Listening Practice: The Joy of Dubbed Spanish with Subtitles

Question

A very very fun way to listen to Spanish without pain: rather than trying to watch Spanish-speaking TV or listen to real people, now I get films from my library that have Spanish as an option in the Language section. Children's movies and movies I've already seen are excellent options. (Best choices yet: Fantastic Mr. Fox and Mar Adentro.)

First, I watch and listen to it in Spanish. Then I put on the subtitles, in Spanish, to help me. Then I watch it in English. (Finally I know what they're saying.) Maybe I try to listen in Spanish with English subtitles. It's Awesome!

(Yes, I have all the time in the world. Well actually, sometimes I do all this just with the first 15 minutes.)

By the way, "El Señor Zorro Fantastico" is much funnier in Spanish!

Hola a todos, He descubrido una media fantastica para practicar la cosa mas dificil para mi, escuchar y entender el español. Yo encontro peliculas con español de una escoga. Hay muchas, claro. Pues, escucho a la pelicula, la miro con y sin palabras abajas, y la miro otra vez en inglés para mejor entender y para la disfrutar... Y a veces es mas comica o bien hablada en español! Miren El Señor Zorro Fantastico, Les lo ruego!!! Los actores son maravillosos!

Answer 1

I watched Perfume the other night dubbed in Spanish with Spanish subtitles, I hadn't seen it before but I'd read the book and I understood loads! It felt great!

Dubbed films are always easier to understand because they don't use colloquialisms, just some form of standard Spanish or Latin American Spanish. I really need subtitles though, when they don't match I just put up with it and hope that it builds up my synonyms! "Remember!" vs "Don't forget!" and "come here!" vs "MOVE YOUR /\R$E!" :D

Answer 2

Careful with the subtitles haha. I listen and watch in English sometimes, and it is pretty amusing. I think your idea is a great one by the way.

I have been listening to television in Spanish for the last couple of days, and some people talk so fast it amazes me. I have just discovered the flashcard section on this site, and it has helped me very much to understand the spoken word.

Thanks for the great idea.

Answer 3

I watch movies and news with subtitles as a way to tune my ear. When my wife is with me she is making corrections to the spanish subtitles. for example , Oh ,we don't use that. or that is completely wrong, it is really this phrase. but overall it is quite a help.

So: Listening, plus subtitles, plus additional voice-over from your lady. What a great opportunity! - Jmarie, Mar 19, 2011

Answer 4

I love watching movies in Spanish! But I've found that rarely does the captioning match the dubbed language. As if different people translated for the captioning and dubbing. So usually I have to chose one or the other. But still, super fun, easy way to add to your Spanish comprehension. And like you said, painless!

It's so true about the subtitles. But I like sharpening my mind even more (!) by noticing differences. As you say, i's as though one department does the subtitles and the actors just ad lib, changing it up as they go! - Jmarie, Mar 19, 2011

Answer 5

This type of spanish is way easier to understand.