cortometraje
/koɾtomeˈtɾaxe/masculine
The English phrase "short film" is translated into Spanish as cortometraje. Wiktionary also lists corto.
Meaning: motion picture (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cortometraje | /koɾtomeˈtɾaxe/ | masculine |
| corto | /ˈkoɾto/ | masculine |
Both cortometraje and corto are used to refer to a motion picture that is short in length.
What does it mean word for word?
The word cortometraje is a compound of corto, meaning short and metraje, meaning footage.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, it is common to use corto to refer to a short film.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the plural "short films", use cortometrajes.
How do you pronounce it?
/koɾtomeˈtɾaxe/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, if you ask for a corto at a cafe, you might be asking for a coffee with very little milk rather than a short film.
- While cortometraje refers to a film, the word metraje comes from the French concept of measuring film by the meter. This reflects an era when film length was physically measured rather than timed by seconds.
- The term cortometraje was not created independently in Spanish but is a partial calque of the French term court-métrage.
Examples in context
- El festival de cine presentará una selección de cortometrajes de diferentes géneros y países.The film festival will showcase a selection of short films from different genres and countries.
- Anoche vimos un cortito muy bueno que nos hizo reír carcajadas.Last night, we watched a really good short film that made us laugh out loud.
- ¿Qué opinas de los cortos españoles en el último festival de cine?What do you think of the Spanish short films at the latest film festival?
- Me gusta mucho ese cortometraje.I really like that short film.
- Ese cortometraje es muy emocionante.That short film is very exciting.
- He ganado un premio por mi primer cortometraje.I have won an award for my first short film.
- ¿Viste el cortometraje que pasaron ayer?Did you see the short film they showed yesterday?
Example conversation
Lucía and Daniel are discussing a film festival at a cafe.
- LucíaDaniel, ¿te gustó el cortometraje de la gala?Daniel, did you like the short film from the gala?
- DanielSí, el cortometraje fue una obra de arte.Yes, the short film was a work of art.
- LucíaMe alegra que te haya gustado tanto.I am glad you liked it so much.
- DanielEs el mejor que he visto este año.It is the best one I have seen this year.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “short film” translations and entries cortometraje, corto, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries corto, cortometraje, CC BY-SA 4.0.
