Das Kino: Types of Movies in German

What's your favourite type of movie? Why do you like that genre? What kinds of movie don't you like? This article provides some vocabulary for you to discuss your preferences in German and perhaps even to make arrangements for going to the cinema to see a German movie.

The following list of genres is, of course, not complete but includes most of the main categories you would be likely to talk about in general conversation. They are arranged alphabetically by the English description. Note that, for many genres, the borrowed English word is in common use.

• action movie = der Actionfilm
• comedy = die Komödie
• crime film = der Verbrechenfilm / das Krimi
• documentary = der Dokumentarfilm
• drama = das Drama
• family movie = der Familienfilm
• feelgood movie = der Feelgood-film
• foreign movie = der Auslandsfilm
• horror movie = der Horrorfilm
• romance = der romantischer Film
• romantic comedy (romcom) = die romantische Komödie
• Sci Fi movie = der Sci-Fi-Film / der Sciencefictionsfilm
• sports movie = der Sportfilm
• suspense movie / thriller = das Krimi
• teen movie = derTeenager-film
• war movie = der Kriegsfilm

This list of genres is also available as a download.

Now that you know how to tell someone the type of movie you like to watch, how would you describe it and why you like it? The following are some adjectives that will help.

Wir war der Film? Der war...

• different = anders
• educational = ausbildend
• exciting = erregend
• funny = komisch (can also mean "strange")
  
• happy = fröhlich / ermunternd
  
• interesting = interessant
• sad = jämmerlich / betrübend
• scary = schreckhaft
• suspenseful = anspannend
• sweet =süβ

Perhaps your cinematic experience wasn't quite up to scratch. Explain your disappointments and dislikes with help from this list of adjectives:

Der Film war...

• boring = langweilig
• confusing = verwirrend
• kitschy = kitschig
• nasty = scheußlich
• offensive = beleidigend
• preachy = salbadernd
• ridiculous = lächerlich
• silly = (ganz) dumm
• slow = langsam
• too... = (viel) zu...

So, are we ready to go to the cinema? Which movie are you going to see next? Try to have a conversation about what you want to see and why. Can you talk a bit about it afterwards?