Netflix has redefined the concept of spending free leisure time at home. Around 125 million people watch British, American. Korean and Japanese programs, series, shows, and movies on Netflix. It means that all this global audience is also learning a new language unconsciously.
However, you can constructively use Netflix to learn new languages, especially when locked down in the homes, courtesy of the global pandemic. Furthermore, you can also access different region Netflix libraries by learning how to change your location on Netflix.
Ways to Learn New Language Using Netflix
Whether you want to improve your English vocabulary, learn a new language altogether, or increase the functionality of the brain, the following methods can help you achieve your language goal.
Subtitle Translations
Let’s take baby steps here and start with the subtitle translations. For instance, if you want to learn Japanese, the best practice is not to change the dubbing; instead, turn on the subtitles in English. We understand it’s hard to look at the screen and read the subtitles to understand the dialogues.
However, it will be a piece of cake once you practice it for some episodes. This way, you’ll be translating all the expressions to the English language and will learn two to five new words every day.
Besides Japanese, you can also learn Korean, French, Spanish, and Turkish languages using the exact subtitle translations.
How to Change Subtitles in Netflix?
While streaming a show on Netflix, you can see a dialogue icon on the bottom right corner. You need to click on the icon to see the list of language options. From here, you can switch on German or Spanish subtitles if available.
From here, you can also change the audio of the Netflix show as well. For instance, you can select audio as French and subtitles in English to learn new French words.
Listening Skills
The best way to learn any new language is by listening. Remember the good old days when we watched CNN and BBS news to learn American and British accents. Online streaming has broadened the scope of learning new languages with its diverse content.
You can set a goal of watching one short episode a day to improve your listening skills and learn about the tone, common expressions, and pronunciation of the new language that you want to learn. This way, you’ll have a basic conversation with the native speakers, especially if you are in a work meeting on Zoom.
The best practice is to watch your favourite shows in a foreign language. For instance, you can watch Modern Family or Friends in a foreign language on Netflix to quickly learn the language.
Different Accents
Netflix is the best place to learn different English accents. You can watch both American and British content on Netflix and quickly understand them. Furthermore, the subtitles are there to make the entire exercise easier for you.
You can also change your location and access different Netflix libraries to get the feel of the accent, tone, and slang.
Learning Languages with Netflix Chrome Extension
The good news is that you can download a Chrome extension, known as Learning Languages with Netflix, to learn new languages using soundtrack and subtitle tracks.
The extension comes with a catalogue of different Netflix titles with subtitles in other languages that you want to learn. All you need to do is to select the target language of the translation and vocabulary level depending on the total number of words used in the language. This way, you can tier your language and gauge your performance.
It depends on you to show the subtitles in your language to increase your vocabulary or target language for reinforced learning.
Use VPN to Learn New Language on Netflix
An issue with Netflix is dubbing. Generally, the subtitles don’t match if the selected audio is dubbed. Therefore, you won’t learn a new language more effectively.
The key here is to watch the show in its native language. However, we all know that Netflix regional libraries have different content. So, how to access Korean or Turkish Netflix to learn the respective languages?
The solution is simple – you must use a VPN connection to access Netflix regional libraries, including American Netflix, UK Netflix, and many more.
All you need to do is to follow these steps to use VPN to bypass Netflix geo-restrictions:
- Download and VPN software and buy a suitable subscription.
- Create an account by entering your credentials.
- You’ll see a list of servers available in different locations.
- Select the server of the region whose Netflix library you want to unblock.
- Create a VPN connection.
- Go to the Netflix website and enjoy the respective regional content.
Closing Remarks
Consistency and practice are the key to learning a new language from Netflix. You must target watching a show in a foreign language for at least half an hour every day and learn five new words per day. Later, you can practice the newly learned words with your colleagues in the gym or coffee shop.
