13 Netflix Series to Learn Spanish
13 Netflix Series to Learn Spanish TL;DR
I’ve curated a list of 13 Netflix Series to Learn Spanish. Each one of these provides an excellent way to learn Spanish, mainly focusing on Spanish from Mexico, Colombia and Spain. Each Netflix series I’ve listed is entertaining, whether serious drama or comedy! I’ve seen them all and highly recommend each one. I’ve watched hundreds of series in Spanish on Netflix. I update this Netflix series list occasionally Enjoy!
My Picks for 13 Netflix Series to Learn Spanish
The 13 Series that follow make it fun to learn Spanish watching Netflix. The list below is hardly representative of everything I’ve seen. I’ve updated my list now to 13 from 12 after watching Serpientes y escaleras, which was funny, although my top 5 remained the same. There is so much quality content to choose from. Here are some of my favorites listed in preferential order, although 1 through 5 was a bit tough to choose! Go further faster in your Spanish language acquisition journey. Watch these 13 Netflix Series to Learn Spanish now. I’m promise, they will help you tremendously.
You Too Can Watch 13 Netflix Series to Learn Spanish
Are you looking for the easiest way to learn Spanish watching Netflix? Look no further. I went from very basic to fluent Spanish by watching Netflix and anything I could in Spanish.
Types of Spanish You’ll Learn Watching La Reina del Sur on Netflix
- You’ll learn Mexican Spanish watching La Reina del Sur
- You’ll learn Spanish from Spain watching La Reina del Sur
- You’ll learn Colombian Spanish watching La Reina del Sur
- You’ll learn Argentinian Spanish in the 3rd Season of La Reina del Sur
La Reina del Sur (The Queen of the South)
La Reina del Sur is a gripping narco-drama starring Kate del Castillo as Teresa Mendoza, a Mexicana who rises to power in the international drug trafficking world after her fiancé, Raimundo Dávila Parra, “El Güero”, a cartel pilot, (played by Rafeal Amaya of El Señor de los Cielos fame), is gunned down while landing a small plane in Mexico. After his demise she flees to the south of Spain. La Reina del Sur is just plain awesome! It went on an 8-year, 2-month hiatus after its initial Telemundo debut on February 28, 2011. The first season is produced by Telemundo along with Antena 3 and RTI Producciones. The second season, however, was co-produced by Telemundo Global Studios and Netflix and there is a noticeable improvement in production quality.
Regardless of the “Soapy” Production Quality You Have to See the First LRDS
In one particular scene in the first season, Teresa, and her boyfriend Santiago López Fisterra, “El Gallego”, (played by Spaniard, Iván Sánchez), are in n a high-speed boat chase in the Mediterranean being pursued by Spanish authorities. The boat ends up crashing along the rocky shoreline resulting in Santiago’s death. That boat crash looked so fake, but it honestly doesn’t take away from the story and the awesomeness of the original LRDS. In addition to Mexican Spanish, you can listen to Spanish from Spain and Colombia as the web of characters (business partners) and their locations in the international drug trade spans the globe. Cristina Urgel who plays Patricia O’Farrell, is a beautiful blonde, wealthy, bi-sexual Spaniard with a lot of “issues” that helps Teresa and becomes her business partner. Back in 2011 is when I really made a concerted effort to learn Spanish watching Netflix and La Reina del Sur kicked it off.
La Reina del Sur 2
On April 22, 2019, La Reina del Sur 2 came out on Telemundo first and made its way to Netflix in November of 2019. You can immediately see the improvement in cinematography filming the second and third seasons, although the first season is a must to understand the whole story and is still great even though it had more of a “telenovela” soapy feel to it. The storyline centers on Teresa Mendoza, a decade after the events depicted in the first season. Living in seclusion amidst the picturesque Tuscany in Italy, Teresa enjoys a peaceful life away from the chaos. However, when her daughter gets kidnapped, she’s compelled to re-enter the dangerous realm of drug trafficking. Teresa must confront her former adversaries and the dark past she tried to escape.
La Reina del Sur 3
La Reina del Sur 3 debuted on May 17th, 2023, to viewers of Netflix in the United States. It was released earlier to Netflix viewers in other countries and originally debuted on Telemundo on October 18, 2022. In the third season of La Reina del Sur, the story unfolds four years following the events of the second season. Having spent four years behind bars in the United States, accused of the deaths of three DEA agents, Teresa Mendoza manages to escape with the help of the President of Mexico, Epifanio Vargas (played by Humberto Zurita), although his reasons for getting her out are sinister. She finds herself entangled in a web of conspiracy, compelled to risk her life in a quest to prove her innocence and be reunited with her daughter, Sofía Dantes (Spanish) (played by Isabella Sierra). Want to hear a thick Colombian accent with as much slang as you can handle? Watch Teresa’s friend Faustino Sánchez Godoy (brilliantly played by Lincoln Palomeque) in action. I believe his accent is Paisa and may have been exaggerated for effect but I’m not sure. I’ll let a Colombian decide. You absolutely can’t miss LRDS!
Types of Spanish You’ll Learn Watching Narcos on Netflix
- You’ll learn Colombian Spanish watching Narcos
Narcos is Awesome!
Narcos is a critically acclaimed series that delves into the rise and fall of the infamous Medellín and Cali drug cartels in Colombia. I loved watching Narcos. It’s narrated by the American DEA agent, Steve Murphy (played by Boyd Holbrook) that doesn’t speak Spanish but the rest of the characters, including his partner agent Javier Peña (played by Pedro Pascal), do. I believe Pascal portrays Peña as a Mexican-American DEA agent since the real Javier Peña grew up in Texas, but the rest of the Spanish spoken in Narcos is undeniably Paisa or Medellín Spanish “hijueputa, huevón, malparido, marica, plata, plomo, gonorea” (yes, they use the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea as an insult)!
A Brazilian Plays Pablo Escobar and Pulls it Off
Interestingly, Wagner Moura, who played Pablo Escobar is Brazilian with his native tongue being Portuguese. He had to learn how to speak Paisa, Colombian Spanish as well as how to put on a few pounds in his belly to pull off the role. Now, I’m not Colombian and certainly not from Medellín but I thought he did an amazing job. At least on film, I didn’t see a huge difference from the way he spoke compared to his Colombian “sicarios” and business partners. I’ll let a true Paisa decide if he pulled it off or not.
I Purposely Made a Trip to Medellín After Watching Narcos
After watching this series, I made a trip to Medellín in 2017 to see all the sites. It was an unforgettable experience. I also made time to visit nearby Guatapé and Cartagena. Watching this Netflix series helped me greatly learn more Colombian Spanish.
Types of Spanish You’ll Learn Watching La Niña on Netflix
- You’ll learn Colombian Spanish watching La Niña
The Main Plot and Numerous Sub Plots Are So Great in La Niña
La niña (The Girl) is an amazing series because there are several stories going on. The main character Belky Bustamante, (played by Ana María Estupiñán), is abducted by armed guerillas at around 8 years old and forced to become a kid solider that was renamed “Sara”. She eventually manages to escape as a young adult. Upon return she finds it difficult to re-integrate into society.
Poor Colombians Don’t Become Doctors, or Do They?
She eventually decides that she wants to become a doctor against her mother’s wishes (played by Marcela Benjumea whom I’ve seen in numerous series including the more recent “Hasta que la plata nos separe”). Her mother even laughs at her and pokes fun of her aspirations as in “Don’t be ridiculous, look at you, look at us, we’re poor, you’ll never be a doctor!”
The Dean of the University is Deeply Hurt by His Wife’s Infidelity
She eventually finds a medical university that’ll take her in. The Dean of the university, Alfonso Montealegre (played by Marcelo Dos Santos), suffers tremendously while his wife has an affair with one of his younger subordinates. There are several other sub plots that make this show very entertaining. It was great to see a Colombian series that wasn’t’ based on drug smuggling or the Narco world. It was simply awesome. I enjoyed the soundtracks as well. Learn Spanish with Netflix by watching La niña !¡Hay que verlo!
Types of Spanish You’ll Learn Watching Hasta Que La Plata Nos Separe on Netflix
- You’ll learn Colombian Spanish watching Hasta que la plata nos separe
Hasta Que La Plata Nos Separe Is a Great Romantic Comedy
Hasta que la plata nos separe (Til Money Separates Us) titled Til Money Do Us Part for English speaking audiences is a Colombian telenovela was produced by RCN Televisión. It aired on Canal RCN from 10 May 2022 to 16 September 2022. It’s an adaptation of the 2006 Colombian telenovela of the same name written by the late Fernando Gaitán. The series stars Sebastián Martínez (as Rafael Mendez), and Carmen Villalobos (as Alejandra Maldonado), whom I remember as the hot Colombian agent, Leonor Ballesteros, in El Señor de los Cielos, and a fine group of supporting characters.
You’ll Be Routing for Rafael the Entire Series
Rafael is a kind, humble man with integrity that works selling cheap household items out of his beat-up car. He has a sort of crazy girlfriend Vicky Pardo (played by Juliette Pardau, who I watched portray Feliza Mora in Bolívar) who calls him “Pajarito” (little bird) and constantly asks Rafael to whistle to her. His kindness to everyone, even would be enemies, is admirable.
Alejandra Isn’t as Strong and Cutthroat as Her Outward Appearance
On the other hand, Alejandra is a thriving, strong businesswoman (at least on the outside) that manages the Ramen Autos car dealership. She’s engaged to Luciano Valenzuela (played by Gregorio Pernía), a pretend lawyer and “rich country club type of guy” who is nothing but a scammer and is so funny! He calls everyone and anyone that is “not successful”, including Rafael, “Manteco” which is a disrespectful term to mean poor, uneducated person in Colombia.
A Fateful Car Accident Sparks a Special Bond They Share
A fateful car accident between Rafael and Alejandra brings them together. Rafeal “saves her life” by rescuing her after her luxury car drives off a cliff into the abyss “precipicio”. He brings her to a hospital sparking a chain of events that draw them closer. Rafael finds himself obligated to settle the debt left by the accident. He’s initially forced to forgo a bond he and Alejandra share.
True Love Finds a Way
However, that strong bond eventually wins and blossoms into love. Despite their differing social status, and others that try to keep them apart, including Alejandra’s scammer fiancé Luciano and Rafael’s lunatic girlfriend Vicky, true love finds a way. This was a super funny, romantic series that in my opinion is a must see and deserves to be in the top 5. Learn Spanish watching Netflix by putting Hasta que la plata nos separe on your list. You’ll learn a lot of Colombian Spanish beyond “Manteco”!
Types of Spanish You’ll Learn Watching Entrevías on Netflix
- You’ll learn Spanish from Spain watching Entrevías
Oh man, Entrevías is Great!
Entrevías (titled Wrong Side of the Tracks in English) has become a new favorite of mine. This series is great from the get-go. José Coronado is a veteran Spanish actor from Madrid who was incidentally in Netflix’s La Chica de Nieve (Snow Girl), which I’ve also seen and is also recommended. He also appears in Netflix’s Vivir sin permiso (Unauthorized Living) as well. In Entrevías he plays a grumpy “gruñón” type of guy named Tirso Abantos, very similar to Liam Neeson’s character in the movie Taken. He’s older, but he’s a bad ass.
Tirso Abantos is a Bad Ass
In Entrevías, a gritty neighborhood in Madrid, Tirso, a former old school military man turned hardware store owner, finds his mundane routine shattered when his rebellious teenage granddaughter, Irene, of Vietnamese descent, and her Colombian boyfriend, Nelson, agree to sell heroin for the ruthless drug dealer Sandro. However, their plans take a dark turn when Irene, played by Nono Sobo (Spanish) is brutally raped by Sandro and his cronies. Determined to seek justice, Tirso joins forces with a street-savvy, yet corrupt police officer Ezequiel Fandiño, played by Luis Zahera, in addition to his two veteran military pals to confront the criminal underworld that plagues their community.
Entrevías Has Great Sub Plots
Like any good series, there are stories apart from the main plot. Tirso’s daughter, who somewhat resents her father, turns gay and winds up having an affair with a cute police chief. Meanwhile, his son is very beta, the complete opposite of alpha male Tirso. In fact, he almost commits suicide. Tirso also falls for Glady’s, a feisty Cuban woman with a Colombian son that winds up dating Tirso’s Vietnamese granddaughter Irene much to his displeasure.
Types of Spanish You’ll Learn Watching Madre sólo hay dos on Netflix
- You’ll learn Mexican Spanish watching Madre sólo hay dos
Madre sólo hay dos is a Great Mexican Comedy/Drama
Madre sólo hay dos (Mother There’s Only Two) but titled Daughter from Another Mother for English speaking audiences is a Mexican comedy/drama starring Ludwika Paleta (as Ana Servín), Paulina Goto (as Mariana Herrera), and Martín Altomaro (as Juan Carlos). The story is about a relatively poor teenage pregnant girl, Mariana, and a wealthy “fresa” businesswoman, Ana, who have their babies switched by accident at birth. The initial friction between the two “opposite” characters eventually wear off and they become friends and actually wind up with a little lezbo kissing scene toward the end.
The Pain of Divorce Has Humorous Moments
There is no downplaying the sadness of divorce. Ana, and her husband Juan Carlos, get divorced, yet the pain is watered down through a humorous lens. There are several funny moments throughout, especially surrounding Ana’s husband Juan Carlos.
This Mexican Comedy/Drama Will Help You Learn Mexican Spanish
It’s a funny, intriguing story from beginning to end. It helped me even further learn Mexican vocabulary. If you want to learn Spanish watching Netflix and laugh, then put Madre sólo hay dos on your list!
Types of Spanish You’ll Learn Watching Los Briceño on Netflix
- You’ll learn Colombian Spanish watching Los Briceño
A Young Girl Fights Against Machismo to Become a Mulera
Los Briceño (The Briceño family; The Briceños) but titled The Road to Love for English speaking audiences follows a young woman, Cecilia Araminta de los Ángeles Briceño Calvache “La Chiqui” (played by Katherine Escobar Farfán). She has 3 brothers and aging parents. La Chiqui aspires to become a trucker (“mulera”) against her macho father’s wishes and the overall macho “no girl” sentiment in the trucking industry. She reminds me a lot of Ana María Estupiñán of La niña and Amar y vivir.
Her Macho Brother “Toronja” (Grapefruit) Eventually Shows His “Feminine Side”
There are a few sub plots in this series that make it fun to watch. Her brother, Rigoberto Briceño Calvache aka “Toronja” (played by José Daniel Cristancho who I later saw portraying Jaime Rincón, Rafael’s book smart lawyer but “life dumb” friend in in Hasta que la plata nos separe and as Fernando Bolívar in Bolívar), has a natural singing talent. However, he is ashamed of his singing due to his “macho” upbringing and keeps it a secret. He falls in love with Amalfi Sánchez “Doña Amalfi” (played by longtime Colombian actress Linda Lucía Callejas), the wife of rival trucker Octavio Rugeles (played by longtime Colombian Actor Fernando Solórzano whom I’ve seen in El Señor de los Cielos, La viuda negra, and the 3rd season of La Reina del Sur) and the two begin practicing duets together in secrecy. He eventually lets his secret out and he and Amalfi go on to sing in competitions.
The Main Plot, Sub Plots and Comedy Make Los Briceño a Winner
Los Briceño is great and a must see in my opinion. It helped me greatly with Colombian Spanish and sayings like “su merced”, “mulero/a”, “parce/parcero”! OK I admit, I learned parce/parcero a long time ago. It’s like the first word you learn in Colombia, but I didn’t know “mulero/a” or “su merced”. If you want to learn Spanish watching Netflix, definitely check out Los Briceño. It won’t disappoint!
Types of Spanish You’ll Learn Watching Amar y vivir on Netflix
- You’ll learn Colombian Spanish watching Amar y vivir
There’s a Lot to Like About Amar y vivir
Amar y vivir (Love and Live) but titled All for Love for English speaking audiences is a Colombian Netflix series that stars the same actress as in “La Niña”, Ana María Estupiñán (as Irene Romero). It depicts a love story between a singer and a songwriter from different worlds, set against the backdrop of Bogotá’s music scene. This was another one of my favorites just outside the top 5. However, if you’re a huge singing fan it may wind up in your top 5! Learn what the criminal practice of “gota a gota” means. This is definitely worth watching. Amar y vivir will help you learn Colombian Spanish by watching Netflix.
Types of Spanish You’ll Learn Watching Serpientes y escaleras on Netflix
- You’ll learn Mexican Spanish watching Serpientes y escaleras
Serpientes y escaleras is Comical
Serpientes y escaleras, dropped on Netflix on May 14, 2025. The series was created by Manolo Caro, who also created La casa de las flores. It’s a satirical take on the cutthroat world of elite education. Cecilia Suárez (stars in La casa de las flores) shines as Dora López-Negrete, an ambitious “prefecta” at Colegio Andes San Javier, a posh childrens’ school in Guadalajara, Jalisco. Her dream is to become the schools director. A playground scuffle between two school kids from influential families spirals into a chaotic mess of manipulation and moral trade-offs. Dora’s seemingly moral ground dwindles away as she does whatever it takes to become director. Cecilia Suárez was super funny in La casa de las flores, where she became a fan favorite known for how slowly she spoke.
Types of Spanish You’ll Learn Watching Narcos Mexico on Netflix
- You’ll learn Mexican Spanish watching Narcos Mexico
Narcos Mexico separates Itself from Netflix’s Original Narcos
It seems viewers can’t get enough narco series. Netflix keeps pumping them out left and right. This version focuses on the rise of the illegal drug trade in Mexico and its kingpin Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo as opposed to Colombia’s Pablo Escobar.
The Guadalajara Cartel is Born
The series delves into the early origins of the Mexican drug war, chronicling a time when traffickers were a scattered and disorganized group of individual marijuana growers and dealers. It portrays the formation and ascent of the Guadalajara Cartel in the 1980s, led by Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo (played by Diego Luna), who unites various territories to establish a notorious drug empire.
Enrique “Kiki” Camarena Salazar is Tortured and Killed
DEA agent Enrique Camarena Salazar aka Kiki, (played by Michael Peña) relocates his family from California to Guadalajara for a new assignment, only to discover that his mission is far more challenging than he ever anticipated. After Camarena’s brutal torture and murder by the cartel, DEA agent Walt Breslin, a fictional character not based on a real DEA agent, (played by John Marcus “Scoot” McNairy) assembles a covert team to seek justice, leading them on a mission to Mexico to apprehend and punish Gallardo and his associates.
Narcos Mexico was Well Received by Critics
Narcos Mexico was well generally well received by critics. Rotten Tomatoes scored Narcos Mexico 90% for season 1, 81% for season 2, and 100% for season 3. The fans scored it 76%. I liked the Walt Breslin character, although it was fictitious. I admit, I liked the original Narcos better than Narcos Mexico. Generally speaking, the origins of the Mexican cartels are overshadowed by Colombia’s infamous Medellín cartel. I’m glad that Netflix came out with a story regarding the birth of the Guadalajara cartel, even if some of scenes weren’t factually accurate. Learn Spanish watching Netflix by checking out Narcos Mexico!
Types of Spanish You’ll Learn Watching El Chapo on Netflix
- You’ll learn Mexican Spanish watching El Chapo
El Chapo “Started from the Bottom”
Started from the Bottom is a bad ass Drake song that I’m guessing Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera aka El Chapo meaning “short guy” could’ve related to. El Chapo (played by Marco de la O) is one of the most significant drug lords in history. This narco drama traces El Chapo’s criminal life, starting from his very humble origins with the Guadalajara Cartel in the 1980’s. It follows his ascent to ultimate power as the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel. It later depicts his downfall. Throughout his journey, El Chapo faces adversaries that are determined to thwart his ambitions of building a vast criminal empire.
El Chapo on Netflix Has an 80% Score by Viewers on Rotten Tomatoes
Oddly enough there are no critic reviews of El Chapo on Rotten Tomatoes. I’m not really sure how one becomes a critic or how Rotten Tomatoes even works to be honest. El Chapo has an average audience score of 80% on Rotten Tomatoes. While I did enjoy watching El Chapo, just to learn about his story and continue learning more Mexican Spanish, I think I’d been worn out by narco dramas by the time I watched it. Netflix’s original Narcos spoiled me I suppose.
Types of Spanish You’ll Learn Watching La casa de las flores on Netflix
- You’ll learn Mexican Spanish watching La casa de las flores
This Dark Drama Appears to Have Had Some Drama of Its Own
A dark comedy-drama that follows the secrets and scandals of the de la Mora family, owners of a successful flower shop. I liked the first season but honestly didn’t like the rest of the seasons though I watched the whole thing. Actress Veronica Castro playing, the mother, Virginia de la Mora, inexplicably left after the first season, and Cecilia Suárez’s character Paulina de la Mora became the lead. I kept wondering what happened to her, but they never really focused on her whereabouts and the series took a turn.
Too Many Homosexual Guy Scenes for My Liking
I’m not homophobic. I’m open minded and respect anyone’s sexual identity but honestly felt there were too many homosexual scenes featuring gay men. I admit, I like watching girls kiss as much as they want and can even handle the occasional gay male scene, but I felt La casa de las flores overdid it with the gay male action. It turned me off from wanting to watch more. The creator, Manolo Caro shows off more gay scenes in the comedy Serpientes y escaleras which again features the comedic talent of Cecilia Suarez.
Transgender is Well Represented Too
Paulina’s ex-husband turns into a woman. Apparently, the producers really wanted to outdo the “safe for TV” Modern Family theme and trust me they did. Transgenders and gays all up in this place! They don’t hold anything back in La casa de las flores!
The Paulina de la Mora Character is So Funny
Paulina, played by Cecilia Suárez (star of Serpientes y escaleras 2025), was so great! Paulina de la Mora speaks so slowly that’s it’s perfect for people learning Mexican Spanish. Her character became a hit. I mean, The Paulina de la Mora character has its own Wikipedia page! The character is revered in Mexican pop culture. I highly recommend watching at least the first season. If you can stomach the gay guy action, then watch the watch the entire series. Paulina de la Mora will make you laugh, and she’ll be like your Mexican Spanish teacher. She’s so easy to understand!
Ceclia Suárez Wins the Platino Award for Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Series Twice
Ceclia Suárez won the Platino Award in 2019 and 2020 for playing Paulina de la Mora. The Platino Awards were established in 2013, with the first ceremony held on April 5, 2014, at the Teatro Anayasi in Panama City, Panama. There are currently 23 different categories of film making up for awards.
Learn Spanish Watching Netflix by Listening to Paulina de la Mora on La Casa de las Flores
The List Above is By No Means Exhaustive
I’ve seen so many series in Spanish on Netflix that I honestly can’t remember them all. I may adjust and/or add to the list above. I’ve been doing this for a long time and continue to do so. I wish I could see my watch history somehow.
Types of Spanish You’ll Learn Watching La casa de papel on Netflix
- You’ll learn Spanish from Spain watching Entrevías
High-Octane Bank Heist Action in La Casa de Papel
La casa de papel (The House of Paper) titled Money Heist for English speaking audiences is thrilling! LCDP was a huge hit for Netflix and has won numerous awards. This Spanish action drama follows a group of robbers in red suits and cool masks as they rob the Royal Mint and the Bank of Spain. Each robber names themselves after a world city with the exception of the mastermind, The Professor, making the cast of the characters as cool as the series. This is one of those shows where you find yourself rooting for the “bad guy”. La casa de papel will help you learn Spanish from with Spain with phrases like “gillipollas, hostia, pasta, tío/tía”. I first learned them long ago with the first season of La Reina del Sur.
The 15 Robber’s City Codenames Plus El Profesor Were a Hit
The 16 bank thieves dressed in red.
- Berlin (Andrés de Fonollosa) played by Pedro Alonso
- Bogotá (Santiago López) played by Hovik Keuchkerian
- Denver (Daniel Ramos) played by Jaime Lorente
- El Profesor (Sergio Marquina/Salvador “Salva” Martín) played by Álvaro Morte
- Estocolmo (Mónica Gaztambide) played by Esther Acebo
- Helsinki (Mirko Dragic) played by Darko Perić
- Lisbon (Raquel Murillo) played by Itziar Ituño
- Manila (Julia Martínez) played by Belén Cuesta
- Marsella (Jakov) played by Luka Peroš
- Moscú (Agustín Ramos) played by Paco Tous
- Nairobi (Ágata Jiménez) played by Alba González Villa aka Alba Flores
- Oslo (Radko Dragic) played by Roberto García Ruiz
- Palermo (Martín Barroti) played by Rodrigo de la Serna
- Pamplona (Matías Caño) played by Ahikar Azcona Albizu
- Río (Aníbal Cortés) played by Miguel Herrán
- Tokio (Silene Oliveira) played by Úrsula Corberó
Three Characters in La Casa de Papel do a 180 and Join the Red Side
Raquel Murillo aka Lisboa is a cop that’s determined to bring down “The Professor” and the bad guys only to wind up on the robber’s side while falling in love with the Professor. Meanwhile, Mónica Gaztambide aka Estocolmo and Julia Martínez aka Manila are hostages that turn into robbers.
I Have to Mention El Señor de los Cielos
I almost watched all seasons of El Señor de los Cielos (Lord of the Skies for English speaking audiences), but Netflix pulled it just as I was in Season 9. I really learned a lot of Mexican and Colombian Spanish watching this series, mostly Mexican. I enjoyed all the characters including Rafael Amaya as Aurelio Casillas, Raúl Méndez as his brother Víctor Casillas better known as Chacorta (whom I thought did a tremendous great job playing former Colombian president César Gaviria in Narcos), and especially, the Colombian, Alejandro López Silva as El Súper Javi, who always maintained his cool and could appease different factions. On the female side Fernanda Castillo as Mónica Robles is amazing as is Carmen Aub Romero, as Casillas’ daughter Rutilla. There are too many good characters to list in El Señor de los Cielos.
¡Arre! The Cinematography Improved as Time Went On
Check out an old trailer below. Despite its telenovela production quality during the first few years, I enjoyed watching this series through 8 and a half seasons. Also, the cinematography improved as the years went on. ¡Arre! (That’s Aurelio Casillas’ catch phrase.)
Learn Spanish Watching Netflix with Sofía Vergara Portraying Griselda Blanco
Sofía Vergara stepped away from comedy and portrayed Ana Griselda Blanco Restrepo (although her grave site names her Griselda Blanca de Trujuillo). Her aliases include “La madrina” and “La viuda negra”. “Griselda” debuted on January 25, 2024, on Netflix. The series encompasses the rise to power and fortune and ultimate demise of the female Colombian Cocaine kingpin of the 70’s and 80’s. It also stars Christian Tappan, who I still call “Willy” from his character in La Reina del Sur. I’ve seen him in countless Netflix series on television and he’s one of my favorite actors.
This is at Least the Third Griselda Blanco Re-Make
I watched La viuda negra on Netflix which came out in 2014 starring Ana Serradilla so “La madrina” has been done before. It was done again in 2017 starring Catherine Zeta-Jones with Cocaine Godmother. I didn’t’ watch that. I’m not sure why they’re doing yet another re-make. I’d think some people are tired of the narco genre especially based on the exact same person but apparently not. For some reason they keep choosing gorgeous women to portray Griselda Blanco. Although I’m quite tired of the narco genre, I watched this as soon as it was released. “Griselda” was released on January 25th, 2024.
Another Griselda Blanco Netflix Series
Netflix released yet another “Griselda Blanco” series starring Sofía Vergara even though it was already done in 2014 with La viuda negra starring Ana Serradilla and in 2017 with Cocaine Godmother starring Catherine Zeta-Jones. Apparently, viewers can’t get enough of narco dramas even if they’re repetitive. It was only 6 episodes and although I enjoyed it, I feel they rushed the ending way too much. They didn’t delve into her time in California hardly at all. In reality Griselda spent close to 20 years in prison, yet the show only mentions 7 years of jail time. What’s up with that? She was also deported back to Colombia in 2004 which they didn’t even cover. Eventually she was assassinated, coming out of a butcher shop in Medellin on September 3, 2012. None of this was covered, although they did put her demise in written text on screen before the final credits rolled. They could’ve done a much better job with the ending. Incidentally, Griselda Blanco’s son, Michael Corleone Blanco, identified as Michael Sepulvedablanco in court documents filed in Miami-Dade County, Florida on January 17, 2024, sued Sofia Vergara and Netflix. His side argued that “Griselda” uses the unauthorized “image, likeness and/or identity” of his family members. It appears they’re sought damages upwards of $50,000. I’m not sure what the courts determination was.
Griselda Blanco and Pablo Escobar are Buried at Cementerio Jardines Montesacro in Itagüí, Colombia
Incidentally both Griselda Blanco and Pablo Escobar were killed in Medellín, and both are buried in the same cemetery. I visited Griselda Blanco’s grave at Cementerio Jardines Montesacro in Itagüí, Colombia (just outside Medellín), which is just a few feet away from Pablo Escobar’s. I don’t think I have an accent, but you can tell I’m not at native Colombian, for example. At least I don’t speak like a total gringo, and you too can achieve the same results by choosing to learn Spanish by watching Netflix.
Accents Are Fine, Even Cute but Are You Fluent?
The majority of natives from most countries find accents from foreigners visiting or living in their country to be cute or even cool but that shouldn’t detract your need to acquire fluency and a strong volume of vocabulary. Think of Sofía Vergara, the trophy wife, Gloria Delgado-Pritchett on Modern Family. I loved her character. I think she “faked” having a strong accent a little for comedic effect, however, she’s still speaks English fluently regardless of her accent. Sure, she may make a mistake here and there as we all will on our language learning journey. However, she’s undoubtedly fluent in English, and that my friends is the goal.
¿Cómo andas?, ¿Qué cuentas?, ¿Qué hay de nuevo?, ¿Qué tal? Are Pretty Much Universal
Some phrases to use instead of ¿Cómo está usted? are somewhat universal and can be used in other countries such as: ¿Cómo andas?, ¿Cómo vas?, ¿Qué cuentas?, ¿Qué hay de nuevo?, and ¿Qué tal?. You’ll undoubtedly hear these phrases over and over when you learn Spanish watching Netflix. Other words or phrases are particularly unique to that country.
Phrases Generally Unique to a Certain Country or Region
The following is by no means an exhaustive list of informal greetings in Spanish as I’m only including 4 countries, but it’ll certainly give you a jump on learning some informal “Whassup/how ya doin’?” phrases beyond the formal and overly taught ¿Cómo está usted?. Don’t get me wrong there is obviously a place for ¿Cómo está usted? but in everyday life it’s hardly used unless you’re formally meeting someone for like for a job interview or potential business partner etc. You’ll soon see what I mean if you decide to learn Spanish watching Netflix.
Colombian Greetings
- ¿Qué más?
- ¿Cómo vas, llave?
- ¿Quibo, parce/parcero?
- ¿Quibo marica? (marica is “gay” but used with friends)
- ¿Quibo güevón? (güevón is “idiot” but used with friends)
Mexican Greetings
- ¿Qué rollo?
- ¿Qué show?
- ¿Qué tranza?
- ¿Qué onda, wey (güey)/carnal?
- ¿Qué pedo? (pedo is “fart” but used with friends)
Spanish Greetings
- ¿Qué pasa, tío/tía?
- ¿Qué pasa, tronco?
- ¿Cómo va la movida?
- ¿Cómo estás, colega?
- ¿Qué tal, chaval/chavala?
Venezuelan Greetings
- ¿Qué peo?
- ¿Qué bola?
- ¿Cómo estás, pana?
- ¿Cómo está la vaina?
- ¿Todo bien, bro/brother?
Striving for Perfect Spanish Accent Doesn’t Make Sense
The goal isn’t to have a perfect accent. There are 21 different countries (I’m including Puerto Rico) that speak Spanish as their official language, totaling 442 million people. Each country has their own accent or style of speaking including slang words and phrases. Just as the US, Australia, UK and New Zealand differ from one another so does the Spanish speaking world. So having a perfect Spanish accent doesn’t make sense unless you only plan on only doing business, speaking, or living in one particular country. When you learn Spanish watching Netflix you’ll understand. You’ll see Teresa Mendoza in LRDS question the Spaniards when they refer to money as “pasta” instead of “plata”, “lana”, “varo” or “verdes”. Each region has their own swag if you will.
You Can Do Better than “¿Cómo está usted?”
You can learn Spanish watching Netflix and YouTube. Use as many tools as possible that you have at your disposal. Sorry, but that stuff you learned in high school won’t fly. I mean do you really go up to your friend and say “Hi, how are you? No, you’d probably say, “Hey whassup?” or “Sup man?” or if you’re a girl maybe, “Hey whadup girlfriend?” or whatever your slang is but you get the point.
We Don’t Use “Hi, How Are You? Neither Do Native Spanish Speakers
Sure, if you’re meeting someone for the first time you don’t want to go all urban on them but still no need for “Hi, how are you?” What about “Hey, how ya doin’?”. It’s informal but it’s not urban slang. Same thing goes for Spanish. I don’t think I’ve ever heard “¿Cómo está usted?” in my life in the real world. Maybe I just don’t hang around enough formal people or put myself in formal situations. I don’t know. Check out these three guys regarding Paisa Spanish from Colombia for example. ¿Hola, cómo está usted? just doesn’t cut it! Sorry! Good luck!
11 Ways to Say Drinking Straw in Different Spanish Speaking Countries
It’s quite interesting how different countries use different words for the same object. I currently reside in Mexico and can confirm without doubt that the word used in Mexico is “popote”. Some countries are listed more than once as they use more than one word.
