Veo la televisión
/beo la telebisjon/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I watch television" is translated into Spanish as Veo la televisión.
This is a statement used to say that you are viewing programs on a television set.
Which one should you use?
Unlike English, where you can say "watch television" without an article, Spanish requires the definite article la before televisión in this context.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Different regions have preferred ways to express this idea. In Spain, the phrase ver la tele is widely used. In Mexico, you will commonly hear ver tele in casual conversations. In Argentina, both mirar la tele and mirar tele are common.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb veo is the first-person singular present indicative of ver (to see/watch), and the subject yo (I) is typically omitted because the verb ending already indicates the subject.
Did you know?
- The word televisión is a linguistic 'calque' of the French word télévision, meaning the Spanish term was built by directly translating the structure of the French word rather than using a native Spanish root.
- While ver la tele is common, the verb ver can also mean 'to understand' or 'to perceive' in certain contexts, meaning a phrase like ya veo can be a way to say 'I see' or 'I understand'.
- Spanish speakers may use the phrase estoy viendo la tele to mean they are currently in the middle of a show, whereas veo la tele can describe a general habit of watching television.
Examples in context
- Por la tarde veo la televisión.I watch television in the evening.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase Veo la televisión with a time indicator.Tatoeba #1786760 by Shishir, translation #262102 by CK
- Veo la televisión.I watch television.This sentence shows the phrase Veo la televisión used in a simple statement.Tatoeba #506734 by Shishir, translation #39164 by CK
- Veo la televisión todo el día.I watch television all day long.This sentence shows the phrase Veo la televisión used to describe an action happening all day long.Tatoeba #743467 by darinmex, translation #252491 by CK
- Yo veo televisión cada noche después del trabajo.I watch television every night after work.
- Yo miro la televisión para relajarme en mi tiempo libre.I watch television to relax in my free time.
- Yo veo tele todas las noches antes de dormir.I watch TV every night before going to sleep.
- Yo miro la tele mientras cenamos en familia.I watch TV while having dinner with the family.
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel are discussing their evening routines.
- Elena¿Qué haces normalmente los viernes?What do you normally do on Fridays?
- DanielDescanso un poco y veo la televisión.I rest a bit and I watch television.
- Elena¿Ves series o películas, Daniel?Do you watch series or movies, Daniel?
- DanielPrefiero las series cuando veo la televisión.I prefer series when I watch television.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries la, televisión, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
