One of the best ways to advance and learn new Spanish vocabulary is by watching Spanish content. Spanish series and movies, music, podcasts, or the radio are dynamic and effective ways to learn expressions and words used in everyday life.

As a student of Spanish, you could choose which form of learning works best for you to acquire new vocabulary and expand your knowledge. Therefore, learning Spanish with movies is one of the most common and fun ways to improve pronunciation, vocabulary, and listening in this language.

Here you have a list of the most watched Spanish movies of the last years to improve your knowledge in a fun and effective way. In addition, you can learn Spanish with Spanish-language movies and get into stories of all kinds: from Spanish comedy movies, to thrillers, dramas or Spanish movies based on real events.

If you want to read this article in Spanish, you can do it here.

Movies to learn Spanish

Below is a complete list of the Spanish films that have taken the world by storm in recent years.

La sociedad de la nieve (Society of the Snow) (2023)

This feature film by J.A. Bayona has swept the Goya 2023 awards and is nominated for Best International Film at the Oscars. A Spanish film based on true events that tells the story of a group of young Uruguayans who were trapped in the Andes when their plane crashed in 1972.

A story that has touched all viewers and continues to sweep theaters months after its release. In addition to learning vocabulary and getting into a story of survival, you will be able to listen to the Uruguayan accent and the way the protagonists speak Spanish.

Ocho apellidos marroquíes (Eight Moroccan Surnames) (2023)

After the success of Ocho apellidos vascos, comes a hilarious sequel to give your Spanish a 180-degree turn: Ocho apellidos marroquíes. This Spanish comedy film tells the story of Carmen, a woman who wants to recover the first ship of her late husband's fleet, which is anchored in a Moroccan port. In this adventure she will be accompanied by her daughter and her daughter's ex.

Cultural clashes that will lead this family to discover a great secret of the father of the family. A Spanish comedy that has swept theaters and that everyone recommends. You will be able to improve your listening skills in Spanish while watching a funny story.

Los renglones torcidos de Dios (God’s Crooked Lines) (2022)

Alice, a private investigator, enters a psychiatric hospital simulating paranoia. Her goal is to gather evidence for a case she is working on the death of an inmate under strange circumstances.

If your Spanish level is high, this Spanish film is perfect to get you into a thriller that will leave you with more questions than answers. Based on the book of the same name, this plot will hook you and teach you thousands of new Spanish terms.

En los márgenes (On the Fringe) (2022)

This Spanish dramatic thriller is directed by and stars Juan Diego Botto, alongside Luis Tosar and Penélope Cruz. The protagonist is Rafa, a labor lawyer, who helps an immigrant who is about to lose custody of his daughter and a woman who is about to be evicted. These two stories are intertwined with that of Germán, a bankrupt businessman. Nominated for the Goya Awards, you can't miss this social critique that will help you gain new vocabulary and expressions used in everyday life.

Pinocho (Pinocchio) (2022)

This dark and fantastic adaptation of the classic fairy tale is directed by Guillermo del Toro. A unique and captivating vision, characterized by the Mexican director's visual and narrative elements, this animated version of Pinocchio has a unique style that will hook you from the very first moment.

Madres paralelas (Parallel Mothers) (2021)

Directed by acclaimed director Pedro Almodóvar, this Spanish film is a drama that tells the story of two pregnant women who meet in the hospital after giving birth and develop an unexpected friendship. Starring Penélope Cruz and Milena Smit, you can't miss this melodrama to improve your Spanish with recognized actresses.

Klaus (2019)

Another Spanish animated film set at Christmas that is perfect for the little ones, and not so little ones, is Klaus. It tells the story of a young letter carrier who is sent to a remote island as punishment for his lack of motivation. There he meets Klaus, a lonely carpenter who lives in a hut full of handmade toys.

A story to discover the true meaning of friendship and generosity during Christmas and with everyone. This Spanish animated film is ideal to improve your Christmas vocabulary, and you don't need a very high level to understand it.

Campeones (2018)

Finally, this Spanish comedy movie will help you improve your knowledge and vocabulary: Campeones. Inspired by a true story, Campeones stars Marco, who is going through a complicated moment in his life and gets into a car accident while drunk.

The judge gives him a choice between 18 months in jail or 90 days of community service coaching a basketball team made up of people with different disabilities. A Spanish movie that swept theaters and conquered all viewers for the way of dealing with the subject and all the comedy that surrounds the plot.

With these eight Spanish movies you have entertainment for a while and a good dose of Spanish from the sofa of your home. Learn Spanish while enjoying unique and funny stories and Spanish thrillers or movies based on real events. Have you already seen any of them? You choose how to learn Spanish!

As a student of Spanish, you may have doubted whether to use the pronoun “tú” or “usted” to address someone. In English, for example, these two forms are simplified, and 'you' is used to talk to someone in a formal or informal conversation.

In this article, you are going to learn a little rule that will help you 90% of the time to know if you must use “tú” or “usted” in a conversation. In addition, you will find here some tips and exercises to know when and how to use “usted” in Spanish.

You can also read here in Spanish the difference between “tú” and “usted”. Don't miss anything and keep reading!

Tú vs usted

The rule that will help you know when to use one pronoun or the other and finally differentiate their use is simple: it depends on the level of formality of the conversation. In Spanish, the choice of “tú” or “usted” depends on the level of formality and, sometimes, on the number of people you are referring to.

Therefore, the easiest way to remember is to use “tú” in informal situations and “usted” in formal situations. However, depending on the country or region of a Spanish-speaking country you are in, the use of “tú” or “usted” varies.

The pronoun “tú” is usually used to address people in a more informal context. It is commonly used among friends, classmates, or people of equal or lower hierarchical rank in the workplace, for example.

Some examples are:

• Tú comes muy lento (You eat very slowly)
• ¿Tú vienes a la fiesta esta noche? (Are you coming to the party tonight?)

Although in Spanish, in the examples above, you can omit the subject tú and the sentence still has the same meaning.

For example:

• Usted es muy amable, gracias (You are very kind, thank you)
• ¿Saben ustedes cómo llegar al restaurante más cercano? (Do you know how to get to the nearest restaurant?)

When to use usted or ustedes?

Generally, you will not have to worry about using “tú” or “usted" in conversation, as both are accepted and, as a student, locals will understand that learning Spanish is complicated and that you are not speaking your native language.

As mentioned above, depending on the country and Spanish-speaking region you are in, the use of “tú” and “usted” may vary. In general, “tú” is used more in informal contexts and in countries like Spain or Mexico. While “usted” is used in more formal situations and, in Colombia, Chile and many other Latin American countries, also in informal situations. Furthermore, in countries such as Argentina, instead of using the pronoun “tú”, they use “vos”, especially in informal situations, and “ustedes” in formal contexts.

So, it is important to consider cultural and regional differences when using these forms of address in Spanish. Don't worry though, if you address someone with kindness and respect in Spanish, you are not misusing “tú” or “usted”.

How to use usted in Spanish?

“Usted” is a third person singular pronoun, as is “él” or “ella”; while “tú” is a second person singular pronoun. You can also use “ustedes”, which is third person plural. Therefore, the conjugation of these two particles is different.

Here are some examples with the pronoun “tú”:

• Tú eres mi mejor amigo (You are my best friend)
• ¿Quieres ir al cine esta noche? (Do you want to go to the movies tonight?)
• ¿Estudias en la universidad? (Do you study at the university?)
• Tú tienes un perro muy inteligente (You have a very intelligent dog)
• Tú cocinas muy bien (You cook very well)

And these are examples with “usted” and “ustedes”:

• Usted es muy amable (You are very kind)
• ¿Quiere algo de beber? (Would you like something to drink?)
• ¿Necesita ayuda con eso? (Do you need help with that?)
• Ustedes pueden sentarse aquí (You can sit here)
• ¿Tienen alguna pregunta? (Do you have any questions?)
• Ustedes son un equipo excelente (You are an excellent team)

Summarizing, when you are talking to a person you know, with whom you have a friendly, loving or family relationship, you can use the pronoun “tú”. Whereas, if it is a person, you don't know or who has a higher rank than you, use “usted” or “ustedes”.

For example, if you must ask a policeman for an address, use the pronoun “usted”: ¿Puede indicarme la dirección del banco? (Can you give me the address of the bank?). But if you want to ask your friend what time to meet, use the pronoun “tú”: ¿A qué hora quieres tú quedar en el cine? (What time do you want to meet at the cinema?).

We hope this article has helped you solve your doubts and you have been able to clearly see the differences between “tú” and “usted”. However, if you need to reinforce your knowledge and learn with professional teachers who will solve all your doubts, donQuijote's Spanish courses in Spain are perfect for you. Visit our website and choose one of our 13 schools spread all over Spain, our teachers are qualified to teach Spanish as a second language, sign up now and become a Spanish speaker in no time!