telegrama
“telegrama” means “telegram” in Spanish (urgent written message).
telegram, cable
Also: telegraph message
📝 In Action
Recibimos un telegrama anunciando el nacimiento de nuestro nieto.
B1We received a telegram announcing the birth of our grandson.
El presidente envió un telegrama de felicitación al país vecino.
B2The president sent a congratulatory cable (telegram) to the neighboring country.
Antes, los mensajes urgentes se mandaban por telegrama.
A2Before, urgent messages were sent by telegram.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: telegrama
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'telegrama'?
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👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
This word comes from combining two ancient Greek parts: 'tele-' meaning 'far off,' and '-grama' meaning 'something written or drawn.' So, it literally means 'writing from far away.'
First recorded: 19th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'telegrama' still used in modern Spanish?
While the physical service is mostly obsolete, the word is still understood. It is used when speaking about history or to refer humorously to a very brief, important, or dramatically worded message.
Why is 'telegrama' masculine if it ends in -a?
Most Spanish nouns ending in -a are feminine, but 'telegrama' is an exception because it comes from Greek words ending in -ma. Other common exceptions include 'problema' (problem), 'clima' (climate), and 'idioma' (language).