Are subtitles helpful for language learning?

Posts0Likes0Joined8/7/2018LocationIT
Native
Russian, Swedish
Other English, Finnish, Italian

Since I started watching movies and tv-series in original language with subtitles in the original language my language skills quickly improved. For example, when I started watching English tv-series with English subtitles I noticed that after a while I didn't even need the subtitles to understand the speech.


Also, I'm curious. How is it in your country, are foreign movies dubbed or are there subtitles?

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#1
Posts0Likes0Joined12/7/2018LocationRis-Orangis / FR
Native
Spanish
Learning English, French

Hello Olga, you are totally right, since I began to watch series or movies with the subtitles, my french begin to improve so much, so this is a really usefull tool, but in my country Colombia it was normaly to have the movies with subtitles, more or less since the past year most of the movies are dubbed.

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#2
Posts0Likes0Joined8/7/2018LocationIT
Native
Russian, Swedish
Other English, Finnish, Italian

I also enjoy watching movies in the original language even if I don't speak the language.

I love the French cinema. Watching dubbed French movies would not be the same as watching them with subtitles (in English in my case, as I don't speak French)

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#3
Posts0Likes0Joined12/7/2018LocationPH
Native
Tagalog
Learning English, Spanish

I like watching movies and series with subtitles. Even though its an english movie or series because sometimes I still encounter words that I don't know the meaning. So what I do is I try to search their meanings in google while I hit the pause button. :)

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#4
Posts0Likes0Joined10/7/2018LocationTrece Martires City / PH
Native
Tagalog
Other English

thats how I learned English. ☺️

do the right thing even when nobody is watching

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#5
Posts1630Likes1092Joined18/3/2018LocationBellingham / US
Native
English
Learning German
Other Chinese - Mandarin, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, Tagalog, Thai

Interesting. I find that subtitles in L2 help my reading improve, but distract my listening. When I'm watching something, I'm trying to get better at listening, so I don't use them anymore.

In Thailand now. Next up Tanzania and Philippines.

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#6
Posts0Likes0Joined12/7/2018LocationPH
Native
Tagalog
Learning English, Spanish

My daughter wants subtitle every time she watch her favorite cartoons. It really helps her to learn the English language. 

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#7
Posts0Likes0Joined11/7/2018LocationKingston / JM
Native
English
Other Spanish

I’m embarking on the journey because I want to travel to at least 10 non English speaking countries by 25 and also for the job opportunities that it makes you qualified for. 

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#8
Posts0Likes0Joined8/7/2018LocationAlmeria / ES
Native
English
Other Arabic - Egyptian, French, German, Spanish

Subtitles are a very useful tool but be aware they can be wrong or shortened or said in a different manner si it is no good for learning word for word replacement but in general mean the same thing. It's also important to note humour doesn't often translate exactly and with languages like English there is often an underlying inference we also use a lot of sarcasm. As a listening and submersion tool subtitles are a highly valuable resource but for studying not so good.

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#9
Posts0Likes0Joined9/7/2018LocationUS
Native
English
Learning Spanish
Other French

Subtitles work for me but if I overthink about them I get distracted. I watch Korean films and drama and sometimes find myself not even looking at the subtitles and I can still understand what they're saying but when I focus on the subtitles, overthinking, I get dizzy. :)


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#10
Posts0Likes0Joined12/7/2018LocationRis-Orangis / FR
Native
Spanish
Learning English, French

It´s true they can distract, it depends too of each person, but it´s also true that they are a really usefull tool for write and for learn new words, of course each one has the way to learn who works better.

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#11
Posts0Likes0Joined11/7/2018Location
Native
Tagalog
Other English, German, Spanish

I love watching Korean, Indian and spanish movies in English subtitles. 

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#12
Posts0Likes0Joined8/7/2018LocationIT
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Russian, Swedish
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Khadijah.Davis wrote:

Subtitles work for me but if I overthink about them I get distracted. I watch Korean films and drama and sometimes find myself not even looking at the subtitles and I can still understand what they're saying but when I focus on the subtitles, overthinking, I get dizzy. :)

lol sometimes I overthink too, or just start thinking for myself "that wasn't a correct translation" and how I would translate the phrase :grinning:

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#13
Posts0Likes0Joined8/7/2018LocationAlmeria / ES
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English
Other Arabic - Egyptian, French, German, Spanish

Frederick.Dizon wrote:

My daughter wants subtitle every time she watch her favorite cartoons. It really helps her to learn the English language.

Both of mine went through a phase of that crying if they weren't available , but both if mine are English reading English sub's ! 

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#14
Posts0Likes0Joined8/7/2018LocationIT
Native
Russian, Swedish
Other English, Finnish, Italian

Frederick.Dizon wrote:

My daughter wants subtitle every time she watch her favorite cartoons. It really helps her to learn the English language.

How old is she? It's great that she is interested in reading the subtitles.

My oldest wouldn't bother doing it :grinning: 

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#15
Posts0Likes0Joined12/7/2018LocationPH
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Tagalog
Learning English, Spanish

Jade.Xuereb wrote:

Both of mine went through a phase of that crying if they weren't available , but both if mine are English reading English sub's !

Yup, same thing.

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#16
Posts0Likes0Joined12/7/2018LocationPH
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Tagalog
Learning English, Spanish

Olga.Cygnel wrote:

How old is she? It's great that she is interested in reading the subtitles.

My oldest wouldn't bother doing it :grinning:

She's 8. Every time she hears/read a word that she don't understand, she will ask for the meaning.

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#17
Posts0Likes0Joined9/7/2018Location
Native
Russian, Ukrainian
Other English, German

I like having subtitles. I view them as an aid, not a distraction. I like having a clear, instant view of the dialogue in case I miss something.I don't think they distract me from the image at all. I don't completely look away from the visuals on screen, I just kind of watch both at the same time, some how.

I can help with Russian and Ukrainian languages

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#18
Posts0Likes0Joined12/7/2018LocationPH
Native
Tagalog
Learning English, Spanish

Oxana.Salij wrote:

I like having subtitles. I view them as an aid, not a distraction. I like having a clear, instant view of the dialogue in case I miss something.I don't think they distract me from the image at all. I don't completely look away from the visuals on screen, I just kind of watch both at the same time, some how.

Same here. Maybe at first you will struggle having it while watching.

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#19
Posts0Likes0Joined13/7/2018Location

That is how i learnt english..

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#20
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