Movies and Music Vocabulary in English: Words, Examples and Quiz
From comedies and horror movies to bands, concerts and catchy songs: the words you need to talk about what you watch and listen to, with pronunciation, Turkish translations and real examples.
53 words · By LearnLingo Team · Updated
Tap to hear a word. Pronunciation is American English. Levels follow the CEFR scale. Turkish translations are given as a quick check.
Types of movies
A type of movie or music is called a genre ⁄ˈʒɑːnrə⁄. Most of these words work for TV shows and books too.
| Word | Meaning and example | Turkish |
|---|---|---|
movie ⁄ˈmuːvi⁄ · noun A1 | a story told with moving pictures and sound, shown in a theater or on TV; British English usually says film Do you want to watch a movie tonight? | film |
comedy ⁄ˈkɑːmədi⁄ · noun A2 | a funny movie or show that makes people laugh I need something light. Let's watch a comedy. | komedi |
horror movie ⁄ˈhɔːrɚ ˌmuːvi⁄ · noun A2 | a movie that is meant to frighten you I can't sleep after a horror movie. | korku filmi |
action movie ⁄ˈækʃən ˌmuːvi⁄ · noun A2 | a movie with lots of fights, car chases and exciting scenes My brother loves action movies with big explosions. | aksiyon filmi |
romantic comedy ⁄roʊˌmæntɪk ˈkɑːmədi⁄ · noun B1 | a funny movie about two people falling in love Romantic comedies usually have a happy ending. | romantik komedi |
science fiction ⁄ˌsaɪəns ˈfɪkʃən⁄ · noun B1 | stories about the future, space travel or new technology; often shortened to sci-fi She loves science fiction, especially movies about space. | bilim kurgu |
thriller ⁄ˈθrɪlɚ⁄ · noun B1 | an exciting movie or book, often about crime, that keeps you nervous until the end It's a great thriller. I didn't guess the ending. | gerilim filmi |
cartoon ⁄kɑːrˈtuːn⁄ · noun A2 | a movie or show made with drawings or computer pictures instead of real actors; also called an animated movie The kids are watching cartoons in the living room. | çizgi film |
documentary ⁄ˌdɑːkjəˈmentɚi⁄ · noun B1 | a movie or program that gives true facts about a real subject We watched a documentary about ocean animals. | belgesel |
drama ⁄ˈdrɑːmə⁄ · noun B1 | a serious movie or show about people's lives and feelings It's a family drama set in the 1980s. | dram |
People and parts of a movie
Words for who makes a movie and what is in it. Use them when you recommend a movie to a friend.
| Word | Meaning and example | Turkish |
|---|---|---|
actor ⁄ˈæktɚ⁄ · noun A1 | a person who plays a part in a movie, show or play; actress is also used for women Who's your favorite actor? | oyuncu, aktör |
director ⁄dəˈrektɚ⁄ · noun A2 | the person who controls how a movie is made and tells the actors what to do The director also wrote the story. | yönetmen |
star ⁄stɑːr⁄ · noun A2 | a very famous actor or singer, or the main actor in a movie She became a star after her first movie. | yıldız |
character ⁄ˈkærəktɚ⁄ · noun A2 | a person in a story, movie or book The main character is a young doctor in New York. | karakter |
plot ⁄plɑːt⁄ · noun B1 | the story of a movie or book; what happens in it The plot was too complicated for me. | olay örgüsü, konu |
scene ⁄siːn⁄ · noun B1 | one part of a movie that happens in one place at one time The opening scene is really funny. | sahne |
ending ⁄ˈendɪŋ⁄ · noun A2 | the last part of a story I loved the movie, but the ending was sad. | son |
subtitles ⁄ˈsʌbtaɪtəlz⁄ · noun B1 | words at the bottom of the screen that show what people are saying I watch English movies with English subtitles. | altyazı |
trailer ⁄ˈtreɪlɚ⁄ · noun B1 | a short video that shows parts of a new movie to make people want to see it The trailer looks amazing. I can't wait to see it. | fragman |
sequel ⁄ˈsiːkwəl⁄ · noun B2 | a movie or book that continues the story of an earlier one The sequel isn't as good as the first movie. | devam filmi |
review ⁄rɪˈvjuː⁄ · noun B1 | an article or comment that says if a movie, book or album is good or bad The movie got great reviews. | eleştiri, inceleme |
At the movies
Words for going out to see a movie. For full conversations at the ticket desk, see at the cinema.
| Word | Meaning and example | Turkish |
|---|---|---|
movie theater ⁄ˈmuːvi ˌθiːətɚ⁄ · noun A2 | a building where you pay to watch movies on a big screen; British English says cinema There's a new movie theater in the mall. | sinema |
audience ⁄ˈɔːdiəns⁄ · noun B1 | the group of people watching a movie, show or concert The audience laughed all the way through. | seyirci, izleyici |
popcorn ⁄ˈpɑːpkɔːrn⁄ · noun A2 | a snack made from corn that is heated until it opens Let's get some popcorn before the movie starts. | patlamış mısır |
row ⁄roʊ⁄ · noun B1 | a line of seats next to each other We sat in the back row. | sıra |
sold out ⁄ˌsoʊld ˈaʊt⁄ · adjective B1 | with no tickets left because all of them have been bought Sorry, tonight's show is sold out. | tükenmiş, kapalı gişe |
Music and musicians
Words for the music you like and the people who make it. Names of music styles usually have no article: I like jazz, not I like the jazz.
| Word | Meaning and example | Turkish |
|---|---|---|
song ⁄sɔːŋ⁄ · noun A1 | a short piece of music with words that you sing This is my favorite song right now. | şarkı |
pop ⁄pɑːp⁄ · noun A2 | modern popular music, usually with simple, happy tunes My sister only listens to pop. | pop müzik |
rock ⁄rɑːk⁄ · noun A2 | loud music with electric guitars and drums My dad still loves old rock songs. | rock müzik |
jazz ⁄dʒæz⁄ · noun A2 | music with strong rhythms in which players often make up the music as they play We listened to live jazz in a small bar. | caz |
classical music ⁄ˌklæsɪkəl ˈmjuːzɪk⁄ · noun A2 | serious music from the past, often played by an orchestra I listen to classical music when I study. | klasik müzik |
hip-hop ⁄ˈhɪp hɑːp⁄ · noun B1 | music in which people speak words in a strong rhythm over a beat, called rapping Hip-hop is very popular with teenagers. | hip-hop |
band ⁄bænd⁄ · noun A2 | a group of people who play music together He plays the drums in a band. | müzik grubu |
singer ⁄ˈsɪŋɚ⁄ · noun A1 | a person who sings, often as a job She's a singer in a jazz band. | şarkıcı |
musician ⁄mjuˈzɪʃən⁄ · noun A2 | a person who plays an instrument or writes music His parents are both musicians. | müzisyen |
fan ⁄fæn⁄ · noun A2 | a person who likes a singer, band, team or actor very much I've been a fan of this band for years. | hayran |
concert ⁄ˈkɑːnsɚt⁄ · noun A1 | a live music show We're going to a concert on Saturday. | konser |
album ⁄ˈælbəm⁄ · noun A2 | a group of songs that a singer or band makes and sells together Their new album comes out next month. | albüm |
lyrics ⁄ˈlɪrɪks⁄ · noun B1 | the words of a song I love the music, but I don't understand the lyrics. | şarkı sözleri |
Instruments
With instruments, we usually say play the: play the guitar, play the piano. In American English, play guitar without the is also common.
| Word | Meaning and example | Turkish |
|---|---|---|
instrument ⁄ˈɪnstrəmənt⁄ · noun A2 | a thing you use to make music, like a piano or a guitar Do you play any instruments? | enstrüman, çalgı |
guitar ⁄ɡɪˈtɑːr⁄ · noun A1 | an instrument with six strings that you play with your fingers I'm learning to play the guitar. | gitar |
piano ⁄piˈænoʊ⁄ · noun A1 | a large instrument with black and white keys that you press She has played the piano since she was six. | piyano |
drums ⁄drʌmz⁄ · noun A2 | a set of round instruments that you hit with sticks My neighbor plays the drums every evening. | davul, bateri |
violin ⁄ˌvaɪəˈlɪn⁄ · noun A2 | a small wooden instrument with four strings that you hold under your chin He plays the violin in the school orchestra. | keman |
Verbs and opinions
Verbs for making music and adjectives for saying what you think. Many of these adjectives come from feeling words; see feelings and emotions vocabulary.
| Word | Meaning and example | Turkish |
|---|---|---|
record ⁄rɪˈkɔːrd⁄ · verb A2 | to save music or sound so people can listen to it later; the noun is ⁄ˈrekɚd⁄ The band recorded the album in two weeks. | kaydetmek |
come out ⁄ˌkʌm ˈaʊt⁄ · phrasal verb B1 | to become available for people to see, buy or read, used about a new movie, album or book The new movie comes out on Friday. | çıkmak, yayımlanmak |
be into ⁄ˌbi ˈɪntuː⁄ · phrase B1 | an informal way to say you like something very much I'm really into old horror movies at the moment. | çok sevmek, merakı olmak |
funny ⁄ˈfʌni⁄ · adjective A1 | making you laugh It's the funniest movie I've seen this year. | komik |
scary ⁄ˈskeri⁄ · adjective A2 | making you feel afraid The movie was so scary that I closed my eyes. | korkutucu |
boring ⁄ˈbɔːrɪŋ⁄ · adjective A1 | not interesting, so you want it to end The first hour was boring, but the end was great. | sıkıcı |
exciting ⁄ɪkˈsaɪtɪŋ⁄ · adjective A2 | making you feel very interested and full of energy The final scene is really exciting. | heyecan verici |
moving ⁄ˈmuːvɪŋ⁄ · adjective B2 | making you feel strong emotions, often sadness It's a moving story about a father and his son. | duygulandırıcı, dokunaklı |
catchy ⁄ˈkætʃi⁄ · adjective B2 | easy to remember and hard to stop singing That song is so catchy. I've been singing it all day. | akılda kalıcı |
Useful phrases and collocations
watch a movie
We watched a movie at home last night.
go to the movies
Do you want to go to the movies on Friday?
listen to music
I listen to music on the bus every morning.
play the guitar
He plays the guitar in a band.
a movie star
She was a famous movie star in the 1990s.
a live concert
Nothing is better than a live concert.
a happy ending
I prefer movies with a happy ending.
based on a true story
The movie is based on a true story.
a big hit
The song was a big hit all over Europe.
a huge fan
I'm a huge fan of her music.
highly recommend
I highly recommend this documentary.
spoiler alert
Spoiler alert: the main character dies at the end.
How to learn these words
Learn these words with the movies and songs you already love. After you watch a movie, say three sentences about it out loud: what genre it is, who the main character is, and what you thought of the ending. When a song is stuck in your head, look up the lyrics and sing along. Read learn English with movies and learn English with music for simple routines.
Watch the verbs. We watch a movie at home or on a screen, but we often say see a movie at the theater: Have you seen that new science fiction movie? (Both are fine for the theater.) We listen to music and listen to a song; we do not say listen music. We hear something without trying: I heard a great song on the radio.
British and American English are different here: film and movie, cinema and movie theater, go to the cinema and go to the movies. Both are understood everywhere. Use the before an instrument (play the piano), but no article for music styles (I love jazz) or for sports and games.
Boring and bored are different. The movie is boring (it makes people feel bored); I am bored (that is how I feel). The same pattern works for exciting and excited, and interesting and interested.
Use the words: speaking and writing tasks
- Describe your favorite movie in five sentences: the genre, the main characters, the plot (no spoilers) and why you like it.
- Write a short review of the last movie or series you watched. Give it a score out of five and use at least three adjectives from this page.
- Talk for one minute about the music you are into right now: your favorite band or singer, a catchy song and the last concert you went to.
- Watch ten minutes of a movie with English subtitles. Write down five new words and say each one in your own sentence.
- Invite a friend to see a movie: suggest a movie, say what kind it is and choose a time. Use the phrases in at the cinema.
Common mistakes
I listen music every day.
I listen to music every day.
Listen always needs to before the thing you listen to: listen to music, listen to the radio. Without an object, just say Listen!
The movie was very bored.
The movie was very boring.
Adjectives ending in -ing describe the thing that causes a feeling. Adjectives ending in -ed describe how a person feels: I was bored.
My brother plays guitar very good.
My brother plays the guitar very well.
Well is the adverb for how you do something. With instruments, British English usually uses the; American English often drops it.
I like the rock music.
I like rock music.
When you talk about a type of music in general, do not use the. Use the only for one specific thing: the music in this movie.
Do you know the words of this music?
Do you know the lyrics of this song?
A song is one piece with words; music is the general uncountable word. The words of a song are its lyrics.
Practice quiz
10 questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
1. A movie that makes you laugh is a ___.
2. Choose the correct sentence.
3. The words at the bottom of the screen are ___.
4. The person who controls how a movie is made is the ___.
5. What is the British English word for a movie theater?
6. I can't stop singing that song. It's so ___.
7. Choose the correct sentence.
8. We couldn't get tickets. The concert was ___.
9. A movie that continues the story of an earlier movie is a ___.
10. She plays ___ violin in an orchestra.
0 of 10 answered
Show all answers
- comedy
- I'm listening to music.
- subtitles
- director
- cinema
- catchy
- The documentary was interesting.
- sold out
- sequel
- the
See what the A2 English course covers, or test your level first.
People also ask
Is it movie or film?+
Both mean the same thing. Movie is more common in American English and film is more common in British English. Film also sounds a little more serious, so you will see it in phrases like film festival in both countries.
Do you say watch a movie or see a movie?+
Use watch for movies at home or on a screen: We watched a movie on TV. For the theater, people often say see a movie, but watch is also correct. For a sports game or the news, use watch.
Do you say play guitar or play the guitar?+
Play the guitar is the standard form and is common in British English. In American English, people often drop the, especially about bands and pop music: He plays guitar in a band. Both are correct.
What is the difference between a song and music?+
Music is the general, uncountable word for sounds made with instruments or voices: I love music. A song is one countable piece of music with words: She wrote three songs. Say a piece of music for one piece without words.
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