How I Learned English from Watching Movies (and How You Can Too)

 I grew up in the suburbs of Rabat, Morocco and learned English predominantly from watching movies. I would watch three or four movies in a day, and after a few years, I realized I could speak the language. It shocked everyone, including me.

My goal is to help you do the same, in a much faster time. In this article, I’ll show you how to learn English from watching movies and give you ways to structure your learning process.

Follow your (film) interests

I learned English as a byproduct of my interest in American culture and cinema. More specifically, I enjoyed real-life stories and indie dramas that didn’t have a lot of plot but realistically portrayed how people live. One of my favorite such movies is Your Sister’s Sister with Emily Blunt.

Letting yourself get carried away by your interests is key to learning English from movies. Don’t ask “how can I learn English?” (yet), ask “what English-language movies would I be interested in?” Some people like horror, others documentaries; some people prefer British comedy to American, etc. It depends on each person. Answering this question is key to your English learning journey.

Turn on the (right) subtitles

It goes without saying that you need to turn on subtitles in your mother tongue to learn from movies at the beginning. What is key here is making sure you enjoy movie watching, and for this you need to understand said movies.

Many people assume that to learn English you need to watch English movies with English subtitles. In my experience, this takes away the fun from watching the film as each new word you don’t understand will look like a giant obstacle in front of you.

Repeat your favorite expressions

I would always find myself mumbling DeNiro’s “You talkin’ to me?” or Jack Nicholson’s “Here’s Johnny!” to myself. The reason I did this was because these expressions were fun to say, but in the way I was improving my pronunciation and speaking skills.

Try to repeat expressions in movies you think sound cool. Whether it is Matthew McConaughey’s “Alright, alright, alright” or any other, repeat it to yourself for a while. You will find that your accent will improve.

Review movies online

Go on online film forums like Letterboxd or IMDb and review. Review, review, review. Write anything but make sure it’s in English. This will help you get started on your writing.

Make sure you review movies you either loved or hated, as that will push you to express yourself better in writing.

Organize your time to watch more movies

I’ve always been a big proponent of watching at the very least one movie a week (Sunday is my personal movie night). It’s simple, the more movies you watch, the more you’ll learn.

Start with a weekly movie night. If you don’t have a big TV to watch movies, no problem. Watch on your phone, computer or laptop and just enjoy the film. If you develop a passion for film, you will find yourself watching more. The key is to watch consistently.

Every once in a while, watch a movie with a native English-speaker (if you can)

If you have a native English-speaker friend or colleague, watch a movie together and discuss it afterwards. It’s a fun exercise to test your understanding of the language and have a chat with someone in English.

In Morocco I made English-speaking friends by enrolling in a journalism class. If you don’t have English-speaking friends, it doesn’t mean you can’t make new ones!

And bonus: in my case, those people I met in Morocco are now some of my best friends.

Watch the same movies more than once

Try watching a movie twice or more. I’ve always found that doing this helped me understand the movie better and improve my listening skills.

Most of the movies I watched were through a channel called “MBC2”, which played American movies 24/7. I couldn’t choose which movies to watch (and they didn’t have a lot of money to license new movies), so I ended up watching some movies many times over.

You probably have access to a much more practical way to watch movies. Pick your favorite actors, directors or writers and let yourself become obsessed with their work. Usually, movies you want to watch more than once are good movies. And good movies make learning English fun.

Use new apps

There are so many apps out there that can help you learn English, and some of them harness the power of movies. Language Reactor is a completely free one that I recommend to anyone who wants to learn English. The app works by employing the same technique I’ve been explaining throughout this article: movies with subtitles in your native language, which you pause on every new word so that you can practice it. Lingopie is another app that prides itself as being the “Netflix of language learning” but they currently don’t offer English. Maybe one day.

That’s all for how to learn English through movies. I hope you found this article useful and interesting, and that it will make your English learning (or teaching) journey more fun.

Speaking of fun, I made this database of words that are unique to each language. Here is the list for English words that don’t translate. Words like “catch-22”, “gun-shy”, or “kitty-corner”.

📎 https://www.englishclub.com/efl/articles/www/learn-english-movies/

How to get your language learning back on track after a break

Learning a language can be hard work, and it requires a fair amount of dedication. Taking a break is completely understandable, and in fact, it can even be helpful. Studies found that spacing out learning may mean slower results, but the content will stay in our memories for much longer. That means that there’s no wrong moment to kick off your studies again.

Keen to get your language learning back on track but not sure where to start? We’ve got a few tips to help you make a successful comeback.

1. Don’t be discouraged

Instead of berating yourself for taking a break, reframe the scenario. A break gives you a chance to focus on yourself, put energy into other hobbies, and return with renewed motivation. It doesn’t mean it’s over, or you’ve failed, it’s simply a pause in time. Even Michael Jordan took a two-year hiatus from basketball, before returning to win three NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls.

2. Start passively

Learning a language shouldn’t be (and doesn’t have to be) a bore! So pick something that will hold your interest, and restart there. This might be listening to a podcast or watching a TV series in your target language. Or you could find some content creators on YouTube or TikTok who speak your target language and start following them. Basically anything that doesn’t feel like studying. Then, if you notice you missed the language and culture, you’ll know it’s time to ride that wave of motivation and jump back into more active study.

3. Embrace the return learner effect

If you’ve taken a break from study, whether it’s one month or ten years, you’re probably dreading getting back into it over fears that you’ve lost it all. But, if you pick something fun to start with, you may feel like you know more than you thought. Somehow, your language skills are even better than you remember!

This is called the return learner effect. Your brain is always processing and building connections, even in your sleep, so even if you thought you were on a break, your brain wasn't. On top of that, immersing yourself passively in a language takes all the pressure off, leaving just the fun bits. So surpassing your own low expectations will spark something in your brain and give you a boost of positivity and confidence you need to get back into it.

4. Immerse yourself 

Consider why you stopped learning last time. Perhaps you didn’t find the right teacher? Maybe you weren’t seeing results. Or it could be that the learning style just wasn’t right for you. A fresh approach might be just the thing to jumpstart your language journey. 

Immersive language courses abroad  offer just that, combining classroom learning with real-world experiences. Imagine learning new vocabulary in class, then putting those new words and phrases straight to use at a local market around the corner. Or learning about cultural holidays, then sharing the occasion with a host family that evening. Study abroad courses are the best way to get your language learning back on track and make unforgettable memories along the way.

5. Set a goal

Ever heard the saying, “If you don’t know where you are going, you will probably go somewhere else”? Goal setting is important in all aspects of life, especially when it comes to language learning. Think about why you are learning, and set goals based on that. Is it to pass a test, or finish a course? Is it to communicate with friends, family, or on a trip abroad? Maybe you just want to challenge yourself with a new skill. Either way, defining your goal and writing it down will help you stay on track. Some examples might be:

“I want to reach B2 level by the end of the year.”

“I want to spend two hours a week studying and one hour listening to a language podcast.”

“I want to speak to my grandmother without needing a translator the next time I visit her.”

“I want to spend a month learning English in London before the end of the year.”

“I want to pass my next language test with a score of 80% or more.”

Armed with these tips, you’ll breathe new life into your language learning journey. Take it step by step and just keep showing up. Happy studying!