vi una película
/bi una pelikula/from spelling rules
vi una película is the Spanish way to say "I watched a movie".
This phrase is used to state that you viewed a motion picture in the past. While English distinguishes between "seeing" and "watching," Spanish speakers commonly use the verb ver (to see) to mean "to watch" when referring to movies or television.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase contains the noun película, which means "movie."
Which one should you use?
In Spanish, you use the verb ver to express the act of watching a movie, whereas English uses the specific verb "to watch."
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, you might hear the abbreviation vi una peli instead of the full form vi una película.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase una película uses the feminine indefinite article una to agree with the feminine noun película. Note that película means "movie," while cinta is another word for "film."
Did you know?
- The word película literally means 'little skin'. This refers to the thin strips of celluloid used in early film, which felt like animal skin.
- In some Latin American countries, the word película is used colloquially to describe a chaotic or exaggerated situation, similar to saying something is 'like a movie'.
- The term cinta is often used in place of película in parts of South America, even though it literally translates to 'ribbon' or 'tape'.
Examples in context
- Vi una película por la mañana.I watched a movie in the morning.This sentence is useful for stating when you watched the movie during the day.Tatoeba #13710266 by ecorralest101, translation #13710262 by frpzzd
- Vi una película ayer por la tarde.I watched a movie yesterday afternoon.This sentence is useful for specifying that the movie was watched yesterday afternoon.Tatoeba #4575415 by mervert1, translation #3826920 by CK
- Vi una película de acción.I watched an action movie.
- Vi una película muy aburrida.I watched a very boring movie.
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are talking about their weekend plans.
- Daniel¿Qué hiciste el sábado?What did you do on Saturday?
- LucíaVi una película en casa.I watched a movie at home.
- Daniel¿Te gustó la historia?Did you like the story?
- LucíaSí, fue muy emocionante.Yes, it was very exciting.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries película, una, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
