Key Facts
- Hangul: 영화관; Revised Romanization: yeonghwagwan
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean
- Register: Neutral, standard word; 극장 is also used.
Cinema in Korean: What Does 영화관 Mean?
영화관 means movie theater or cinema. It is neutral and standard, and it is literally "movie hall": 영화 (movie) plus 관 (hall). In conversation many people also say 극장, which originally meant any theater.
How Do You Pronounce 영화관?
Say yeong-hwa-gwan. The ng at the end of the first syllable flows into hwa, and in fast speech the h is often softened, close to yeong-wa-gwan. The last syllable, gwan, starts with a rounded w glide.
Example Sentences with 영화관
영화관에서 영화를 봐요.
Yeonghwagwaneseo yeonghwareul bwayo
I watch a movie at the cinema.
에서 marks where the action happens, and 영화를 is the film that is watched.
영화관은 집 근처에 있어요.
Yeonghwagwaneun jip geuncheoe isseoyo
The cinema is near my home.
근처에 means near, and 있어요 locates the building.
주말에 영화관에 갈래요?
Jumare yeonghwagwane gallaeyo
Do you want to go to the cinema this weekend?
The ending ㄹ래요 asks about the listener's wish, which makes this an invitation.
The three examples cover what you do there, where the building is and an invitation. The particle changes with the job: 에서 for the activity, 은 for the topic and 에 for the destination.
Phrases Built on 영화관
Going, tickets and location are the typical collocations.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 영화관에 가다 | to go to the cinema |
| 영화관 표 | cinema ticket |
| 영화관 앞 | in front of the cinema |
| 영화관 팝콘 | cinema popcorn |
The Mistake to Avoid
Learners use the word for the film as the destination.
Wrong: 영화에 가요 for "I'm going to the cinema".
Correct: 영화관에 가요 (I'm going to the cinema) or 영화 보러 가요 (I'm going to see a movie). 영화 is the film, so it needs 보러 (to see) when you go somewhere for it.
영화관 Compared with Similar Words
극장 is broader and includes stage theaters. 영화 is the film, not the place. 멀티플렉스 is a large multi-screen cinema.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 극장 | theater | also used for movie theaters; broader, includes stage theaters |
| 영화 | movie | the film, not the place |
| 멀티플렉스 | multiplex | a large multi-screen cinema |
Where Does 영화관 Come From?
영화관 is Sino-Korean, written 映畫館 in hanja: 映 project, 畫 picture and 館 hall.
Meeting outside the Cinema
Two friends are arranging where to meet before their film starts.
Mina
영화관 앞에서 만날까요?
Yeonghwagwan apeseo mannalkkayo?
Shall we meet in front of the cinema?
Jisu
좋아요. 몇 시에 만나요?
Joayo. Myeot sie mannayo?
Sounds good. What time shall we meet?
Mina
여섯 시에 만나요. 표는 제가 예매할게요.
Yeoseot sie mannayo. Pyoneun jega yemaehalgeyo.
Let’s meet at six. I will book the tickets.
Jisu
고마워요. 그때 봐요.
Gomawoyo. Geuttae bwayo.
Thanks. See you then.
영화관 앞에서 gives a meeting place: in front of the cinema. 앞 names the space in front, and 에서 marks where the meeting happens. This is more specific than simply naming the building, especially when one person might otherwise wait inside.
표는 제가 예매할게요 is an offer to take care of booking the tickets. 제가 makes the speaker's responsibility explicit. The friends settle both time and place before discussing the ticket task, so the final 그때 봐요 refers back to their agreed meeting.
What Will You Read after Entering the Cinema?
영화관 names the venue as a whole. 상영관 names the individual screening room or auditorium inside it. If a ticket or sign says 3관, it identifies auditorium 3; it is not telling you to find a different cinema building. 관 is useful to recognize even when the longer word 영화관 is absent.
매표소 is the ticket counter. 예매 means booking in advance, while 발권 concerns issuing the ticket. You may meet these words when collecting a ticket that has already been booked. They describe different parts of the visit, rather than different words for the movie itself.
좌석 means seat. 좌석 번호 is the seat number, and 상영 시간 is the screening time. Read these separately from the venue name: finding the right cinema does not yet tell you which auditorium, seat or showing your ticket covers.
Cinema Phrases in Conversation
영화 보러 가다 means to go to see a movie. 보러 gives the purpose of going. 영화관에 가다 gives the destination. Both can describe the same outing, but the first emphasizes the activity and the second the place. This makes the purpose phrase natural when suggesting an evening out.
영화관 앞 is a useful meeting-point phrase. 영화관 안 means inside the cinema. The difference matters when you arrive early: a friend waiting by the entrance and a friend waiting in the lobby may both say they are at the cinema in English.
On maps, 영화관 helps you identify the type of venue. In a message between friends, the branch or building name may replace the general noun once everyone knows which cinema is meant. Before meeting, confirm that detail if the area has several cinemas.
Related Words for a Cinema Visit
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 상영관 | screening room / auditorium | One room within the cinema. |
| 매표소 | ticket counter | The place associated with ticket sales. |
| 예매 | advance booking | Useful when arranging tickets before arrival. |
| 좌석 | seat | Appears in seating plans and ticket information. |
| 자막 | subtitles | Relevant when checking how a film's dialogue is presented. |
The city places vocabulary lesson helps you give directions to the venue. Keep 영화, movie separate from 영화관 when explaining what you will watch and where you will watch it.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 영화관 name the film or the venue?
- What does 3관 identify inside a cinema?
- Which phrase specifies meeting in front of the cinema?
Show answers
- The venue. 영화 names the film.
- Auditorium 3.
- 영화관 앞에서 만나요.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say cinema in Korean?
Say 영화관 (yeonghwagwan), the standard word for a movie theater. It is neutral, so it works in speech, on maps and on signs. 극장 is a common alternative in conversation.
Is 극장 the same?
Mostly. 극장 is also used for movie theaters, but it is broader and includes stage theaters. If you mean a cinema specifically, 영화관 is the clearer word.
How do you say I am going to the cinema?
Say 영화관에 가요, with 에 marking the destination. To stress the purpose instead, say 영화 보러 가요, "I'm going to see a movie".
What is 멀티플렉스?
멀티플렉스 is a loanword for a large multi-screen cinema, the kind found in shopping malls. In everyday speech people still call it a 영화관.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: City places words places 영화관 among its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Compare with 영화 on its own page.