televisión
/telebiˈsjon/feminine
The Spanish word for television is televisión. Wiktionary also lists tele.
Meaning: device for receiving television signals (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| televisión | /telebiˈsjon/ | feminine |
| tele | /ˈtele/ | feminine |
The word refers to the device used for receiving television signals.
Which one should you use?
televisión is the standard form, while tele is a shortened, colloquial version.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
televisión is the standard term, whereas tele is an informal shortening similar to saying 'TV' in English.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, the phrase la tele is commonly used to mean television.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
televisión is a feminine noun. When you are referring to the medium or the act of watching, it almost always requires the definite article la.
How do you pronounce it?
/telebiˈsjon/
Did you know?
- The root of the word visión connects back to the Proto-Indo-European root *weyd-, which is the same root found in the English word 'wit'.
- Despite its modern meaning, the elements that make up televisión were combined to describe 'seeing from a distance' long before the electronic device existed.
Examples in context
- Te vi en televisión.I saw you on television.This sentence shows how to use televisión to mean being on the medium.Tatoeba #5966111 by baudelaire, translation #6806541 by CK
- Mi televisor se dañó.My television is broken.This sentence uses tele to refer to the television set.Tatoeba #4371509 by umano, translation #456481 by lukaszpp
- No veas la televisión.Do not watch television.This sentence demonstrates the use of televisión with the definite article when discussing the act of watching.Tatoeba #539204 by Shishir, translation #1042239 by yessoos
- Me gusta ver televisión en mi tiempo libre.I like to watch television in my free time.
- La televisión es una gran fuente de información y entretenimiento.Television is a great source of information and entertainment.
- Mi hermana trabaja en la industria de la televisión.My sister works in the television industry.
- Vamos a ver la tele esta noche.Let's watch TV tonight.
- ¿Cuál es tu programa de tele favorito?What's your favorite TV show?
- No puedo creer lo que vi en la tele ayer.I can't believe what I saw on TV yesterday.
- Mi abuelo tiene un televisor muy grande.My grandfather has a very big TV.
- Voy a comprar un nuevo televisor para mi habitación.I'm going to buy a new TV for my room.
- ¿Dónde está el control remoto del televisor?Where is the TV remote control?
- Voy a ver la tele para enterarme de las noticias.I'm going to watch TV to find out the news.
- Mi papá trabaja en la industria de la tele.My dad works in the TV industry.
- 215 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are talking in the living room.
- LucíaAlejandro, ¿dónde está el control de la televisión?Alejandro, where is the television remote?
- AlejandroCreo que está debajo de la televisión.I think it is under the television.
- LucíaNo lo veo, ayúdame a buscarlo.I don't see it, help me look for it.
- AlejandroAquí está, Lucía. Estaba detrás de la televisión.Here it is, Lucía. It was behind the television.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “television” translations and entries televisión, tele, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tele, televisión, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
