What is the easiest TV show to learn English?
Of the shows we measured, Friends is the easiest: everyday vocabulary, the smallest word range, and average speaking speed (143 words per minute). The Office (US) is a close second.
TV shows by English level
The best TV shows to learn English, ranked from easiest to hardest
We measured the real subtitles of 11 popular shows: how many words a learner will know, and how fast the characters talk. Here is where to start, and what to watch next.
Updated
Short answer
For most learners, start with Friends or The Office (US): everyday vocabulary and clear speech, comfortable from B1. Move on to Game of Thrones or How I Met Your Mother at B2. Save Gilmore Girls, the fastest show we measured, for C1.
The ranking
11 shows, easiest first
“Known at B1” is the share of spoken words in the 20,000 most common English word forms. Speed is words per minute of dialogue.
| # | Show | Level | Known at B1 | Speed | Words / episode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FriendsEasiest in this list | Strong A2 to B1 | 96.88% | 143 wpm | 2,115 |
| 2 | The Office (US)Easy vocabulary, awkward humour | B1 | 96.3% | 145 wpm | 2,464 |
| 3 | Stranger ThingsEasy words, fast kids | B1 to B2 | 96.82% | 159 wpm | 3,427 |
| 4 | Breaking BadSlow speech, street slang | B1 to B2 | 96.5% | 131 wpm | 3,104 |
| 5 | Game of ThronesOld-style English, many names | B2 | 96.9% | 138 wpm | 4,199 |
| 6 | How I Met Your MotherFast jokes and slang | B2 | 95.87% | 157 wpm | 2,697 |
| 7 | Modern FamilyFast family talk | B2 | 95.87% | 173 wpm | 3,100 |
| 8 | SherlockBritish, clever, and long | B2 to C1 | 96.94% | 151 wpm | 8,050 |
| 9 | The Big Bang TheoryScience words in a sitcom | B2 to C1 | 95.31% | 154 wpm | 2,183 |
| 10 | Brooklyn Nine-NineVery fast police comedy | B2 to C1 | 95.58% | 179 wpm | 3,319 |
| 11 | Gilmore GirlsFastest in this list | C1 | 95.65% | 185 wpm | 6,482 |
Start here: A2–B1
Everyday words and clear speech. Watch with English subtitles.
Strong A2 to B1
Friends
Short episodes, everyday topics, clear American speech, and the smallest vocabulary of the shows we measured. The best first show for most learners.
B1The Office (US)
Office vocabulary, normal speaking speed, and lots of hesitation (um, uh) that gives you time to think. The humour is about awkward silences, which helps learners.
B1 to B2Stranger Things
Mostly simple vocabulary, but the teenagers speak fast and use 1980s slang. Exciting plots keep you watching, which is half the battle.
B1 to B2Breaking Bad
The slowest speech of the shows we measured, with long pauses and clear acting. The difficulty is crime vocabulary and street slang.
Next step: B2
Faster talk, more slang, or old-fashioned words.
B2
Game of Thrones
Slow, formal speech, but full of old-fashioned words, titles, and a huge number of names and places. Accents vary from scene to scene.
B2How I Met Your Mother
Like Friends but faster, with more slang and many jokes built on wordplay, made-up words, and New York life.
B2Modern Family
Family life vocabulary, but fast: 173 words per minute, one of the quickest shows we measured. Several story lines run in each episode.
Challenge: B2–C1 and up
Very fast, very clever, or full of specialist words.
B2 to C1
Sherlock
Long 90-minute episodes with rich vocabulary: over 6,000 different words across 9 episodes. Fast deductions and British expressions make it a real challenge.
B2 to C1The Big Bang Theory
Short sitcom episodes, but with the lowest share of common words of any show we measured, because the characters are scientists and use technical words for fun.
B2 to C1Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Police vocabulary plus very fast jokes: 179 words per minute, the second fastest show we measured, and many exclamations.
C1Gilmore Girls
The fastest talking show we measured, at about 185 words per minute, with over 6,000 words per episode and constant references to books, films, and music.
Get more from every episode
How to learn English with TV shows
- Pick a show at your level, not the one everyone talks about. You learn more when you follow the story.
- Use English subtitles at first. Switch them off for scenes you have already seen.
- Learn 10–20 words before each episode. In TeakReader, import the episode’s subtitles to see the words you don’t know yet.
- Rewatch one short scene per episode until you catch every word.
- Move up a level when you rarely need subtitles. Speed is usually the next step, not vocabulary.
What we found
Speed matters more than vocabulary
All 11 shows use mostly common words: a B1 learner knows 95–97% of what is said in every one of them. The big difference is speed. Gilmore Girls runs at about 185 words per minute; Breaking Bad at about 131. A Gilmore Girls episode has about three times as many words as an episode of Friends.
So if a show feels hard, the fix is often not a dictionary but practice listening: subtitles on, short scenes, repeated. Our guide to learning vocabulary before watching has more ideas.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which TV show has the fastest English?
Gilmore Girls, at about 185 words per minute of dialogue. The slowest was Breaking Bad, at about 131.
Should I watch with subtitles?
Yes, with English subtitles, not subtitles in your language. They connect what you hear to how it is written. Turn them off for episodes you have already seen, or for slower scenes, as you improve.
Are British or American shows better for learning?
Choose the accent you hear most or need most. The American sitcoms here are generally easier to follow than Sherlock or Game of Thrones, which mix British and regional accents.
How did you rank the shows?
We analysed the English subtitles of 9–12 episodes per show, measured how many of the words are in our B1 and B2 frequency bands, and how fast the characters speak. We combined those numbers with our judgment of slang, accents, and humour. It is an estimate, not an official CEFR rating.
Ready to read
Prepare the words before you press play.
Import any episode’s subtitles in TeakReader to see its unknown words with meanings and flashcards. Free on iPhone, iPad, and Android.
