Going to the cinema (Edexcel GCSE French): Revision Notes
Going to the cinema
Essential cinema vocabulary
Learning Tip: Practice these vocabulary words by creating your own sentences about films you enjoy. This will help you remember them in context!
The following vocabulary will help you discuss cinema and films in French:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| acteur (m) | actor |
| action (f) | action |
| billet (m) | ticket |
| célèbre | famous |
| cinéma (m) | cinema |
| comédie (f) | comedy |
| coûter | to cost |
| film (m) | film |
| genre (m) | type, sort, genre |
| histoire (f) | story |
| French | English |
|---|---|
| histoire (f) d'amour | love story |
| horreur (f) | horror |
| documentaire (m) | documentary |
| écran (m) | screen |
| séance (f) | screening, session |
Example sentences using cinema vocabulary
Exemples pratiques:
French: Je vais au cinéma pour regarder une comédie avec mes amis. English: I'm going to the cinema to watch a comedy with my friends.
French: Les billets coûtent très cher pour ce film célèbre. English: The tickets cost very expensive for this famous film.
French: J'adore les histoires d'amour, mais je déteste les films d'horreur. English: I love love stories, but I hate horror films.
Grammar focus: Using "avoir" to mean "to be"
The verb avoir normally means "to have", but in certain French phrases, it means "to be". This is particularly important when talking about age, feelings, and needs.
Critical Grammar Point: When French uses avoir + noun, it often translates to English "to be" + adjective. For example: avoir faim = "to be hungry" (literally "to have hunger").
Key expressions with "avoir"
| French Expression | English Meaning |
|---|---|
| avoir faim/soif | to be hungry/thirsty |
| avoir tort | to be wrong |
| avoir besoin de | to need |
| avoir envie de | to feel like (doing something) |
| avoir lieu | to take place |
| avoir peur (de) | to be scared/frightened (of) |
Example in context
Exemples avec avoir:
French: J'ai 15 ans. English: I am 15 years old.
French: J'ai peur des films d'horreur. English: I'm frightened of horror films.
French: Nous avons envie de voir une comédie ce soir. English: We feel like seeing a comedy tonight.
Exam skills: Describing pictures
When describing pictures in your GCSE exam, your description must cover three key areas:
Essential Exam Strategy: Your picture description must systematically cover all three elements below to achieve full marks:
- People - Who can you see? What are they doing?
- Location - Where are they? What does the setting look like?
- Activity - What's happening in the scene?
Exam technique tips
To achieve higher marks on picture tasks, you need to develop your ideas and describe relevant aspects of the picture. Use a variety of vocabulary and avoid repetition. Include specific details and express opinions where appropriate.
Useful phrases for describing cinema scenes:
- Sur la photo, il y a... (In the photo, there is...)
- Je vois... (I can see...)
- À mon avis... (In my opinion...)
- Les gens semblent... (The people seem...)
Translation practice
Exercices de traduction:
Translate these sentences from French to English:
- Chloé aime aller au cinéma pour voir les derniers films.
- Les billets de cinéma coûtent très cher maintenant.
Translate these sentences from English to French:
- Dorian prefers the cinema because he can watch new films.
- We are frightened of horror films.
Answers
- Chloé likes going to the cinema to see the latest films.
- Cinema tickets cost very expensive now.
- Dorian préfère le cinéma parce qu'il peut regarder de nouveaux films.
- Nous avons peur des films d'horreur.
Pronunciation tips
Pronunciation Guide:
- Cinéma - pronounced "see-nay-MAH" with stress on the final syllable
- Comédie - pronounced "kom-ay-DEE"
- Séance - pronounced "say-AHNSS" with a nasal 'an' sound
Key Points to Remember:
- Avoir can mean "to be" in specific expressions - learn the key phrases like avoir peur, avoir envie de, and avoir besoin de
- When describing cinema pictures in exams, always cover people, location, and activity with varied vocabulary
- Cinema vocabulary includes both the building (cinéma) and what you watch (film)
- Practice using opinion phrases like à mon avis to add sophistication to your speaking and writing
- Remember that many cinema-related words are similar to English but with French pronunciation