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German Phrase

Was hältst du vom neuesten Film?

/vas ˈhɛltst duː fɔm ˈnɔʏ̯stən ˈfɪlm/
Meaning"What do you think of the newest movie?"
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Meaning

Literally, 'What do you hold (think) of the newest film?' It is the standard way in German to ask someone's opinion about a recently released movie. The construction 'etwas von jemandem halten' is idiomatic for expressing an opinion.

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When to use

Use this question when you want to start a casual conversation about a film that has just come out, either with friends, classmates, or colleagues. It works in informal settings; in formal contexts you might replace 'du' with 'Sie' and say 'Was halten Sie vom neuesten Film?'.

✦Grammar Breakdown

WashältstduvomneuestenFilm?

1

Was (interrogative pronoun)

Used to ask 'what' in a question; it stands at the beginning of a wh‑question.

2

halten (verb) – hältst

The verb 'halten' means 'to hold' or 'to think'. In the phrase 'etwas von jemandem halten', it expresses an opinion. Conjugated here in 2nd person singular present.

3

du (personal pronoun)

Informal singular 'you'. In spoken German it is often omitted, but keeping it makes the question clearer.

4

vom (von + dem)

A contraction of the preposition 'von' (from/about) and the dative article 'dem'. It introduces the object of the opinion.

5

neuesten (superlative adjective)

The superlative form of 'neu' (new). With the definite article in dative, it becomes 'dem neuesten'.

6

Film (noun, masculine)

A masculine noun; in dative it stays 'Film' because the article already marks the case.

🗨In Conversation

A

Was hältst du vom neuesten Film?

What do you think of the newest movie?

Ich fand ihn spannend, aber die Handlung war etwas vorhersehbar.

I found it exciting, but the plot was a bit predictable.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Was hältst du über den Film?

    The verb 'halten' collocates with 'von', not 'über'.

  • Was hältst du vom neuen Film?

    Because the phrase uses the dative article 'vom', the adjective must be in the dative superlative form 'neuesten'.

  • Was hältst du vom neuesten Film?

    In informal spoken German the subject pronoun is often dropped, but if you keep it, the verb must stay in second‑person singular.

↔Alternatives

  • Wie findest du den neuen Film?

    How do you find the new movie?

  • Was meinst du zum neuesten Film?

    What do you think about the newest film?

  • Hast du den neuesten Film schon gesehen? Was hältst du davon?

    Have you seen the newest film yet? What do you think of it?

de

Cultural Tip

In German, the verb 'halten' with the preposition 'von' is the go‑to way to ask for an opinion. Avoid using 'über' (e.g., *Was hältst du über den Film?*) because it sounds unnatural. Also, Germans often prefer the informal 'du' with peers, but switch to the formal 'Sie' in business or with strangers. The superlative 'neuesten' signals that the film is the most recent release, a detail that can be important in discussions about trends in German cinema.