In this workshop you practice a short, natural exchange about a movie. You will ask how something was, give a simple opinion, and say whether you liked it. The recordings give you the exact lines to use, so you can focus on speaking clearly and responding at the right moment. You can play both roles with the audio, and you can use the answer keys to check yourself.
Asking and Giving a Simple Opinion
Start with a question about a movie. The line «映画はどうでしたか。» means "How was the movie?" Use it when you want to hear someone's impression. A simple positive answer is «おもしろかったです。», which means "It was interesting." If you want to say you enjoyed it, use «好きでした。», meaning "I liked it." These three lines are enough for a short, polite exchange. Keep your voice calm and put a gentle rise at the end of the question. When you answer, speak at a steady speed and let the final sound finish clearly.
Saying You Did Not Really Like It
You can also give a softer negative opinion. The line «あまり好きじゃなかったです。» means "I did not really like it." It is not harsh; it simply says your feeling was not strongly positive. Notice that this is a full sentence you can use as a reply. If someone asks «映画はどうでしたか。», you can answer with «おもしろかったです。», «好きでした。», or «あまり好きじゃなかったです。». Practice switching between the positive and the softer negative answer so both feel comfortable. Do not rush; a clear, complete sentence is better than a fast, unclear one.
A Short Story About Yesterday
The recordings also include a short exchange. Speaker A says «昨日、新しい映画を見ました。», which means "Yesterday, I watched a new movie." Speaker B replies with «そうですか。どうでしたか。», meaning "Really? How was it?" Speaker A answers with «おもしろかったです。話が速かったからです。», which means "It was interesting. Because the story was fast-paced." Speaker B then says «いいですね。私はあまり好きじゃなかったです。», meaning "That's nice. I did not really like it." In this scene, A shares an experience, B asks for an opinion, A gives a positive opinion with a reason, and B responds with a softer negative view. Keep the order: experience, question, answer, response.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
映画はどうでしたか。
How was the movie?
eiga wa dō deshita ka
おもしろかったです。
It was interesting.
omoshirokatta desu
好きでした。
I liked it.
suki deshita
あまり好きじゃなかったです。
I did not really like it.
amari suki ja nakatta desu
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
昨日、新しい映画を見ました。
Yesterday, I watched a new movie.そうですか。どうでしたか。
Really? How was it?おもしろかったです。話が速かったからです。
It was interesting. Because the story was fast-paced.いいですね。私はあまり好きじゃなかったです。
That's nice. I did not really like it.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided Exchange: Ask and Answer
Two friends are talking after one of them saw a movie. Partner A asks about the movie. Partner B gives a simple opinion. Then switch roles and repeat.
Your task: Partner A says the line for "How was the movie?" Partner B answers with the line for "It was interesting." Then Partner B adds the line for "I liked it." After one round, swap roles and do it again.
Reply Comprehension: Choose the Right Response
One person asks about a movie, and you choose a suitable reply from the lines you have practiced. This checks whether you understand what the question is asking for.
Your task: Read or hear the question line for "How was the movie?" Then choose the best reply: the line for "It was interesting," the line for "I liked it," or the line for "I did not really like it." Say your chosen line aloud.
Recall the Scene: Keep the Order
Recreate the short exchange from the recordings. One person shares a movie experience, the other asks about it, and then both give opinions. Keep the same order of lines.
Your task: Speaker A says the line for "Yesterday, I watched a new movie." Speaker B says the line for "Really? How was it?" Speaker A says the line for "It was interesting. Because the story was fast-paced." Speaker B says the line for "That's nice. I did not really like it." Then swap roles and repeat the same order.
Common questions
Can I use the softer negative line as a reply to the question about the movie?
Yes. The line «あまり好きじゃなかったです。» means "I did not really like it," and it is a suitable reply when someone asks «映画はどうでしたか。». It gives your impression in a gentle way, so you can use it in the same position as the positive opinion lines.
When I swap roles, do I change the order of the lines?
No. Swapping roles only changes who speaks each part. The order stays the same: the experience line «昨日、新しい映画を見ました。», then the question «そうですか。どうでしたか。», then the answer «おもしろかったです。話が速かったからです。», then the response «いいですね。私はあまり好きじゃなかったです。». Keep that order every time you practice the scene.
Sources and further reading
- japanese: expressing opinions about mediaChecked September 2026
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