violonchelo
/bjolonˈt͡ʃelo/masculine
In Spanish, the word for cello is violonchelo. It is also spelled violoncelo. Wiktionary also lists chelo.
Meaning: musical instrument (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| violonchelo | /bjolonˈt͡ʃelo/ | masculine |
| chelo | /ˈt͡ʃelo/ | masculine |
| violoncelo | /bjolonθelo/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /bjolonselo/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
masculine, alternative form |
All forms of this word refer to the musical instrument known as the cello.
Which one should you use?
violonchelo is the full name of the instrument, while chelo is a shortened version. Additionally, violoncelo is an alternative spelling of violonchelo that omits the h.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is masculine, so it is used with the masculine article el.
How do you pronounce it?
/bjolonˈtʃelo/
Did you know?
- The word violonchelo is a direct loanword from the Italian violoncello, which literally means 'little big viola'.
- While the instrument is called violonchelo, the Spanish word for 'bow' is arco, which is the same word used for a weapon's bow.
- In Spanish music circles, a 'cello' is categorized as a cuerda frotada, which means 'rubbed string'.
Examples in context
- Tom no toca el chelo tan bien como Mary.Tom doesn't play the cello as well as Mary does.This sentence is useful for comparing how well someone plays the chelo.Tatoeba #7918034 by fpp, translation #6136372 by CK
- Él toca el violonchelo excepcionalmente bien.He plays cello exceptionally well.This sentence is useful for describing someone playing the violonchelo exceptionally well.Tatoeba #1208989 by marcelostockle, translation #478557 by kblakes
- Sus padres decidieron que ella tocaría el violonchelo.Her parents decided that she would play the cello.This sentence is useful for stating that someone would play the violonchelo.Tatoeba #618533 by Shishir, translation #705419 by papabear
- Me encanta el sonido del violonchelo.I love the sound of the cello.
- Voy a aprender a tocar el chelo.I'm going to learn to play the cello.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are at a music shop.
- Alejandro¿Te gusta este violonchelo?Do you like this cello?
- SofíaSí, es un violonchelo muy bonito.Yes, it is a very beautiful cello.
- AlejandroParece que tiene un buen sonido.It seems to have a good sound.
- SofíaDeberías probarlo antes de comprarlo.You should try it before buying it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cello” translations and entries violonchelo, chelo, violoncelo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chelo, violonchelo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
