Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tele | /ˈtele/ | feminine |
| tv | /teˈbe/ /teˈube/ |
feminine |
The terms tele and tv are abbreviations for television. When you want to say that someone is "on TV", use the preposition en, as in en la tele.
Which one should you use?
Tele is a popular colloquial abbreviation of televisión. Another formal word for "TV" is televisor, often used when referring to the physical electronic device.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The shortened form 'la tele' is the most common way to refer to television in everyday spoken Spanish. For more formal situations, you may use televisor when referring to the device itself.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, an informal and slightly derogatory way to refer to a TV is caja tonta, which literally means "silly box".
How does it change in a sentence?
Both tele and tv are feminine nouns. Because the word is feminine, you must use feminine articles and adjectives, such as la tele or una tele.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtele/
Did you know?
- The root of the word tele traces back to the Ancient Greek τῆλε (têle), which refers to 'far off' or 'distance'.
- While English speakers use 'TV' as a neutral abbreviation, the Spanish term caja tonta specifically mocks the medium as a 'silly box'.
- In Spanish, televisor refers strictly to the hardware, while la tele often refers to the medium or the programming.
Examples in context
- No ves la tele.You don't watch TV.This sentence is useful for practicing the negative form with tele.Tatoeba #10093123 by manufrutos, translation #10084808 by ddnktr
- Te vi en la tele.I saw you on TV.This sentence is useful for learning how to say someone is "on" the TV using tele.Tatoeba #3525147 by cueyayotl, translation #2406193 by CK
- ¿Mary ve la tele?Does Mary watch TV?This sentence is useful for forming a question about watching tele.Tatoeba #10093146 by manufrutos, translation #10084753 by ddnktr
- El informe será transmitido en televisión esta noche.The report will be broadcast on TV tonight.
- El televisor de última generación ofrece una experiencia de visualización excepcional.The latest generation TV provides an exceptional viewing experience.
- ¿Vamos a ver la tele esta noche?Are we going to watch TV tonight?
- Mi hermano compró un nuevo televisor para su habitación.My brother bought a new TV for his room.
- Estoy viendo televisión.I am watching TV.
- ¿Dónde está el mando de la tele?Where is the TV remote control?
- Me gusta ver programas de televisión en español.I enjoy watching TV shows in Spanish.
- 495 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A living room in the evening.
- Mateo¿Qué ves en la tele, Elena?What are you watching on the TV, Elena?
- ElenaUna película muy buena.A very good movie.
- MateoEntonces no te molesto.Then I won't disturb you.
- ElenaGracias, Mateo.Thanks, Mateo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tv” translations and entries tele, tv, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tele, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
