telenovela
/telenoˈbela/feminine
The English phrase soap opera is translated into Spanish as telenovela or culebrón.
Meaning: television serial (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| telenovela | /telenoˈbela/ | feminine |
| culebrón | /kuleˈbɾon/ | masculine |
Both words refer to a television serial.
Which one should you use?
telenovela is the standard, neutral term for a soap opera. In contrast, culebrón is often used to imply that a show is overly long or excessively melodramatic.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
telenovela is a neutral term. culebrón is a colloquial term that can feel slightly derogatory.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the term culebrón is used colloquially to refer to soap operas.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of the feminine telenovela is telenovelas. The masculine culebrón becomes culebrones in its plural form.
How do you pronounce it?
/telenoˈbela/
Did you know?
- The term culebrón literally translates to 'large snake', using a diminutive-turned-augmentative suffix to turn 'snake' into a metaphor for a long, winding plot.
- In Spanish, the term telenovela is often used for stories with a definitive ending, whereas the English 'soap opera' usually implies a show that runs for decades.
- While English speakers call these shows 'soap operas' because of the soap companies that sponsored early radio dramas, Spanish speakers use terms based on the format and the plot.
Examples in context
- ¿Cuál es tu culebrón favorito?What's your favorite soap opera?This sentence shows how to ask about someone's favorite culebrón.Tatoeba #2511593 by teskmon, translation #906882 by CK
- ¿Viste la última telenovela? Era tan emotiva.Did you see the latest soap opera? It was so moving.
- Estoy enganchado a esta novela. No puedo esperar para descubrir qué sucede en el próximo capítulo.I am hooked on this soap opera. I can't wait to find out what happens in the next chapter.
- Esa telenovela es muy emocionante.That soap opera is very exciting.
- No me gusta ver esa telenovela.I don't like watching that soap opera.
Example conversation
Daniel and María are talking about their TV habits.
- DanielMaría, ¿estás viendo una telenovela ahora?María, are you watching a soap opera right now?
- MaríaSí, Daniel, es muy emocionante.Yes, Daniel, it is very exciting.
- DanielNo tengo tiempo para una telenovela.I don't have time for a soap opera.
- MaríaDeberías probarla, es muy buena.You should try it, it is very good.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “soap opera” translations and entries telenovela, culebrón, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries culebrón, telenovela, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
