With so many cultural activities to explore in Spain, you might not have checked out all the awesome Spanish TV programs! It’s true that Spanish people spend most of their free time outside but that doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy television. In fact, some tapas bars even keep Spanish TV programs playing to attract more customers. Watching Spanish TV programs is also offers a way to train your Spanish while you’re studying abroad in Spain. So, what should you watch? Scroll down and start tuning in!
Spanish TV Programs: News & Sports
Most Spanish people watch TV for at least a short time each day to get the news. In Spain, news programs are called “noticias.” This is where you’ll get all the information on the weather, traffic, politics, and events occurring in the country. Weather around the different regions of Spain can vary wildly, so it’s important to stay updated if you plan on traveling. Politics are often spoken about amongst locals as well. If you’re looking to converse with the locals, learning about the politics in Spain can be a great starting point.
The most-watched broadcasts of all the Spanish TV programs are football matches! Spain has plenty of world-class football teams. You’ll never be short of football matches to watch. If you’re watching a match between Spanish rival teams, such as Real Madrid vs. Barcelona, odds are that everyone in the country is watching with you. Make sure you’re wearing the right team colors if you’re headed to a tapas bar in Madrid or Barcelona – you don’t want to argue with football fans! Even if you’re watching at home, you will most likely hear cheers and boos from the street when important football matches are on TV.
Educational & Entertaining Spanish TV Programs
Spanish TV has more to offer than sports and news programs, of course. Most regions of Spain also have a few of their own TV channels where they broadcast educational and informative programs about their area. If the Spanish province has its own language, such as Valencia, Catalunya, or Pais Vasco, it’s likely there will be at least one channel completely in their local tongue. Watching regional Spanish channels is a great way to learn more about the area without ever leaving your couch!
In the entertainment department, Spanish reality TV and soap operas are extremely popular. However, they have somewhat of a bad reputation; soap operas, reality shows and game shows are referred to as telebasura or trash TV. Although they call it garbage, watching entertaining programs is great for improving your Spanish comprehension. You can learn a lot of colloquial Spanish greetings by watching people interact on reality shows! Telenovelas are a preference of many Spanish learners as well, as they’re filled with off-the-wall drama and hilarious situations. Whichever one of the Spanish TV programs becomes your favorite, remember to watch with an attentive ear for extra Spanish training.
