🎬 Movies - Películas

Aa ⏱ ≈ 17 minutes

Beginner Spanish · Movies and the cinema

Talking About Movies in Spanish

Movie Spanish becomes useful when you can say what kinds of films you like, choose something to watch, invite someone to the cinema, and ask about tickets and showtimes.

Your next small win: name common movie genres, use ver and gustar, choose a movie with someone, and handle a simple cinema visit.

Start with the movie

Core Movie Vocabulary

These words help you talk about movies, people involved in them, and a basic trip to the cinema.

película
Movie / film
cine
Cinema / movie theater
actor / actriz
Actor / actress
director / directora
Director
entrada / boleto
Ticket
palomitas
Popcorn

Regional note: entrada and boleto can both mean ticket. Usage varies by region.

Name four movie words

Say “movie, cinema, actor, and ticket” in Spanish.

Say what you like to watch

Movie Genres and Gustar

Use me gusta with one movie or genre idea. Use me gustan with plural películas.

comedia
Comedy
película de acción
Action movie
película de terror
Horror movie
ciencia ficción
Science fiction
película romántica
Romantic movie
documental
Documentary
Me gustan las películas de acción.
I like action movies.
Me encanta la ciencia ficción.
I love science fiction.
¿Qué tipo de películas te gustan?
What kind of movies do you like?
¿Cuál es tu película favorita?
What is your favorite movie?
¿Quién es tu actor favorito?
Who is your favorite actor?

Gustar reminder: películas is plural, so say me gustan las películas. With a singular noun such as la ciencia ficción, use me gusta or me encanta.

Talk about movie preferences

Say that you like action movies and love science fiction, then ask what kinds of movies someone likes.

More movie genres
película de suspenso
Thriller
película de animación
Animated movie

Choose something to watch

Using Ver and Querer

Use ver for watching a movie. Combine it with querer when talking about what you want to watch.

Quiero ver una película.
I want to watch a movie.
¿Quieres ver una película esta noche?
Do you want to watch a movie tonight?
¿Qué tipo de película quieres ver?
What kind of movie do you want to watch?
Quiero ver una comedia.
I want to watch a comedy.
Prefiero una película de ciencia ficción.
I prefer a science fiction movie.

Choosing a movie

A
¿Quieres ver una película esta noche?
Do you want to watch a movie tonight?
B
Sí. ¿Qué tipo de película quieres ver?
Yes. What kind of movie do you want to watch?
A
Me gustan las películas de ciencia ficción.
I like science fiction movies.
B
Perfecto. Vamos a ver una.
Perfect. Let's watch one.

Choose tonight's movie

Ask whether someone wants to watch a movie tonight, then say that you prefer a comedy.

Go to the cinema

Tickets, Showtimes, and Seats

These phrases cover the most useful parts of a simple cinema visit without turning the lesson into a payment lesson.

taquilla
Ticket office
función
Showing / screening
asiento
Seat
pantalla
Screen
¿Quieres ir al cine este fin de semana?
Do you want to go to the movies this weekend?
¿A qué hora empieza la película?
What time does the movie start?
Empieza a las ocho.
It starts at eight.
Dos entradas para la función de las ocho, por favor.
Two tickets for the eight o'clock showing, please.

At the cinema

A
¿A qué hora empieza la película?
What time does the movie start?
B
Empieza a las ocho.
It starts at eight.
A
Dos entradas para la función de las ocho, por favor.
Two tickets for the eight o'clock showing, please.

Lesson boundary: this lesson focuses on choosing a movie and navigating the cinema. Detailed payment methods and checkout language belong in the Making Payments lesson.

Plan a cinema visit

Invite someone to the cinema, ask what time the movie starts, and request two tickets for the eight o'clock showing.

Your turn · 8 quick questions

Practice: Movies and the Cinema

Choose the answer that best fits each situation. Focus on movie genres, preferences, choosing a film, showtimes, and tickets.

Audio uses your device's Spanish text-to-speech voice. Listen to each phrase, then practice discussing movie preferences, choosing something to watch, and going to the cinema.