Subtitles are much-maligned when it comes to language learning, but they can actually be an important part of the process. It’s just a case of knowing when and how to use them.

This article will use the example of German, but the advice applies to any language you’re learning.

Should you ever use English subtitles?

Ideally, you shouldn’t use English subtitles at all. There are times when a translation will be given that either doesn’t provide the literal meaning of the German phrase, or completely reinterprets the general meaning. 

That’s not to say translators make it up - far from it - it’s a difficult job, not least because of how subjective translation can be. However, there will often be a German idiom that has no direct translation to English, and the translator therefore has to go with whichever English expression they think is most appropriate. This isn’t a problem if you’re watching for the sake of it, but when you’re also watching to learn German, there are several issues to consider. 

Such choices are inherently subjective, and there will likely have been at least a few other English idioms or phrases that would have made an appropriate translation - if not more. Most crucially, you’re unlikely to have remembered the German idiom spoken by the character, meaning you’re left with a subjective English translation, and no recollection of the original German phrase. In short, it’s nigh on useless for helping you learn more German expressions. 

If you watch the same scene without English subtitles, you’ll find it easier to focus on what’s being said, and will therefore stand a better chance of noticing the German expression. Remember, you don’t have to know what it means there and then. All that matters is that your brain will have associated the phrase with the context of the scene in front of you - which includes the body language of the characters, their tone of voice, and the chronology of the story. 

You may justifiably be wondering what use this is if the characters are speaking too quickly for you to pick up the phrase, let alone remember it. There are several ways you can solve this, none of which have to be done at the expense of the other - you can vary your approach depending on how you’re feeling.

The most straightforward is to not worry about catching the phrase. The next time you come across it, you’ll recognise it from the first encounter, and this familiarity will only grow each time you notice it in various scenes, films, and series. This is immersion in all its passive glory, and is probably the ideal approach for the majority of the time, as it will likely fit best with the rigours of your schedule. If you’re watching a German film to relax after a long day, it’s reassuring to know you don’t have to fret over a phrase you didn’t quite catch, and it also allows you to enjoy the rest of the film without interruption. Though this will often be the most convenient option, there are subtle alternatives - such as simply rewinding fifteen seconds and listening again. 

When should you use German subtitles?

Another option is to use German subtitles. Aside from being useful during the early stages of the process, they can also help you catch expressions. For example, they may help clarify the last word of an expression you couldn’t quite hear in time, and will clear up any doubts about spelling.

It’s important to note that not all German subtitles will directly correspond to what’s being said, but once you’re familiar with how the language looks and sounds, you’ll be able to spot this, so it’s nothing to worry about. 

German subtitles are useful during the settling in period, as they’ll help you to learn how the sounds of German correspond to their written forms, but once you’re familiar with this, I’d suggest watching without them as often as possible. They’re by no means as counterproductive as English subtitles, but they will detract from areas of your listening comprehension.

Over time, you may become reliant on the German subtitles to understand films and series, to the point where you struggle without them. I can only speak from personal experience, but I’ve certainly found this to be the case. When learning Italian, the satisfaction of being able to understand the series I was watching meant I forgot the importance of turning off Italian subtitles, and there was definitely a drop off when I first remembered to try without them. Fortunately, the remedy for this is as simple as watching without any subtitles.

Put simply, German subtitles are useful during the settling in period, but should be used sparingly from then on. Most of your immersion with films and series should be without them, but you can use them to your advantage when you need to check certain things. Likewise, if you happen to enjoy using subtitles regardless of the language, that’s not a problem. Go ahead and watch German series and films with German subtitles - it will still help your German. Just be sure to leave at least some time for watching without subtitles, as it will help you understand German in situations where there are none. 

Using English subtitles as a tactical compromise

It’s worth returning to the topic of English subtitles. Many believe it’s sacrilege to use them when learning a language, but this is over the top. Whilst it’s true you should avoid them during immersion, this doesn’t mean they don’t have their uses.

Once you progress further along the process, English subtitles have no place helping you learn German. However, during the early stages, you could always watch a German series or film with English subtitles, before then watching it again without them. Though English subtitles will make picking up German expressions impractical, they can help you to learn individual words, as there is often less room for subjective translation than there is with entire phrases or idioms. If a character yells a sentence that includes the word Zug, you’ll have a reasonable chance at guessing it corresponds to the noun in the English subtitles - ‘train’. 

I’d suggest avoiding this if you can, but if during the early stages you’ll find not understanding most of the German films you watch too frustrating, it’s a useful compromise. One of its drawbacks is that you may remember the English subtitles too well, and therefore end up thinking of these when you watch it back without them. As such, the ideal solution is probably watching a German series or film you’ve seen before, but not too recently. If you haven’t seen any before, you could always watch them with English subtitles, before rewatching without them a few weeks or months later.

Watching English films with German subtitles

Another option is to watch English films or series with German subtitles. It’s more of a last resort, particularly for days when you feel like relaxing with something you can understand completely. It won’t improve your listening comprehension, but it will at least give you a sense of how certain English expressions could be put in German. In fact, this option would be particularly useful if you’re wanting to become a translator, as you’ll gradually build a sense of how phrases can be interpreted differently by different people. An appreciation of such nuances will help you to provide translations that suit the context of the film or conversation you’re translating.

When should you start avoiding subtitles altogether?

You’d be completely justified for thinking the above advice on English subtitles sounds a bit of a mess - and that’s because it is. Ideally, you shouldn’t be using them at all, and the above approaches are last resorts. Fortunately, there are alternatives that can help you to avoid English subtitles during the early stages. 

Once you can understand a reasonable amount of an episode or film - perhaps a bit under half of what’s being said - watching German series and films should be enjoyable enough to ensure that watching without subtitles is no longer a frustration, and your comprehension will only go from strength to strength as you watch more. Before this point, you could always use German subtitles if you find them helpful. Your active learning will improve your reading comprehension, and you may find that seeing German subtitles helps you to understand what’s going on. If this is the case for you, then by all means use German subtitles until you feel able to understand enough without them. 

What constitutes ‘enough’ is up to you. It just means as much as you can accept not understanding without finding the experience too frustrating to persist with. For example, if you try without German subtitles and find the experience of not understanding most of what’s being said unbearable, don’t worry. Put the German subtitles back on until you reach a level of comprehension you’re happy to immerse with. Just remember, immersion is about what you can’t understand, not what you can, so don’t be afraid of not understanding most of what you’re hearing.

YouTube as a useful alternative

If these alternatives don’t seem appealing, don’t worry. You could always focus on the context-laden immersion of YouTube to begin with, before moving on to German series and films once you feel your comprehension has reached a level you won’t find too frustrating. 

Summary : vary your approach according to your preferences and your situation

There’s no right or wrong way. The important thing is that you’re immersing in German, and immersing in German in a way you enjoy. This should never involve English subtitles in their own right, but if using them tactically to improve comprehension during the early stages will help you to then immerse in a German series without them, go for it.

How to Learn German

If you’re interested in learning German, there’s a How to Learn Languages guide :

How to Learn German