película
/peˈlikula/feminine
The English word "movie" is translated into Spanish as película. Wiktionary also lists filme.
Meaning: motion picture (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| película | /peˈlikula/ | feminine |
| filme | /ˈfilme/ | masculine |
The term is used to refer to a motion picture.
Which one should you use?
While both película and filme mean movie, película is the standard everyday term, whereas filme is more formal and less common in spoken Spanish.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
filme is used in more formal or academic contexts, such as film criticism or cinema studies.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, the informal expression pelis is commonly used. In Argentina, the word film may be used in formal or specialized contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of película is las películas.
How do you pronounce it?
/peˈlikula/
Did you know?
- The word película is a diminutive of the Latin word pellis, meaning 'skin'. This refers to the thin skin or membrane of the physical film strip used in early cinema.
- In some contexts, the word película can be used metaphorically to describe a long, complicated, or dramatic story, similar to how English speakers might describe a 'saga'.
- In Spanish, película is also the word used for a 'thin layer' or 'film' of something, such as a thin layer of oil on water.
Examples in context
- Ya vi esa película.I've already seen that movie.This sentence is useful for saying you have already seen a specific película.Tatoeba #1891218 by hayastan, translation #1891165 by CK
- La película me gustó.I enjoyed the movie.This sentence is useful for expressing that you enjoyed a película.Tatoeba #928535 by Shishir, translation #5958381 by CK
- Vi una película ayer.I saw a movie yesterday.This sentence is useful for stating that you saw a película yesterday.Tatoeba #13046058 by ecorralest101, translation #10713880 by quoctrong018
- Vamos a ver una película esta nocheLet's watch a movie tonight
- ¿Quieres ver una peli esta tarde?Do you want to watch a movie this afternoon?
- La nueva película fue aclamada por la crítica.The new movie was critically acclaimed.
- ¿Vamos al cine a ver una peli?Shall we go to the cinema to watch a movie?
- 383 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and María are deciding what to watch on TV.
- Javier¿Quieres ver una película de acción?Do you want to watch an action movie?
- MaríaNo, prefiero una película de terror.No, I prefer a horror movie.
- JavierEstá bien, busquemos una película así.All right, let's look for a movie like that.
- MaríaPerfecto, María elige la película hoy.Perfect, María chooses the movie today.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “movie” translations and entries película, filme, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries filme, película, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
