How to say "documentary" in Japanese

• ドキュメンタリーCommon
  nounThis loanword covers documentary films and television programs, the audiovisual sense of 'documentary'; it is the word you want when talking about a documentary you watched.
  あまり映画えいがは見みないほうだが、ドキュメンタリーだけははずせない。↗

  I don't watch a lot of movies, but I can't resist a good documentary.
• ルポルタージュCommon
  nounThis is documentary literature — written reportage built on a writer's own reporting and research. For a documentary film or TV program it is not the word you want; use ドキュメンタリー.

Use 「ドキュメンタリー」 for documentary films and television programs; 「ルポルタージュ」 corresponds to documentary literature — written reportage — so it suits the literary, journalistic sense of 'documentary' rather than film.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• ドキュメンタリーdocumentary
• ドキュメンタルdocumentary
• ルポルタージュdocumentary literature
• ドキュメントdocumentary