Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| фильм | filʹm | [fʲilʲm] (narrow) | masculine |
| кинофи́льм | kinofílʹm | masculine | |
| кинокарти́на | kinokartína | feminine | |
| карти́на | kartína | feminine |
The most common way to refer to a single motion picture is фильм. You can also use кинофильм to mean 'motion picture'. If you are talking about the medium of cinema or 'the movies' in general, the word кино can be used as a collective noun. To refer to the physical venue where movies are shown, use the word кинотеатр.
What does it mean word for word?
The word кинофильм is a compound formed from кино (cinema) and фильм (film).
Which one should you use?
While фильм is the standard term, кинокарти́на is a more formal or professional way to refer to a film, often used in journalism or film criticism. The word карти́на can also be used in this context.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine noun фильм changes to фильма in the genitive case, which is used to show possession or after certain words such as 'нет' (there is no).
How do you pronounce it?
filʹm
Did you know?
- The term кино is actually a shortened version of the word кинематограф, which originates from Greek roots meaning 'movement' and 'writing'.
- While фильм is the standard word, using карти́на suggests the movie is a work of high art rather than just entertainment.
- In the Soviet era, кино was treated with such importance that it was often spoken of almost like a proper noun to represent the entire state industry.
Examples in context
- О чём был фильм?What was the movie about?This sentence asks about the subject of the фильм.Tatoeba #12961873 by marafon, translation #9705048 by CK
- Что это за фильм?What movie is this?This sentence asks to identify which фильм is being discussed.Tatoeba #7813037 by marafon, translation #6781708 by CK
- Мы пошли на фильм.We went to a movie.This sentence describes going to see a фильм.Tatoeba #2557234 by paul_lingvo, translation #2214146 by Hybrid
- Давай пойдем в кино!Let's go to the movies!
- 976 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ekaterina and Sergey are discussing a cinema visit.
- Екатерина EkaterinaТы хочешь посмотреть этот фильм?Ty khochesh' posmotret' etot fil'm?Do you want to watch this movie?
- Сергей SergeyДа, я слышал, что он очень хороший.Da, ya slyshal, chto on ochen' khoroshiy.Yes, I heard that it is very good.
- Екатерина EkaterinaТогда купим билеты на вечер.Togda kupim bilety na vecher.Then let's buy tickets for the evening.
- Сергей SergeyОтлично, Сергей согласен!Otlichno, Sergey soglasen!Great, Sergey agrees!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “movie” translations and entries фильм, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
