Movie in Different Languages
Discover 'Movie' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Movies have been a significant part of our cultural landscape for over a century. They have the power to entertain, educate, and inspire us, providing a window into different worlds and perspectives. From classic films to the latest blockbusters, movies are a universal language that transcends borders and cultures.
Understanding the translation of the word 'movie' in different languages can provide insight into how this art form is perceived and valued around the world. For example, in Spanish, a movie is called 'película,' while in French, it's 'film.' In Mandarin, the word for movie is '电影' (diàn yǐng), which literally translates to 'electric shadow.' In German, a movie is called 'Film,' and in Russian, it's 'фильм' (fil'm).
By exploring the translations of the word 'movie,' we can gain a deeper appreciation for the cultural significance of this art form and the diverse ways in which it is experienced around the world.
Movie
Movie in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | fliek | ||
| The Afrikaans word "fliek" derives from the Dutch word "flick" meaning "flicker" or "quick movement", referring to the movement of the frames in a film projector. | |||
| Amharic | ፊልም | ||
| The word "ፊልም" can also mean "film" in the context of photography. | |||
| Hausa | fim | ||
| Fim also means "dream" in Hausa, due to the idea of a movie taking the viewer to another world. | |||
| Igbo | ihe nkiri | ||
| The Igbo word 'ihe nkiri' literally translates to 'thing that shows' or 'thing that is seen', reflecting its origins as a medium for visual storytelling. | |||
| Malagasy | sarimihetsika | ||
| The word "sarimihetsika" was originally Malagasy for magic lantern. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kanema | ||
| The word "kanema" can also be used to refer to a play or any other type of performance. | |||
| Shona | bhaisikopo | ||
| The Shona word 'bhaisikopo' is derived from the Afrikaans word 'bioskoop' which means 'cinema'. | |||
| Somali | filim | ||
| The word "filim" comes from the Arabic word "film" and originally referred to a photographic film rather than a motion picture. | |||
| Sesotho | filimi | ||
| The word "filimi" in Sesotho derives from the English word "film" and also means "cinema". | |||
| Swahili | sinema | ||
| The Swahili word "sinema" is derived from the English word "cinema" and can also mean "performance" or "entertainment." | |||
| Xhosa | imuvi | ||
| In conversational Xhosa, "imuvi" can also refer to a theatrical play, a TV show, or just any type of filmed storytelling. | |||
| Yoruba | fiimu | ||
| The Yoruba word "fiimu" derives from the phrase "fiimu leti," meaning "to capture images." | |||
| Zulu | ibhayisikobho | ||
| The word 'ibhayisikobho' is derived from the verb 'ukubhaya', meaning 'to frighten', and the noun 'isikobho', meaning 'a drum'. This suggests that movies were once seen as a form of entertainment that could frighten and thrill audiences. | |||
| Bambara | filimu | ||
| Ewe | sinii | ||
| Kinyarwanda | firime | ||
| Lingala | filme | ||
| Luganda | omuzanyo | ||
| Sepedi | mmobi | ||
| Twi (Akan) | sini | ||
Movie in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | فيلم | ||
| In Arabic, "فيلم" can also refer to a thin layer or membrane, such as the transparent coating on a window. | |||
| Hebrew | סרט | ||
| סרט also means a "strip" in Hebrew, like a strip of paper. | |||
| Pashto | فلم | ||
| The word “فلم” (“movie”) in Pashto is derived from the Arabic word “film” which means “a thin layer or skin” and is used in Pashto specifically to refer to the thin layer of celluloid in a movie projector. | |||
| Arabic | فيلم | ||
| In Arabic, "فيلم" can also refer to a thin layer or membrane, such as the transparent coating on a window. | |||
Movie in Western European Languages
| Albanian | film | ||
| The word filmi is also used by Albanian people to mean “tape”, in the sense that something was taped or recorded. | |||
| Basque | filma | ||
| The Basque word "filma" derives from the French word "film" but also has a broader meaning, referring to any type of performance, show, or entertainment. | |||
| Catalan | pel·lícula | ||
| "Pel·lícula" means "movie" in Catalan and "thin layer" in Spanish, and comes from the Latin word "pellis", meaning "skin". | |||
| Croatian | film | ||
| The word "film" is derived from the Latin word "filtrum" meaning "thread" or "sieve" and ultimately from Greek word "phyllon" meaning "leaf". | |||
| Danish | film | ||
| In Danish, the word "film" primarily means "skin", hence the term "strip of film". | |||
| Dutch | film | ||
| In Dutch, the word "film" also refers to the thin layer that coats the surface of liquids or forms on top of solutions. | |||
| English | movie | ||
| The term "movie" is derived from the acronym "moving picture" from the early days of film. | |||
| French | film | ||
| In French film does not just mean "movie" but also "thin skin" or "coating" as in a layer of something covering something else, as on a camera or a liquid spread on water. | |||
| Frisian | film | ||
| The Frisian word "film" can also refer to a thin, transparent layer or a membrane. | |||
| Galician | película | ||
| In Galician "película" is an ambiguous word that also refers to a thin skin formed on the surface of a liquid. | |||
| German | film | ||
| The German word "Film" originates from the Latin term "pellicula," referring to "skin" or "thin layer." | |||
| Icelandic | kvikmynd | ||
| The Icelandic word "kvikmynd" literally means "quick image" and was originally used to describe moving pictures. | |||
| Irish | scannán | ||
| Italian | film | ||
| The Italian word 'film' can also refer to the thin layer of material covering a photographic plate. | |||
| Luxembourgish | film | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "Film" can also mean "skin" or "membrane". | |||
| Maltese | film | ||
| The Maltese word for film, "ċinema", is also the name of the building in which films are projected. | |||
| Norwegian | film | ||
| The Norwegian word "film", in addition to "movie", can also refer to a thin membrane covering a surface, transparent or opaque. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | filme | ||
| The word "filme" in Portuguese can also mean "thin layer" or "membrane". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | film | ||
| "Film" (in the sense of movie) is borrowed from English and pronounced "film", but also has the native Gaelic form "filme". | |||
| Spanish | película | ||
| The word "película" in Spanish originally meant "skin" or "peel", referring to the thin layer of photographic emulsion on early film. | |||
| Swedish | film | ||
| The word "film" originates from the Latin word "pellicula", meaning "skin" or "thin layer". | |||
| Welsh | ffilm | ||
| Fflim derives from the Latin word 'filum', meaning thread, and can refer to both film as a medium and a movie as a narrative. | |||
Movie in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | фільм | ||
| The word "фільм" (film) in Belarusian can also mean "photographic film" or "the membrane that covers the eye". | |||
| Bosnian | film | ||
| The Bosnian word for "film" ("film") is derived from the German word "Film", which originally referred to a thin layer or coating. | |||
| Bulgarian | филм | ||
| The Bulgarian word for "movie", "филм", also means "layer". This dual meaning is derived from the word's shared etymology with the Greek word "phylé", meaning "tribe" or "group of people." | |||
| Czech | film | ||
| In Czech, the word "film" can also refer to the photographic emulsion coating on a roll of film. | |||
| Estonian | film | ||
| The Estonian word for "film" ("film" or "filmi") also means "membrane" or "layer". | |||
| Finnish | elokuva | ||
| The word "elokuva" is derived from the words "elää" (to live) and "kuva" (image), capturing the idea of a moving picture. | |||
| Hungarian | film | ||
| The word film is derived from the Latin word "pellicula", meaning "skin" or "thin layer". | |||
| Latvian | filma | ||
| The word "filma" in Latvian comes from the French word "film" and also has the meaning of "film strip" in the context of photography. | |||
| Lithuanian | filmas | ||
| The Lithuanian word "filmas" likely derives from the German "Film", or the English "film". | |||
| Macedonian | филм | ||
| In Russian, "филм" refers specifically to photographic film, while "фильм" is used for movies. | |||
| Polish | film | ||
| "Film" comes from the Latin "filum," meaning "thread" or "cord," and was a type of thin plastic strip first used in the mid-19th century to make images for early photographic cameras and devices like the magic lantern. | |||
| Romanian | film | ||
| In Romanian, "film" also means "a thin layer of something on a surface" or "a membrane covering a cell or organ." | |||
| Russian | кино | ||
| The Russian word "кино" is derived from the Greek word "κίνημα" (kínima), meaning "movement". | |||
| Serbian | филм | ||
| "Филм" in Serbian can also mean "cover" or "veil" in the context of wrapping or covering something. | |||
| Slovak | film | ||
| In Slovak, "film" can also refer to a layer or coating, such as a layer of dust or paint. | |||
| Slovenian | film | ||
| The Slovenian word "film" also refers to a thin layer or coating, similar to the English usage. | |||
| Ukrainian | фільм | ||
| In Ukrainian, the word "фільм" (film) also refers to a type of transparent, adhesive tape used for packaging. | |||
Movie in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | সিনেমা | ||
| In Bengali, the word 'সিনেমা' not only means 'movie' but also refers to the movie theatre itself. | |||
| Gujarati | મૂવી | ||
| "મૂવી" (movie) in Gujarati, derived from the English word, also refers to 'acting' or 'play' in a stage drama. | |||
| Hindi | चलचित्र | ||
| "चलचित्र" is a compound word derived from "चल" (move) and "चित्र" (picture), indicating a moving picture. | |||
| Kannada | ಚಲನಚಿತ್ರ | ||
| Malayalam | സിനിമ | ||
| The word "സിനിമ" in Malayalam comes from the French word "cinéma". | |||
| Marathi | चित्रपट | ||
| चित्रपट (citrapat), directly translating to "painted cloth," refers to movies but also traditionally means a painted cloth or a theater curtain. | |||
| Nepali | चलचित्र | ||
| The word 'चलचित्र' is derived from Sanskrit and literally means 'moving picture'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਫਿਲਮ | ||
| The word "ਫਿਲਮ" (film) also refers to the actual strips of coated plastic used in movie cameras. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | චිත්රපටය | ||
| The word "චිත්රපටය" literally means "a series of pictures" in Sinhala, highlighting its connection to the visual nature of the medium. | |||
| Tamil | திரைப்படம் | ||
| The Tamil word 'திரைப்படம்' is a compound word that means 'curtain cloth'. The term is also used to refer to the art and process of making movies. | |||
| Telugu | సినిమా | ||
| The word "సినిమా" ("movie") in Telugu is derived from the Greek word "kinēma," meaning "movement." | |||
| Urdu | فلم | ||
| The word "فلم" can also mean "photograph" in Urdu. | |||
Movie in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 电影 | ||
| 电影 can also refer to the film industry, a particular film, or the process of filmmaking. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 電影 | ||
| "電影" in Chinese is a compound of "電" (electricity) and "影" (image). It initially meant "moving image," but since the advent of radio it exclusively refers to movies. | |||
| Japanese | 映画 | ||
| The term "映画" literally means "shadow pictures" in Japanese, a reference to the original use of moving images to create shadows on a screen. | |||
| Korean | 영화 | ||
| The word "영화" is derived from the Japanese word "映畫" (eiga), which means "moving picture". | |||
| Mongolian | кино | ||
| The Mongolian word 'кино' also means 'projection' or 'display'. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ရုပ်ရှင် | ||
Movie in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | film | ||
| Film, which means "membrane" in Indonesian, got its name from the thin layer of silver halide emulsion coated on the celluloid base in traditional film cameras. | |||
| Javanese | film | ||
| The Javanese word 'filem' is derived from the Dutch word 'film' and originally meant 'a thin layer' or 'a membrane'. | |||
| Khmer | ខ្សែភាពយន្ត | ||
| A compound of the words "ខ្សែ" ("film") and "ភាពយន្ត" ("moving image"), so it literally means "film of a moving image". Also means "film" or "video". | |||
| Lao | ຮູບເງົາ | ||
| Malay | filem | ||
| The word "filem" is derived from the French word "film," which means "a thin layer or coating." | |||
| Thai | ภาพยนตร์ | ||
| The word "ภาพยนตร์" (movie) in Thai literally means "film roll". Originally borrowed from English, the word now also refers to any video format. | |||
| Vietnamese | bộ phim | ||
| "Bộ phim" literally means "a group of films" and refers to the collective works of a film director, producer, or actor. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pelikula | ||
Movie in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | film | ||
| In Azerbaijani, "film" means "thin layer" and is also used to refer to "cellophane". | |||
| Kazakh | фильм | ||
| The word "фильм" in Kazakh also means "a thin layer" or "a sheet". | |||
| Kyrgyz | кино | ||
| "Кино" is derived from the French word "cinéma" and also means "hall" or "auditorium" in Kyrgyz. | |||
| Tajik | филм | ||
| The word "филм" is also used to refer to "film" as the thin sheet used in photography. | |||
| Turkmen | film | ||
| Uzbek | kino | ||
| Kino derives from the Greek “kinētós,” which means “movement”. | |||
| Uyghur | movie | ||
Movie in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kiʻi ʻoniʻoni | ||
| The word 'kiʻi ʻoniʻoni' means 'moving picture' in Hawaiian, reflecting its origins as a description of early silent films. | |||
| Maori | kiriata | ||
| The word kiriata comes from the Maori words kiri (skin) and ata (daylight), referring to the skin of animals used as a screen for shadow plays. | |||
| Samoan | tifaga | ||
| ‘Tifaga’ (movie) comes from ‘ti’ (eye) + ‘faga’ (screen), and can also refer to a cinema or film projector. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | pelikula | ||
| "Pelikula" is derived from the Spanish word "película", meaning "film" or "thin skin". | |||
Movie in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | pilikula | ||
| Guarani | ta'ãngamýi | ||
Movie in International Languages
| Esperanto | filmo | ||
| The Esperanto word "filmo" comes from the Greek word "filmos" (meaning "loving" or "fond of") and the suffix "-o" (indicating a person, place, or thing). | |||
| Latin | elit | ||
| The Latin word elit means 'to destroy', and is the origin of the English word 'eliminate'. | |||
Movie in Others Languages
| Greek | ταινία | ||
| "ταινία" originally referred to the ribbon attached to a wreath worn by victorious athletes. | |||
| Hmong | movie | ||
| The term "movie" originated from the Latin word "movere", meaning "to move", referring to the moving images on the screen. | |||
| Kurdish | fîlm | ||
| The word "fîlm" also means "skin" or "membrane" in Kurdish. | |||
| Turkish | film | ||
| The Turkish word "film" can also refer to a thin layer or coating, as in the phrase "ince bir film" (a thin film). | |||
| Xhosa | imuvi | ||
| In conversational Xhosa, "imuvi" can also refer to a theatrical play, a TV show, or just any type of filmed storytelling. | |||
| Yiddish | פֿילם | ||
| The Yiddish word "פֿילם" (film) is derived from the German word "Film", which itself comes from the Latin word "pellicula". In Yiddish, "פֿילם" can also refer to a negative or a photographic plate. | |||
| Zulu | ibhayisikobho | ||
| The word 'ibhayisikobho' is derived from the verb 'ukubhaya', meaning 'to frighten', and the noun 'isikobho', meaning 'a drum'. This suggests that movies were once seen as a form of entertainment that could frighten and thrill audiences. | |||
| Assamese | বোলছৱি | ||
| Aymara | pilikula | ||
| Bhojpuri | मूवी | ||
| Dhivehi | ފިލްމު | ||
| Dogri | मूवी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pelikula | ||
| Guarani | ta'ãngamýi | ||
| Ilocano | pelikula | ||
| Krio | fim | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | فیلم | ||
| Maithili | चलचित्र | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯤꯠꯀꯤ ꯀꯨꯃꯍꯩ | ||
| Mizo | film | ||
| Oromo | fiilmii | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଚଳଚ୍ଚିତ୍ର | ||
| Quechua | pelicula | ||
| Sanskrit | चलचित्रं | ||
| Tatar | кино | ||
| Tigrinya | ፊልሚ | ||
| Tsonga | filimi | ||