Inklingo

How to Say "mobile phone" in Spanish

English → Spanish

móvil

nounA1general
Use 'móvil' when referring to a handheld communication device, especially if you are in Spain or speaking with people from Spain.

Examples

¿Dónde dejaste tu móvil? Necesito llamarte.

Where did you leave your phone? I need to call you.

celular

seh-loo-LAHR/seluˈlaɾ/

nounA1general
Use 'celular' when referring to a handheld communication device, particularly in Latin American countries or when speaking with people from those regions.
A simple drawing of a modern cell phone being held in a human hand.

Examples

Perdí mi celular en el autobús, ¡espero encontrarlo!

I lost my cell phone on the bus, I hope to find it!

¿Tienes batería en el celular para llamar a un taxi?

Do you have battery on your phone to call a taxi?

Necesito comprar un cargador nuevo para mi celular.

I need to buy a new charger for my cell phone.

Masculine Noun

Even though the word ends in '-ar', it is always treated as a masculine noun, meaning you must use 'el' or 'un' before it: 'el celular'.

Using 'La Celular'

Mistake: “La celular está roto.”

Correction: El celular está roto. Remember that 'celular' (phone) is masculine.

Regional Differences

The most common mistake is using 'celular' in Spain or 'móvil' in Latin America, which might sound slightly unnatural to locals. While generally understood, choosing the regionally appropriate term shows greater fluency.

Related Translations

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