cine
/SEE-nay/
movie theater
The word cine can refer to the building itself: the movie theater.
cine(noun)
movie theater
?The building where films are shown
,cinema
?The physical venue
picture house
?Less common, regional
📝 In Action
Vamos al cine esta noche para ver la nueva película.
A1We are going to the movie theater tonight to see the new film.
El cine de mi barrio es muy antiguo pero tiene mucha personalidad.
A2The movie theater in my neighborhood is very old but has a lot of character.
¿Prefieres ir al cine o ver una serie en casa?
A1Do you prefer going to the movies or watching a series at home?
💡 Grammar Points
Always Masculine
Even though 'cine' ends in an 'e', it is always a masculine noun because it is a shortened form of 'cinematógrafo'. Use 'el cine'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the wrong article
Mistake: "La cine está cerrado."
Correction: El cine está cerrado. (Remember, it's always masculine: el.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Using 'Al'
When talking about going to the movie theater, you almost always contract 'a el' to 'al': 'Voy al cine'.
Cine also means the film or the art form of cinema itself.
cine(noun)
film
?The art or medium of movies
,cinema
?The movie industry as a whole
moviemaking
?The process of making films
📝 In Action
El cine español ha ganado muchos premios internacionales.
B1Spanish cinema (film industry) has won many international awards.
Estudió la historia del cine clásico en la universidad.
B2He studied the history of classic film in college.
Para mí, el cine es la forma de arte más influyente del siglo XX.
B2For me, cinema is the most influential art form of the 20th century.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'del cine'
When you want to describe something related to film (like a genre or a career), you often use the preposition 'de' (of) combined with the article 'el' to form 'del cine': 'director del cine'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Art vs. Place
Think of 'el cine' as the general concept of movies, similar to how we talk about 'the music' or 'the literature,' not just the physical location.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: cine
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'cine' to refer to the *industry or art form*, rather than the physical building?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
If 'cine' ends in 'e', why is it 'el cine' (masculine)?
Great question! Most words ending in 'e' can be masculine or feminine, but 'cine' is an exception. It’s masculine because it’s a shortened form of 'el cinematógrafo,' which is a clearly masculine word. Think of it as a nickname that kept the original word's gender.