cinema
/ˈt͡ʃi.ne.ma/masculine
The Italian word for cinema is cinema.
The word cinema is used to refer to both the physical movie theatre and the art of filmmaking, much like the English word 'cinema'. To express the idea of going to see a movie at a theatre, the standard phrase used is andare al cinema.
Meaning: a film/movie theatre (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
cinema is an invariable masculine noun, meaning it does not change its form when it becomes plural. For example, the plural form is i cinema.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables and the stress is on the 1st syllable. The IPA is /ˈtʃi.ne.ma/.
Did you know?
- While cinema refers to the building, the physical reel of movie film is called pellicola, which literally translates to 'small skin'.
- The world-famous Venice Film Festival celebrates the art of cinema by awarding the 'Golden Lion', a symbol tied to the city of Venice.
- The word cinema entered the Italian language as a loanword from the French cinéma.
Examples in context
- Io amo il cinema.I love cinema.This sentence is useful for expressing a personal preference for the art of film using cinema.Tatoeba #2365102 by Guybrush88, translation #2365100 by BE
- Non vai al cinema?Aren't you going to the cinema?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is going to the theatre using cinema.Tatoeba #6962368 by Guybrush88, translation #8875108 by LeeSooHa
- Non siamo al cinema.We are not at the cinema.This sentence is useful for stating that someone is not currently at the theatre using cinema.Tatoeba #2137587 by Guybrush88, translation #2582110 by Balamax
- Andiamo a vedere un filmLet's go see a movie
- Hai visto il film 'La Vita è Bella'?Have you seen the movie 'Life is Beautiful'?
- Andiamo tutti insieme al cinema stasera?Shall we all go to the cinema together tonight?
- Mi piacciono molto i film romanticiI really like romantic movies
- Il cinema si trova in centro cittàThe cinema is located in the city center
- 78 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Francesco and Chiara are deciding what to do on a Friday evening.
- FrancescoAndiamo al cinema stasera?Are we going to the cinema tonight?
- ChiaraSì, mi piacerebbe molto.Yes, I would really like that.
- FrancescoC'è un nuovo film al cinema.There is a new movie at the cinema.
- ChiaraOttima idea, Francesco.Great idea, Francesco.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cinema” translations and entries cinema, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cinema, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
