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Best language for tv, film and music

Best languages to learn for TV, film and music

Wanting to watch your favourite shows without subtitles is one of the best reasons to learn a language, because you will practise for years without being asked.

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Updated · by the 4ToSpeak team

How we ranked them

We ranked by how much entertainment is easy to access in each language and how well it works for learners (clear speech, subtitles, and a community).

The 8 best languages, ranked

  1. 1. Japanese

    Hardest · about 2,200 hours

    Anime, games and manga, with a huge learner community. The spoken sounds are simple even if the writing is not.

    Learn Japanese · How long it takes

  2. 2. Korean

    Hardest · about 2,200 hours

    Dramas and K-pop, plus Hangul, a writing system you can learn in days.

    Learn Korean · How long it takes

  3. 3. Spanish

    Closest to English · about 700 hours

    Telenovelas, Spanish and Latin American film, and a huge music catalogue with clear singing.

    Learn Spanish · How long it takes

  4. 4. French

    Closest to English · about 700 hours

    A deep film tradition and plenty of music, with subtitles easy to find.

    Learn French · How long it takes

  5. 5. Italian

    Closest to English · about 700 hours

    Cinema, opera and pop, with clear pronunciation that is easy to follow.

    Learn Italian · How long it takes

  6. 6. Turkish

    Harder · about 1,100 hours

    Turkish dramas are watched worldwide and often have subtitles in many languages.

    Learn Turkish · How long it takes

  7. 7. Hindi

    Harder · about 1,100 hours

    Bollywood is the largest film industry by output, and songs are easy to sing along to.

    Learn Hindi · How long it takes

  8. 8. Chinese

    Hardest · about 2,200 hours

    Large drama and film catalogues, with on-screen subtitles that make characters easier to learn.

    Learn Chinese · How long it takes

Tips for getting there faster

  • Watch with subtitles in the target language, not English, once you know a few hundred words.
  • Pick one show and repeat lines out loud. Shadowing a favourite scene is excellent speaking practice.
  • Do not wait to feel ready. Start with sentences you already hear in the show.

Still torn between two?

Compare the finalists head to head:

FAQ

Questions, answered

Still stuck? support@4tospeak.com

What are the best languages to learn for TV, film and music?

Japanese for anime and games, Korean for dramas and K-pop, and Spanish, French and Italian for film are the best languages for entertainment, because each has a large, easy-to-find catalogue of shows and music to learn from.

Which is the easiest of these languages to learn?

Spanish is the quickest on this list for an English speaker, at about 700 hours to working proficiency (roughly 3.8 years at 30 minutes a day).

How do I choose between them?

Pick the one that matches where you will use it and what you enjoy. Motivation beats the difference in difficulty over months of study. If you cannot decide, try a week of 15 minutes a day in your top two and keep the one you look forward to.

Can I start for free?

Yes. 4ToSpeak has a free plan with no card and no time limit. Every sentence goes through ordering, translating, listening and saying it out loud.

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