoy a bit of dark comedy. This TV show includes more sophisticated language and contemporary situations that will help you broaden your cultural perspective.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqDaxDioxUY

4. "María la del Barrio" (TV-PG): A classic telenovela to learn dramatic vocabulary. Perfect for understanding the language of melodrama and phrases that stand out in emotional situations. Also, the dialogues are often repeated to reinforce understanding.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgTrn5YzymM

5. "Vecinos" (TV-PG): It is a sitcom that uses everyday language and funny situations to parody the daily life of a community. In addition to making you laugh for a while, it will allow you to learn colloquial Spanish and many urban idioms.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2qR-tdku9Q

6. "Luis Miguel: La Serie" (TV-MA): Learn about Mexican popular music and culture as you follow the life of the famous singer Luis Miguel, also known as "el Sol de México." (Sun of Mexico). This is an ideal choice for music and biographies lovers, with vocabulary rich in emotions and dynamic dialogues.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebI7b7NoH54

7. "La Familia P.Luche" (TV-14): This sitcom uses every day, colloquial language full of cultural expressions that reflect life in a lower-class Mexican family in the early 00s. It will allow you to learn vocabulary in real and fun contexts, which makes it easier to memorize and put new words into practice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjfoDx8PTzw

8. "Club de Cuervos" (TV-MA): Watching this series is ideal for learning slang and vocabulary in Spanish related to sports and family intrigues. Its satirical style and dark humor are excellent for expanding your understanding of colloquial Spanish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvUVBVRlCV8

9. "El Chapulín Colorado" (TV-PG): Another classic TV show from iconic comedian Chespirito, where you can hear humorous expressions and iconic phrases that have left their mark on Mexican popular culture. Learn Spanish through the wit and wordplay of this beloved and quirky superhero.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7e_8LMCeUw

10. "La Reina del Sur" (TV-MA): If you like action and suspense, you will surely love this telenovela. The dialogues are varied and offer a multicultural perspective of Spanish, enriching your understanding of the language.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aH0y4pjtRDg

Mexican Movies

Just like music, Mexican cinema offers you a wide variety of genres and styles of films that you can enjoy while improving your Spanish.

We share with you 10 excellent recommendations of Mexican hit films, along with their official ratings:

1. "Como Agua para Chocolate" (“Like Water for Chocolate”) (PG-13): This classic film will allow you to connect language with Mexican cuisine and traditions in a fascinating story. Learn vocabulary related to ingredients, recipes and intense emotions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3k_B8YNVe_s

2. "No se Aceptan Devoluciones" (“Instructions Not Included”) (PG): A touching film that is great at mixing laughter with valuable life lessons. It will allow you to learn various terms and expressions related to complex family dynamics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ua5qcs7RHiY

3. "Roma" (R): This 3-time Oscar-winning film is ideal for learning Spanish with a focus on every day life and the historical context that defines Mexico. Its dialogues will help you become more familiar with the language in an organic way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BS27ngZtxg

4. "Hecho en México" (PG): It's a documentary that explores the country's music and culture through diverse voices from many regions of Mexico. You'll love it if you want to achieve a deeper cultural immersion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8yim7A3ivM

5. "Y Tu Mamá También" (R): A classic coming-of-age film about friendship and self-discovery that will also help you get familiar with colloquial Spanish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW1LQbtRuAM

6. "La Leyenda de la Nahuala" (“Legend Quest: The Legend of La Nahuala”) (PG): A fun animated film that you can enjoy with the whole family and that will allow you to learn many terms related to different Mexican legends.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBrzVk4LA8E

7. "Nosotros los Nobles" (“We Are the Nobles”) (PG-13): A light comedy that will help you learn hundreds of colloquial Mexican words and phrases. A social satire that, in addition to making you laugh, will serve as an excellent introduction to modern Mexican colloquial Spanish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDF_ZdL7G9o

8. "La Dictadura Perfecta" (“The Perfect Dictatorship”) (PG-13): This film is very useful for learning political vocabulary and to reflect on the media system in Mexico.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZriH9uEDgsI

9. "Amores Perros" (R): A great film that explores complex human relationships. Perfect for understanding Spanish used in urban and emotional contexts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmhzALdF0mU

10. "Cantinflas" (PG): This film will allow you to learn Spanish with humor and lots of wordplay while you discover the fascinating story of this iconic Mexican comedian.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-7Zg0l6NKk

BONUS: "Coco" (PG) Although it’s not a Mexican film, this Disney Pixar movie is a great introduction to learning more about Día de Muertos traditions and about the importance of family. Its songs and dialogue in Spanish are a great tool for beginner students.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rvr68u6k5sI

Practical Tips

• Turn on the subtitles: If you're just starting out, use subtitles in your native language while watching Spanish content. But once you become more familiar with the language, it'll be even better to turn on Spanish subtitles to help you improve the association between words and sounds.
  This makes it easier to gradually transition to full understanding in Spanish until you reach a point where you don't need to turn on subtitles at all anymore.
• Write down new words: Make a list of all the words or phrases you hear but don't fully understand. Then look them up to learn their meanings, repeat them constantly, and try to use them in sentences to memorize them.
  This technique will help you consolidate your new vocabulary that you learn while you keep enjoying listening to songs or watching Mexican movies or TV shows.
• Repeat key phrases: Listen to and repeat complete sentences to improve your pronunciation and fluency. Try to imitate the native speaker's intonation and rhythm.
  And, once you have mastered it, integrate the sentences into your daily conversations whenever possible.
• Use dictionaries: If you don't physically have a dictionary handy, there are plenty of online tools and translation apps that will help you better understand the content and expand your vocabulary.
• View the same content multiple times: Repeating the songs, scenes, or episodes from your favorite Mexican TV show more than once helps reinforce vocabulary, comprehension, and your confidence when speaking.

Plus, each repetition will allow you to notice details you may have missed the first time.

Conclusion

Learning Spanish while enjoying Mexican music, TV shows, and movies is a fun, effective, and culturally rich way to immerse yourself in the language. Explore these resources to take your Spanish skills to the next level with the help of Promova’s daily lessons.

If you discover more songs, movies, or series that catch your attention beyond those listed here, share your recommendations in the comments! We’d love to continue discovering new content with you.

¡Hasta la próxima!