YouTube channels to learn English, by level (A1 to C1)
There is no shortage of English on YouTube. The hard part is finding a channel that fits your level: too easy and you learn nothing new, too hard and you stop after five minutes. Below are channels sorted by level, with what to expect from each: accent, format, video length and subtitles. After that comes a shorter list of more channels and a list by accent.
Every channel here was checked on 3–4 October 2026: it exists, it uploaded something in the last six months, and it is about learning English. Where we say "subtitles written by people", we opened recent videos and found manual English captions there.
How to pick a channel
- Level. You should follow the main idea without pausing every few seconds. A handful of new words per video is useful; a new word in every sentence is tiring.
- Accent. Choose the one you will hear most: British for the UK, American for most films and series. Mixing accents is fine once you are past the beginner stage.
- Subtitles. Subtitles written by people are accurate, so read along with them. YouTube's automatic subtitles are good enough to follow the story, but they get names and quiet speech wrong.
Not sure about your level? Open the A1 word list. If you know almost all of it, go to A2. If A2 is easy too, start with the channels for intermediate learners.
YouTube channels for beginners (A1–A2)
- BBC Learning English · British · short lessons, news, podcasts · mostly 5–10 minutes, some longer · subtitles written by people on many videos. A huge archive for every level; beginners can start with the short vocabulary and grammar series.
- Learn English with Bob the Canadian · Canadian · everyday-topic lessons, often filmed outdoors · 20–60 minutes · automatic subtitles, sometimes manual. Bob speaks slowly and clearly and uploads two or three videos a week.
- English with Jennifer · American · grammar and vocabulary lessons, live pronunciation practice · 5 minutes to an hour · subtitles written by people on many lessons. Some lessons are marked with their level, for example "A2 grammar".
- Peppa Pig — Official Channel · British · cartoon episodes and compilations · from a few minutes to two-hour compilations · automatic subtitles. A children's show, but simple sentences, clear voices and everyday situations make it good listening practice at A1–A2.
YouTube channels for intermediate learners (B1–B2)
- English with Lucy · British · vocabulary, pronunciation, everyday phrases · around 10–15 minutes · subtitles written by people on many videos. Lucy says her own courses are for B1–C2; the free videos sit in the same range.
- Speak English With Vanessa · American · conversation practice, "speak with me" and daily-life lessons · 20–45 minutes · automatic subtitles. Good for listening to natural, unhurried American speech.
- engVid · a group of teachers, each with a channel: English with Emma, Adam's English Lessons, English with James · one topic per lesson, at a whiteboard. Lessons are clearly scoped: confusing verbs, writing at work, fast speech.
- Learn English with Harry · British English · expressions and vocabulary for speaking and writing · 10–20 minutes · subtitles written by people. Harry says the channel is for intermediate to advanced learners.
- Learn English With TV Series · American and British, depending on the show · scenes from films, series and podcasts, explained line by line · 15–30 minutes · automatic subtitles. Good if you want to understand films without subtitles one day.
YouTube channels for advanced learners (C1 and above)
- Luke's English Podcast · British · long podcast episodes about language, culture and stories · often 1.5–2.5 hours · mostly automatic subtitles. A podcast for learners since 2009; the length is the point: real, unscripted speech for a long time.
- TED-Ed · various · animated lessons about science, history, language · around 5 minutes · subtitles written by people, often in several languages. Short and dense: a good test of whether you understand academic English.
- TED · speakers from all over the world · talks · 5–20 minutes · subtitles written by people on many talks. A good way to get used to many accents, not just British and American.
- CrashCourse · American · fast-paced courses on science, history and more · around 10–15 minutes · subtitles written by people. Fast speech and dense vocabulary, close to what you would hear in a lecture.
- Rachel's English · American · pronunciation, how native speakers really talk · short lessons and long live sessions · the author says every video has captions. Useful at any level, but it pays off most once you already understand a lot and want to sound natural.
More channels worth a look
Shorter notes, same check: all of them uploaded in the last six months.
- Easy British English: street interviews in Brighton and a podcast, A2–B1.
- Speak English With Tiffani: American, for learners who understand but freeze when speaking, B1–B2.
- English Speaking Success: British, speaking and pronunciation, B1–B2.
- English Addict with Mr Duncan: British, long live streams with chat, B1–B2.
- English Like A Native: British, everyday phrases, stories, live lessons, B2–C1.
- Learn English with Gill, English with Alex, English with Ronnie: more engVid teachers, A2–C1.
- Learn English with Papa Teach Me: British pronunciation and slang in short videos, B1–C1.
- Everyday Australian English with Lauren: Australian, slow listening and shadowing practice, A2–B1.
- Simple English Videos: topic vocabulary (climate, everyday life) and weekly live conversation sessions, B1–B2.
- Accent's Way English with Hadar: American pronunciation from a non-native coach, B2–C1.
- Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell: animated science, a good C1 listening test.
By accent: British, American, Australian
- British: BBC Learning English, English with Lucy, Learn English with Harry, Luke's English Podcast, Easy British English, English Speaking Success, Mr Duncan, English Like A Native, Papa Teach Me.
- American: English with Jennifer, Speak English With Vanessa, CrashCourse, Rachel's English, Speak English With Tiffani, Accent's Way English with Hadar.
- Canadian: Bob the Canadian and the engVid teachers Emma, Adam and James.
- Australian: Everyday Australian English with Lauren.
- Many accents at once: TED and TED-Ed.
If explanations in English are still hard to follow, switch this article to your language at the top of the page: each language version lists teachers who explain English in that language.
From watching to vocabulary: import any video into WordStudy
Watching alone gives you exposure. Words stick when you go back to them. WordStudy takes the subtitles of a video and turns them into a list of words to learn, with the level and a translation for each. The video needs English subtitles; automatic ones are fine.
Swipe to see every step. The example is a real video: What can science tell us about the pain of a broken heart? ⏲️ 6 Minute English (BBC Learning English). The numbers and words are what the app found in it.
No subtitles on the video? Open it on YouTube, tap … → Show transcript, copy the text and paste it into the import.
This list is checked again every quarter: channels that stop uploading are removed, new ones are added.
