How to say "theatre" in Japanese

• 劇場げきじょうJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounCovers 'theatre' as a physical building or venue where performances are staged; use it for the place itself, for instance when saying you are going to the theatre.
  さあ劇場げきじょうに着ついたぜ。↗

  Here we are at the theater.
• 演劇えんげきJLPT N2approx.Common
  no-adjectiveTheatre as an art form or genre — stage drama — rather than a building; talk of studying, watching or loving theatre, or of the theatre world, takes this word.
  私はイギリス演劇えんげきを勉強べんきょうしています。↗

  I'm studying the English drama.
• シアターCommon
  nounThe borrowed English word, used for a theatre as a facility; you will most often meet it in the names of specific halls and performance venues.
  私達わたしたちみんなは芝居しばいを見みるためにシアターへ行いった。↗

  All of us went to the theater to see a play.
• 芝居小屋しばいごやCommon
  nounA playhouse in the literal, small-scale sense: the word evokes a modest, old-style building where plays are shown, so it fits a rustic little theatre rather than a large modern one.
  芝居しばい小屋こや跡地あとちに学校がっこうが建たてられたのが1905年ねん4月がつでした。↗

  It was April 1905 when a school was built on the site of the theatre.
• 場内じょうないCommon
  nounRarely the word you want for 'theatre': it means the inside of a venue or its grounds — the premises — turning up in announcements and maps within a facility, not in naming the theatre.
  会議場かいぎじょう内ないで自社じしゃの製品せいひんの展示場てんじじょうを設もうけたいとお考かんがえでしたら、早急さっきゅうにご連絡れんらく下ください。↗

  Please let me know immediately if you would like to set up an area of the conference room for your products.

Use 劇場 for a theatre building or venue, 演劇 for theatre as a dramatic art, 「シアター」 as the borrowed word seen in venue names, 芝居小屋 for a small old-style playhouse; 場内 means the inside of premises, not 'theatre'.

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

• 劇場げきじょうtheatre
• 演劇えんげきdrama
• シアターtheater
• 芝居小屋しばいごやplayhouse
• 場内じょうないin-house
• 戦域せんいきwar area
• 演舞場えんぶじょうtheatre
• テアトルtheater
• テアトロtheater
• パフォーマンスsomething done (just) for show