B1 · Unit 11 · 43 words, 2 texts with translation
Argue about a movie
Talk about a movie: praise it and criticize it, compare it with others, and say whether you agree or disagree.
Texts in this unit
Grammar in this unit
The most, the best, -ísimo and igual de
You already know how to compare: más… que, menos… que, tan… como, mejor, peor (A2, unit 4). Now you'll learn to say "the most" and "really, really". You need them to argue about a movie or recommend a bar.
"The most" = article + más or menos. Spanish has no separate word for "the most": the article does the job.
- Es la escena más bonita de la película. — It's the most beautiful scene in the movie.
- Es el bar menos caro del barrio. — It's the least expensive bar in the neighborhood.
After "the most", Spanish uses de, even where English says "in": la ciudad más bonita del mundo — the most beautiful city in the world.
El mejor, el peor — "the best", "the worst". They go before the noun: la mejor serie del año (the best series of the year), el peor día de mi vida (the worst day of my life). People often add "that I've ever…": Es la mejor paella que he comido. — It's the best paella I've ever had.
-ísimo — "very, extremely". This isn't a comparison: it just makes the word stronger. Drop the final vowel, if there is one, and add -ísimo, -ísima, -ísimos, -ísimas:
| Plain | Very, very | Plain | Very, very |
|---|---|---|---|
| caro | carísimo | fácil | facilísimo |
| bueno | buenísimo | rico | riquísimo |
| mucho | muchísimo | largo | larguísimo |
In riquísimo and larguísimo the spelling changes (c → qu, g → gu) so the sound stays the same. Don't put muy before -ísimo: ✗ muy carísimo.
Igual de — "just as". igual de + adjective + que: Este piso es igual de caro que el otro. — This apartment is just as expensive as the other one. The word igual doesn't change here: son igual de buenas (they're just as good). It means the same as tan… como, but it sounds more conversational.
Common mistake: putting the adjective before the noun, as in English: ✗ la más bonita ciudad. The right order is article, noun, then más and the adjective: la ciudad más bonita — the most beautiful city.
How to argue: me parece que, para mí, en cambio, no estoy de acuerdo
You already know creo que (I think that), pienso que and me parece + adjective (me parece caro: it seems expensive to me), plus the short de acuerdo (OK, agreed; A1, unit 15). That's enough to give your opinion. To argue, you need a few more moves.
Saying what you think.
me parece que— I think (that), + a whole sentence: Me parece que el final es flojo. — I think the ending is weak.para mí— for me, in my opinion: Para mí, es la mejor serie del año. — For me, it's the best series of the year.
Agreeing or not. The full phrase is estar de acuerdo — to agree. Agree with someone: con; agree on something: en.
- Estoy de acuerdo contigo. — I agree with you.
- En eso no estoy de acuerdo. — On that, I don't agree.
- ¿Aburrida? ¡En absoluto! — Boring? Not at all!
Careful: en absoluto means "not at all", not "absolutely".
Pushing back.
en cambio— on the other hand: it puts two things side by side. El guion es flojo. En cambio, los actores son buenísimos. — The script is weak. On the other hand, the actors are really good.al contrario— on the contrary: an answer to what someone else said. —¿Te aburriste? —¡Al contrario! Me encantó. — Were you bored? — On the contrary! I loved it.sino— but (rather), after a negative: No es una comedia, sino un drama. — It's not a comedy but a drama.
Pero or sino? English often says "but" for both. Sino corrects: "not this, but that". Pero adds: "this is true, but…". No es larga, sino lenta. — It's not long, it's slow. Es larga, pero entretenida. — It's long, but entertaining.
Common mistakes. First: ✗ soy de acuerdo. Agreeing always takes estar. Second: pushing back with no creo que… (I don't think that…): the verb after it takes a special form, explained in unit 24. For now, push back like this: yo creo que no (I don't think so), pues a mí me parece que… (well, I think that…), no estoy de acuerdo (I don't agree).
Words in this unit
la peli — movie, flick
¿Qué peli vemos esta noche? — What movie are we watching tonight?
el papel — role, part (in a movie or play)
Ella tiene el papel principal. — She has the main role.
el guion — script, screenplay
El guion de esta película es muy bueno. — The script of this movie is very good.
la trama — plot, storyline
La trama es muy sencilla. — The plot is very simple.
el diálogo — dialogue
Los diálogos de la peli son geniales. — The dialogues in the movie are great.
el género — genre
¿Qué género te gusta más? — What genre do you like best?
la crítica — review, the critics; criticism
La crítica dice que es una gran peli. — The critics say it's a great movie.
el premio — award, prize
Esta película ha ganado un premio. — This movie has won an award.
el estilo — style
Me gusta el estilo del director. — I like the director's style.
la acción — action
La película tiene mucha acción. — The movie has a lot of action.
la imagen — image, picture, shot
Las imágenes de la peli son preciosas. — The images in the movie are beautiful.
el sonido — sound
El sonido de la sala es malo. — The sound in the theater is bad.
la sala — theater (screening room), hall, room
La sala está llena. — The theater is full.
principal — main
El actor principal es muy famoso. — The main actor is very famous.
actuar — to act (in a movie or play); to take action
Ella actúa muy bien. — She acts very well.
interpretar — to play (a role), to perform; to interpret
Ella interpreta a una médica. — She plays a doctor.
hacer de — to play (a role), to act as
En esta peli él hace de policía. — In this movie he plays a police officer.
entretenido — entertaining, fun
La peli es muy entretenida. — The movie is very entertaining.
previsible — predictable
El final es previsible. — The ending is predictable.
flojo — weak, not very good
El final es un poco flojo. — The ending is a little weak.
sobrevalorado — overrated
Para mí esta serie está sobrevalorada. — For me, this series is overrated.
impresionante — impressive, amazing
El final es impresionante. — The ending is amazing.
brillante — brilliant
Es un actor brillante. — He's a brilliant actor.
excelente — excellent
La actuación es excelente. — The acting is excellent.
pésimo — terrible, awful
El sonido es pésimo. — The sound is terrible.
igual de — just as
Es igual de buena que la primera. — It's just as good as the first one.
en cambio — on the other hand, whereas
A mí me gusta la peli, a ti en cambio no. — I like the movie; you, on the other hand, don't.
estar de acuerdo — to agree
Estoy de acuerdo contigo. — I agree with you.
al contrario — on the contrary
No me aburro, al contrario, me divierto mucho. — I'm not bored; on the contrary, I'm having a lot of fun.
en absoluto — not at all
—¿Te molesta? —En absoluto. — Does it bother you? — Not at all.
sino — but (rather), after a negative
No es una comedia, sino un drama. — It's not a comedy but a drama.
la cuestión — matter, issue, question
Es una cuestión de gustos. — It's a matter of taste.
totalmente — totally, completely
Estoy totalmente de acuerdo. — I totally agree.
especialmente — especially
Me gusta especialmente el final. — I especially like the ending.
luchar — to fight, to struggle
El héroe lucha contra el enemigo. — The hero fights against the enemy.
la lucha — fight, struggle
La lucha final es increíble. — The final fight is incredible.
la muerte — death
La muerte del héroe es muy triste. — The hero's death is very sad.
la guerra — war
La película habla de la guerra. — The movie is about the war.
el enemigo — enemy
El enemigo es más fuerte que el héroe. — The enemy is stronger than the hero.
la victoria — victory, win
La victoria llega al final de la peli. — The victory comes at the end of the movie.
el rey — king
El rey es muy joven. — The king is very young.
la reina — queen
La reina habla con el rey. — The queen talks to the king.
merecer la pena — to be worth it
¿Merece la pena ver esta película? — Is this movie worth seeing?
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