Cello
/ˈt͡ʃɛlo/neuter
The English phrase cello is translated into German as Cello. Wiktionary also lists Violoncello.
Meaning: musical instrument (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Cello | /ˈt͡ʃɛlo/ /ˈʃɛlo/ |
neuter |
| Violoncello | /vi̯olɔnˈt͡ʃɛlo/ | neuter |
The word refers to the musical instrument known as the cello.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Cello is the common way to refer to the instrument, while Violoncello is a more formal or technical term.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtʃɛlo/
Did you know?
- A German musician might refer to the Cello as a Bassgeige in certain regional or archaic contexts, literally meaning 'bass violin'.
- The word Violoncello contains the Italian diminutive suffix '-ello', which in a musical context implies the instrument is a 'little' version of the larger 'violone'.
- The German word Cellist changes to Cellistin when referring to a female player, reflecting the language's tendency to mark gender in professional titles.
Examples in context
- Tom spielt Bratsche, Maria Cello.Tom plays the viola, and Mary plays the cello.This example shows a comparison between playing the viola and the Cello.Tatoeba #10198576 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #10198220 by CK
- Das Cello ist ein Saiteninstrument.The cello is a string instrument.This example describes the Cello as a string instrument.Tatoeba #10078331 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #10078293 by AlanF_US
- Er spielt das Cello außergewöhnlich gut.He plays cello exceptionally well.This example highlights someone playing the Cello exceptionally well.Tatoeba #4337286 by Wuzzy, translation #478557 by kblakes
- Ich spiele das Violoncello.I play the cello.
- Kannst du Cello spielen?Can you play the cello?
- Die Solistin spielte das Violoncello meisterhaft.The soloist played the cello masterfully.
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Julia are at a music store.
- MaximilianSchau mal, dieses Cello ist toll!Look, this cello is great!
- JuliaJa, es sieht wirklich hochwertig aus.Yes, it looks really high-quality.
- MaximilianSoll ich es mal ausprobieren?Should I try it out?
- JuliaJa, bitte, probier es aus!Yes, please, try it out!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cello” translations and entries Cello, Violoncello, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Cello, Violoncello, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
