telegrama
teh-leh-GRAH-mah
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Masculine Noun Ending in -a
Even though 'telegrama' ends in -a, it is a masculine noun. This is common for words adopted from Greek that end in -ma, like 'el problema' (the problem) or 'el idioma' (the language).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Gender
Mistake: "La telegrama es urgente."
Correction: El telegrama es urgente. Remember to use 'el' and masculine adjectives, even though the word looks feminine.
⭐ Usage Tips
Historical Context
While people rarely send physical telegrams today, the word is often used in history, literature, and movies to emphasize a brief, official, or dramatic announcement.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: telegrama
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'telegrama'?
📚 More Resources
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).