das
Kino
🎬 What does "das Kino" mean?
Das Kino (noun, neuter) primarily refers to a building or room where films are shown publicly on a large screen – what English speakers call a cinema or movie theater. It can also refer more broadly to the medium of film itself or the experience of going to the movies.
- Meaning 1: Cinema, movie theater (the place)
- Meaning 2: The art of film, the film medium (the concept)
- Meaning 3: Visiting a film screening (the activity, e.g., "ins Kino gehen" - going to the movies)
It's always neuter, so the correct article is always das.
Article rules for der, die, and das
Many foreign words → mostly neutral.
There are many foreign words, we won't list them all.
-o → mostly neutral.
🧐 Grammar Deep Dive: "das Kino"
"Kino" is a neuter noun. It follows regular declension patterns.
| Case | Article | Noun | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | das | Kino | The cinema |
| Accusative (Direct Object) | das | Kino | The cinema |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | dem | Kino | To/for the cinema |
| Genitive (Possessive) | des | Kinos | Of the cinema |
| Case | Article | Noun | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Kinos | The cinemas |
| Accusative | die | Kinos | The cinemas |
| Dative | den | Kinos | To/for the cinemas |
| Genitive | der | Kinos | Of the cinemas |
Example Sentences (Beispielsätze)
- Wir gehen heute Abend ins (= in das) Kino. (We are going to the cinema tonight.)
- Das Kino an der Ecke hat oft gute Filme. (The cinema on the corner often has good films.)
- Die Atmosphäre im (= in dem) Kino ist etwas Besonderes. (The atmosphere in the cinema is something special.)
- Die Erfindung des Kinos revolutionierte die Unterhaltung. (The invention of cinema revolutionized entertainment.)
- Viele kleine Kinos mussten leider schließen. (Unfortunately, many small cinemas had to close.)
💡 How to Use "Kino" like a Native
The term "Kino" is extremely common and the standard word in German when talking about movie theaters.
- Ins Kino gehen: This is the most frequent and everyday phrase, meaning "to go to the cinema/movies". Example: "Lass uns am Wochenende ins Kino gehen!" (Let's go to the movies on the weekend!)
- Im Kino sein/laufen: Used to describe which films are currently showing. Example: "Welcher Film läuft gerade im Kino?" (Which film is currently playing at the cinema?) or "Der Film war super, ich habe ihn letzte Woche im Kino gesehen." (The film was great, I saw it at the cinema last week.)
- Das deutsche/französische/etc. Kino: Refers to the film industry or the body of films from a specific country or era. Example: "Das deutsche Kino der 20er Jahre war weltberühmt." (German cinema of the 1920s was world-famous.)
Compared to "Filmtheater" (slightly more formal) or "Lichtspielhaus" (rather dated, but sometimes still used for charming old cinemas), "Kino" is the universal and neutral term.
🧠 Memory Hooks for "das Kino"
Article: Think of other neuter places of entertainment: das Theater (theater), das Konzert (concert), das Museum, das Stadion (stadium)... and das Kino. They offer something neutral for everyone: culture or fun! Alternatively, think: "You need das key? No!" You don't need a key to get into das Kino, just a ticket!
Meaning: Imagine seeing a giant Key on the screen... No? That must mean you're at the Kino! Or, it sounds a bit like "key-know" – you *know* where the *key* action happens on screen? At the Kino!
↔️ Opposites and Alternatives: Kino
Synonyms (Synonyme)
- Filmtheater (slightly more formal cinema/movie theater)
- Lichtspielhaus (somewhat dated term for cinema, literally 'light-play-house', often nostalgic)
- Lichtspiele (plural, dated, 'light-plays')
- Filmpalast ('film palace', often used for large, grand cinemas)
⚠️ Be aware: Sometimes "Kino" is used as shorthand for "Kinematographie" (cinematography, the technique of filmmaking), but this is rare in everyday conversation and more technical.
😂 A Little Cinema Joke
German: Treffen sich zwei Fische. Sagt der eine: "Gehen wir heute Abend ins Kino?" Sagt der andere: "Nein, da ist mir die Luft zu trocken!"
English: Two fish meet. One says: "Shall we go to the cinema tonight?" The other says: "No, the air is too dry for me there!"
📜 Poem: Magic at the Kino
German:
Im Dunkel sitzt man, Reihe an Reih’,
Vorne die Leinwand, hell und frei.
Das Kino fängt die Träume ein,
Lässt uns Lachen, Staunen, Sein.
Popcorn raschelt, Cola zischt,
Bis der Abspann alles verwischt.
English:
In darkness seated, row on row,
Front the screen, a vibrant glow.
Das Kino catches dreams untold,
Lets us laugh, be amazed, be bold.
Popcorn rustles, soda fizzes near,
Till the credits make it disappear.
❓ Little Riddle about Kino
German:
Ich habe Stühle, doch kein Haus,
Ich zeige Welten, ohne Applaus (vom Darsteller).
Manchmal essbar riecht mein Raum,
Ich bin ein Ort für manchen Traum.
Was bin ich?
English:
I have chairs, but not a house,
I show worlds, without actor's bows.
Sometimes my room smells edible, quite nice,
I am a place for dreams, a welcome vice.
What am I?
(Answer: Das Kino / The Cinema)
✨ More about "das Kino"
Word Origin (Wortherkunft): "Kino" is a short form of the German word "Kinematograph" (or "Kinematographie"). This term was derived from Greek: κίνημα (kínēma) meaning 'movement' and γράφειν (gráphein) meaning 'to write' or 'to draw'. So, it originally described the technique of 'recording movement'.
Cultural Significance (Kulturelle Bedeutung): The cinema (das Kino) is not just a place of entertainment but also an important cultural space that reflects and shapes societal themes and discussions.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Kino?
The German word "Kino" is always neuter. The correct article is das: das Kino (nominative/accusative), des Kinos (genitive), dem Kino (dative). The plural is die Kinos.