Vocabulary · Free time
Cinema in English
A2
Cinema in English: films and genres, the people who make them, the words you need at the cinema and the verbs to talk about a film, with the UK and US words. With British pronunciation (IPA) and examples.
Quick answer
Films and genres
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| movie / film(n.)“Let's watch a movie!” | a story you watch on a screen | /ˈmuːvi/ |
| comedy(n.) | a funny film | /ˈkɒmədi/ |
| drama(n.) | a serious film about real feelings | /ˈdrɑːmə/ |
| thriller(n.) | an exciting film full of suspense | /ˈθrɪlə/ |
| horror movie(n.) | a scary film with monsters or ghosts | /ˈhɒrə ˈmuːvi/ |
| action movie(n.) | a film with fights and chases | /ˈækʃən ˈmuːvi/ |
| animated movie(n.) | a film made with drawings or computers | /ˈænɪmeɪtɪd/ |
| romantic(adj.) | about love | /rəʊˈmæntɪk/ |
People
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| actor(n.) | a person who acts in films | /ˈæktə/ |
| actress(n.) | a woman who acts in films | /ˈæktrɪs/ |
| director(n.) | the person in charge of making a film | /dɪˈrektə/ |
| star(n.) | a very famous actor or actress | /stɑː/ |
| audience(n.) | the people watching a film or show | /ˈɔːdiəns/ |
At the cinema
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| cinema / movie theater(n.) | where you watch films on a big screen | /ˈsɪnəmə/ |
| ticket(n.) | the paper or code you need to enter | /ˈtɪkɪt/ |
| seat(n.) | the chair you sit on | /siːt/ |
| screen(n.) | the big white surface for the film | /skriːn/ |
| popcorn(n.) | a light, salty or sweet snack | /ˈpɒpkɔːn/ |
| trailer(n.) | a short video of a new film | /ˈtreɪlə/ |
Verbs and useful words
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| to watch(v.) | to look at something for a time | /wɒtʃ/ |
| to see a movie(v.) | to go to the cinema for a film | /siː ə ˈmuːvi/ |
| subtitles(n.) | words at the bottom of the screen | /ˈsʌbtaɪtəlz/ |
| soundtrack(n.) | the music of a film | /ˈsaʊndtræk/ |
| plot(n.) | the story of a film | /plɒt/ |
A common mistake
Movie (US) or film (UK)?
US: movie. UK: film. Everybody understands both. For the place, say movie theater (US) or cinema (UK).
Practice quiz
Going further
The “Cinema” topic is part of the contest vocabulary
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For teachers“Cinema” vocabulary, ready for your lessons
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Frequently asked questions
Is it movie or film?+
Movie is more American and film is more British. Everybody understands both words. Movie is also very common in everyday speech.
What is the difference between see a movie and watch a movie?+
See a movie often means you go to the cinema. Watch a movie often means at home, on TV or on a screen. The difference is small, and people often use both in the same way.
How do you say what kind of films you like?+
Use I like + a plural: I like action films (UK) or I like action movies (US). Genres are in the plural: comedies, dramas, horror films. You can also say My favourite genre is comedy.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/vocabulary/cinema
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.