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cine

SEE-nay/ˈsi.ne/

“cine” means “movie theater” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

movie theater, cinema

Also: picture house
NounmA1
Mexico
A brightly lit, classic movie theater building entrance at night with large double doors and a prominent marquee.

📝 In Action

Vamos al cine esta noche para ver la nueva película.

A1

We are going to the movie theater tonight to see the new film.

El cine de mi barrio es muy antiguo pero tiene mucha personalidad.

A2

The movie theater in my neighborhood is very old but has a lot of character.

¿Prefieres ir al cine o ver una serie en casa?

A1

Do you prefer going to the movies or watching a series at home?

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • sala de cine (movie hall)
  • multiplex (multiplex (multi-screen cinema))

Common Collocations

  • ir al cine – to go to the movies
  • entrada de cine – movie ticket

film, cinema

Also: moviemaking
NounmB1
A vintage film projector operating in a dark room, casting a bright rectangular beam of light onto a large white screen.

📝 In Action

El cine español ha ganado muchos premios internacionales.

B1

Spanish cinema (film industry) has won many international awards.

Estudió la historia del cine clásico en la universidad.

B2

He studied the history of classic film in college.

Para mí, el cine es la forma de arte más influyente del siglo XX.

B2

For me, cinema is the most influential art form of the 20th century.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • cinematografía (cinematography)
  • películas (movies/films)

Common Collocations

  • crítico de cine – film critic
  • género de cine – film genre

Idioms & Expressions

  • el séptimo arte – cinema/film (referring to it as an art form)

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "cine" in Spanish:

cinema→film→movie theater→moviemaking→picture house→

✏️ 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

👥 Word Family▼
película(film/movie) — Noun
cinematográfico(cinematic) — Adjective
cinéfilo(movie lover/cinephile) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

This word is a shortened, modern form of the much longer word 'cinematógrafo' (cinematograph). The original word comes from combining two ancient Greek roots: 'kinema' (meaning movement) and 'graphein' (meaning to write or draw). So, 'cine' literally means 'drawing movement' or 'recording movement'.

First recorded: Late 19th/Early 20th century (in its shortened form)

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: cinemaFrench: cinémaEnglish: cinema

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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.