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How to Say "television" in Spanish

English → Spanish

tele

/teh-leh//ˈtele/

nounA1Informal
Use this informal, shortened version when talking casually about watching TV or what's currently on television.
A simple, colorful, retro-style television set sitting on a surface. The screen displays a bright, simple picture, like a yellow star.

Examples

¿Qué hay en la tele esta noche?

What's on TV tonight?

Compramos una tele nueva para el salón.

We bought a new television for the living room.

Pasa mucho tiempo mirando la tele.

She spends a lot of time watching TV.

Gender Shortcut

Even though 'tele' ends in '-e', it is always feminine ('la tele') because it is a shortened form of the feminine word 'la televisión'. The nickname keeps the original gender.

Using the Wrong Article

Mistake: “El tele”

Correction: La tele. Remember that the full word is 'la televisión', so you must use the feminine article 'la' with the shortened version.

televisión

nounA2General
Use this word to refer to television as a medium, the broadcasting industry, or the content it produces, especially in a more formal context.

Examples

La televisión ha cambiado mucho en los últimos diez años.

Television (the medium) has changed a lot in the last ten years.

televisivo

/te-le-bee-SEE-bo//teleβiˈsiβo/

adjectiveB1General
Use this adjective to describe something that is related to or produced by the television industry, like a show, a program, or a broadcast.
A modern professional video camera on a tripod used in a television studio.

Examples

Este es el mejor programa televisivo del año.

This is the best television show of the year.

Muchos actores prefieren el cine al medio televisivo.

Many actors prefer movies over the television medium.

La empresa busca nuevas estrellas para su próximo proyecto televisivo.

The company is looking for new stars for its next TV project.

Changing for Gender

This word ends in 'o,' so it must change to 'a' when describing something feminine. For example: 'un programa televisivO' but 'una serie televisivA'.

Where to put the word

In Spanish, describing words like this usually come AFTER the thing they are describing. You say 'programa televisivo,' not 'televisivo programa.'

Using it as a Noun

Mistake: “Me gusta ver el televisivo.”

Correction: Me gusta ver la televisión.

Informal vs. Formal 'Television'

The most common mistake is using the informal 'tele' in situations that call for the standard noun 'televisión'. Remember that 'tele' is like saying 'TV' in English, while 'televisión' is the full, more formal term for the medium itself.

Related Translations

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