Genres vocabulary for describing different categories of books, music, movies, and art, including examples in English.
Genres are categories that describe the style, form, or subject of creative works like books, music, movies, and art. Knowing genre vocabulary helps you talk about your interests and understand recommendations.
Book Genres
Book genres describe the type of story or content in a book.
| English Sp. | English Pl. | Example | Example (Translated) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiction | Fiction | I’m reading a fiction book about space travel. | Estoy leyendo un libro de ficción sobre viajes espaciales. |
| Non-fiction | Non-fiction | This is a non-fiction book about history. | Este es un libro de no ficción sobre historia. |
| Mystery | Mysteries | She loves reading mystery novels. | A ella le encanta leer novelas de misterio. |
| Fantasy | Fantasies | The fantasy book has dragons and wizards. | El libro de fantasía tiene dragones y magos. |
| Biography | Biographies | I read a biography of Marie Curie. | Leí una biografía de Marie Curie. |
| Romance | Romances | They enjoy reading romance stories. | A ellos les gusta leer historias de romance. |
| Science fiction | Science fictions | Science fiction explores futuristic worlds. | La ciencia ficción explora mundos futuristas. |
| Historical | Historicals | He prefers historical novels set in the 1800s. | Él prefiere novelas históricas ambientadas en 1800. |
Music Genres
Music genres describe the style or mood of the music.
| English Sp. | English Pl. | Example | Example (Translated) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pop | Pop | I like listening to pop music. | Me gusta escuchar música pop. |
| Rock | Rock | Classic rock is very popular. | El rock clásico es muy popular. |
| Jazz | Jazz | Jazz creates a relaxed atmosphere. | El jazz crea un ambiente relajado. |
| Hip-hop | Hip-hop | Hip-hop originated in the 1970s. | El hip-hop se originó en los años 70. |
| Classical | Classical | She studies classical piano. | Ella estudia piano clásico. |
| Country | Country | Country music tells stories of rural life. | La música country cuenta historias de la vida rural. |
| Reggae | Reggae | Reggae comes from Jamaica. | El reggae viene de Jamaica. |
| EDM | EDM | EDM is popular in nightclubs. | El EDM es popular en los clubes nocturnos. |
Movie Genres
Movie genres describe the type of story or experience a film offers.
| English Sp. | English Pl. | Example | Example (Translated) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Action | Actions | The action movie had amazing special effects. | La película de acción tuvo efectos especiales sorprendentes. |
| Comedy | Comedies | We watched a comedy last night. | Anoche vimos una comedia. |
| Drama | Dramas | The drama was very emotional. | El drama fue muy emotivo. |
| Horror | Horrors | Horror movies can be scary. | Las películas de terror pueden ser aterradoras. |
| Thriller | Thrillers | The thriller kept me on the edge of my seat. | El thriller me mantuvo al borde del asiento. |
| Animation | Animations | Animation is popular with children. | La animación es popular entre los niños. |
| Documentary | Documentaries | The documentary was about wildlife. | El documental trataba sobre la vida silvestre. |
| Romance | Romances | They saw a romance movie at the theater. | Vieron una película de romance en el cine. |
Art Genres
Art genres describe the style or movement of a piece of artwork.
| English Sp. | English Pl. | Example | Example (Translated) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract | Abstracts | Abstract art uses shapes and colors. | El arte abstracto usa formas y colores. |
| Realism | Realisms | Realism depicts everyday life. | El realismo representa la vida cotidiana. |
| Impressionism | Impressionisms | Impressionism focuses on light and color. | El impresionismo se centra en la luz y el color. |
| Surrealism | Surrealisms | Surrealism features dream-like scenes. | El surrealismo presenta escenas de ensueño. |
| Cubism | Cubisms | Cubism breaks subjects into shapes. | El cubismo divide los sujetos en formas. |
| Pop Art | Pop Arts | Pop Art uses images from popular culture. | El Pop Art utiliza imágenes de la cultura popular. |
| Expressionism | Expressionisms | Expressionism shows intense emotions. | El expresionismo muestra emociones intensas. |
| Minimalism | Minimalisms | Minimalism uses simple, clean lines. | El minimalismo utiliza líneas simples y limpias. |
Understanding these genre categories will help you describe and discuss creative works more confidently in English.
Flashcards (1 of 32)
- Example: I’m reading a fiction book about space travel.
- Example (Translated): Estoy leyendo un libro de ficción sobre viajes espaciales.
- English Sp.: Fiction
- English Pl.: Fiction
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
