If you’re looking for Italian movies to learn Italian, I’d start with one question…”Would I actually enjoy watching this?”
Not “Is this the most famous film to put on my list?” Not “Will this teach me every tense?”
But would you actually want to find out what happens next?
That matters. Because if watching feels like an assignment, it probably won’t become something you do very often or even enjoy!
I’m Nicole, founder of The Italian Insider. I’ve lived, studied and worked in Italy, earned a master’s in Italian Gastronomy and Tourism, and even married an Italian! My interest in the Italian language is (and has always been) tied to the people and culture around it. And there is a lot to notice in an Italian conversation beyond the words themselves.
And want to know a little secret… I learned Italian by listening to people, songs, movies, not by studying it out of a textbook (not that there is anything wrong with that!!!)
What Italian Films and Series Can Help You Notice
A travel phrasebook can help you order lunch or ask where the train station is.
A film gives you a different kind of material: someone teasing a sibling, complaining about a colleague, trying to impress a date or having an unnecessarily complicated conversation about a very ordinary problem.
You can listen for tone, rhythm and the expressions people use with each other.
You can also pay attention to the setting. Who is at the table? How formal is the conversation? What seems funny to the characters? What hand language do they use with certain phrases?
Look for what is different with their behavior compared to you own when speaking.
Choose a Story Before You Choose a “Level”
If you love mysteries, a mystery may hold your attention better than a supposedly easy romantic comedy.
That doesn’t mean every title will feel equally manageable. Fast dialogue, unfamiliar vocabulary and regional dialect can make a story challenging. But the story line will make it interesting or completely boring!
Read the description. Check the themes and try watching the opening. If you aren’t into it, change! Look for something else. Maybe even check to see if some of your favorites can be dubbed in Italian.
Use Subtitles That Help You Stay With the Story
There is no need to make your first evening as difficult as possible. If English subtitles let you enjoy the story while hearing Italian, start there.
If you’re comfortable following more of the language, try Italian subtitles. You may find it useful to connect something you hear with how it reads. Me an my husband always have the subtitles on when we watch Italian (and he even needs it sometimes for the dialects 🙂
Don’t Pause for Every Unfamiliar Word
This is how a 90-minute film becomes a week long commitment.
For a first viewing, I’d rather you follow the story than stop every time you miss something.
Choose one small thing to pay attention to:
- A greeting you hear repeatedly.
- An expression someone uses when they’re surprised.
- How two friends joke with each other.
- A word that keeps popping up.
Or replay one scene that interested you. A short scene is much easier to revisit than an entire episode, and you already know what is happening.
Listen for More Than One Italy
One of the reasons I enjoy sharing Italy is that the country doesn’t feel the same everywhere.
That applies to language, too.
A story may include regional accents, local expressions or dialect. Something that feels manageable in one series may suddenly feel much harder in another.
That doesn’t mean you’ve forgotten all your Italian between episodes.
It means you’re hearing something different.
Use the subtitles, look for context and stay curious about where the story is set. The way people speak is part of the place, just as food and local traditions are.
Your Next Movie Night, Italian Style
Pick something you actually want to watch. A comedy, a family drama, a food series—whatever you’re in the mood for. Check that it’s available where you live, put on the subtitles you need, and settle in.
And please don’t feel you have to turn it into homework. (Put the notebook away)
See what catches your attention. The way everyone talks over each other at dinner. A joke that takes a second to land. A town you’ve never heard of that suddenly has you reaching for Google Maps.
Those little details are what I love about watching Italian films and series. You come for the story, and somewhere along the way you find yourself wondering why that conversation feels so dramatic when they’re apparently just discussing lunch.
Put the subtitles on. They’re probably talking too fast anyway.
Click here to download My Italian Watchlist of movies and series!
Happy watching!!
