Inklingo

How to Say "cell phones" in Spanish

English → Spanish

celulares

/seh-loo-LAH-rehs//seluˈlaɾes/

nounA1general
Use 'celulares' when you specifically mean a mobile or cellular phone, as this is the most common and direct translation for 'cell phone' in most Spanish-speaking countries.
A modern smartphone with a glowing screen held in a hand.

Examples

Por favor, apaguen sus celulares antes de que empiece la película.

Please, turn off your cell phones before the movie starts.

Los celulares modernos tienen cámaras excelentes.

Modern cell phones have excellent cameras.

Making 'Celular' Plural

In Spanish, words that end in a consonant like 'r' become plural by adding 'es' to the end.

Gender Confusion

Mistake: “las celulares”

Correction: los celulares

teléfonos

nounA1general
Use 'teléfonos' when referring to phones in a broader sense, or when it's understood from context that you mean mobile phones, as it can also refer to landlines.

Examples

Todos los estudiantes deben apagar sus teléfonos durante la clase.

All the students must turn off their phones during class.

Choosing Between 'Celulares' and 'Teléfonos'

Learners often confuse 'celulares' and 'teléfonos' because both can refer to cell phones. However, 'celulares' is exclusively for mobile phones, while 'teléfonos' is a broader term that includes landlines. When in doubt, 'celulares' is the safer, more specific choice for 'cell phone'.

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