telescopio
/telesˈkopjo/masculine
The English word telescope is translated into Spanish as telescopio. Wiktionary also lists catalejo.
Meaning: optical instrument that magnifies (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| telescopio | /telesˈkopjo/ | masculine |
| catalejo | /kataˈlexo/ | masculine |
The term refers to an optical instrument used for magnification.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of telescopio is telescopios, formed by adding -s because the word ends in a vowel.
How do you pronounce it?
/telesˈkopjo/
Did you know?
- The verb catar used in catalejo is still used today in Spanish to describe tasting wine or olive oil to judge their quality.
- The word catalejo is a clever linguistic construction that literally contains the word lejos, which means 'far'.
- While telescopio is the scientific term, you might encounter the word catalejo when reading historical adventure novels or watching pirate films.
Examples in context
- Él ajustó el telescopio a su vista.He adjusted the telescope to his sight.This sentence shows the use of telescopio in the context of adjusting it for sight.Tatoeba #1253200 by marcelostockle, translation #288290 by CM
- Tom se compró un telescopio refractor.Tom bought a refractory telescope.This sentence illustrates the use of telescopio when describing a refractory type.Tatoeba #10106107 by manufrutos, translation #10098580 by shekitten
- Con un telescopio se pueden ver las estrellas.You can see the stars using a telescope.This sentence demonstrates how one can use a telescopio to see the stars.Tatoeba #737891 by Shishir, translation #682146 by Source_VOA
- En el observatorio, el astrónomo usó un telescopio de última generación.In the observatory, the astronomer used a state-of-the-art telescope.
- El capitán pirata observaba el horizonte con su catalejo.The pirate captain was scanning the horizon with his telescope.
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is preparing to observe the night sky in their backyard.
- MaríaDaniel, ¿puedes traer el telescopio?Daniel, can you bring the telescope?
- DanielSí, María, ya lo tengo listo.Yes, María, I have it ready.
- María¡Qué bien! Quiero ver la Luna.Great! I want to see the Moon.
- DanielMira por el telescopio ahora.Look through the telescope now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “telescope” translations and entries telescopio, catalejo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries catalejo, telescopio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
