5 best Italian TV shows to have fun learning Italian
Do you love binge watching TV shows? What if you could combine your favourite pastime with learning a new language?
TV shows are a great way of learning a language, because you get to hear how it's spoken in its natural form. You also get to learn slang and informal language, as well as improve your listening skills.
If you’re looking for a fun way to learn Italian, then get comfy and check out these TV shows.
1. Baby
If you like Gossip Girl, Riverdale and Elite, then you are sure to love Baby. This is a teen drama series on Netflix that follows two high school students, Chiara and Ludovica, who go to an elite high school in Rome. They become involved in sex work, and the show delves into the underground world of teenage prostition.
But this glitzy, riveting show is much more than sex: it focuses on the lives of teenagers who are too bored of their privileged lives and crave more excitement, more scandals and more rebellion. It explores their (often dysfunctional) relationships with their parents, classmates and peers.
2. Suburra: Blood on Rome
Suburra is a Netflix crime drama series based on a 2015 neo-noir film, which is based on a novel by Carlo Bonini and Giancarlo De Cataldo. Suburra is based on the true events of the Mafia Capitale investigation, and is all about the power clashes, politics, corruption, drugs and gambling that take place amongst organised crime, politicians and the Vatican.
This gripping and addictive show is filmed in Rome, and is packed with breathtaking scenery of cities, mountains and ocean views that’ll make you want to book a one way ticket to Italy.
3. Call Me Francis
Call Me Francis is a miniseries telling the story of Jorge Mario Bergoglio before he became Pope Francis as we know him today. Call Me Francis was originally a film which was remade into a four part series. It explores the life of Jorge Bergoglio as a young man in Buenos Aires, following his journey through the ranks of archbishop and cardinal.
Much of the show gives us insight into Argentina’s military dictatorship and the use of brutality and torture during the 1970s and 80s. So as well as learning Italian, you also get a bit of a history lesson!
4. L’allieva
If you enjoy medical dramas like Grey’s Anatomy and Holby City, then you’ll certainly enjoy L’allieva (The Pupil). The show is about Alice Allevi, a fifth year medical student who realises that she may not actually want to be a doctor after all.
This show mixes drama with comedy and romance, and you might even shed a few tears. It’s a great way to learn Italian vocabulary in the medical and legal fields as well. To watch this show, you’ll need to create an account with RaiPlay which is free.
5. Come Fai Sbagli
Translated as ‘How to Do Wrong’, this is a lighthearted sitcom which is quite similar to the hit show Modern Family. It’s all about the everyday life of two families navigating the ups and downs of modern life, complete with drama, good humour and heartfelt moments.
This show is a perfect way to hear Italian being spoken from different generations - grandparents, parents, teens and children. If you want to practise everyday Italian, idioms and get a general sense of pop culture, then definitely check out Come Fai Sbagli.
