How often do you go to the movies? Or when was the last time you went to the movie theater? Because going to the movies can be so expensive, I don’t go that often. I only tend to go to the cinema when a movie that I really want to see is out. I then treat it (think of it) like a night out: I’ll go out for dinner, get some snacks at the movies, and maybe go for a drink afterwards.

If you like going to the movies, here’s some English vocabulary for going to the movies you might need while you’re there.

Check the Showtimes

Is there a certain movie you want to see, but you don’t know when it’s playing? Then you’ll want to check the showtimes before you go.

The showtimes are what times the movies are playing. When I was growing up, we would check the showtimes in the newspaper, but now you can look them up online.

For example:

“What time is the new Christmas movie playing?” “I don’t know, but we can check the showtimes and see.”
“Do you want to go to the movies tomorrow?” “Sure! Let me check the showtimes to see when they’re playing.”

Buy Snacks

Many people love to have some snacks on hand when they’re at the movies. That’s why you can buy snacks at the movies to eat during the show. They have all kinds of snacks at the movies: chocolate, gummy bears, and my personal favorite, popcorn. What kind of snacks do you like to buy at the movies?

For example:

Do you want to buy some snacks at the cinema? No, that’s ok. I’m not hungry.
What kind of snacks would you like to buy? Shall we get a large popcorn to share?

Choose Seats

When I went to the movies for the first time in Germany, I was surprised that they have reserved seating in the theaters. In the United States, you can usually choose whatever seat you like- “first come, first served”. Some theaters are beginning to offer more comfortable chairs, and a food service to your seat during the movie to make for a more well-rounded (complete, total), luxurious experience, but most theaters are the same as they have always been.

When you walk into a theater, people usually choose seats in the middle first so that they have the best view. Some people like to sit all the way (absolutely) in the back row, and some like to sit all the way in the first row. Do you have somewhere that you like to sit at the movies?

For example:

We need to choose some seats! The movie’s about to start!
Where would you like to sit? We should choose our seats before the theater fills up.

Watch Previews

I always like watching the previews before the movie starts. The previews, or trailers, are short videos (advertisements, really) for movies that haven’t been released (available, in theaters) yet to show you what the movie is about. A few minutes before the movie starts, they’ll show some previews so you can see what’s coming out soon.

While I love watching previews, I have some friends who hate previews and show up to the theater a few minutes late so they don’t have to watch them.

For example:

Have you seen the preview for the new superhero movie? I think it’s coming out next summer.
Do you want to get to the movies before the previews start?

End Credits

After the movie is over, the end credits roll (are shown on the screen). The credits show who worked on the film and what they did. The names and jobs of the film makers are shown as a list, and the names “roll” up the screen. Sometimes if you watch to the very end of the credits, there will be an extra scene of the movie.

For example:

A friend of mine worked on this movie. We’ll have to look for them in the end credits.
I heard there’s a bonus scene at the end of this movie. We’ll have to wait until the end of the credits.

Do you like going to the movies? What was the last movie you saw? Share your favorite movie experiences with us in the comments below!

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