Spanish Conversation · Level 38
74 words
Spanish word
móvil
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈmoβil/
Meaning
- masculine nouncell phone
Example
¿Dónde está mi móvil?
Where is my cell phone?
More examples
Mi móvil no para de sonar.
My cell phone won't stop ringing.
Core concept
Personal handheld telephone carried on the person.
Common phrases
cargar el móvil
charge the cell phone
perder el móvil
lose the cell phone
sonar el móvil
have the cell phone ring
Similar words
celular: Handheld personal phone carried for calls and messages, commonly used in Latin America.
teléfono móvil: Portable personal phone for voice calls and messages, typical in neutral or formal speech.
Definition in Spanish
Teléfono personal y portátil que se lleva encima y sirve para llamadas, mensajes y uso de aplicaciones.
Word origin
It is shortened from teléfono móvil and comes from Latin mobilis 'movable', with the adjective nominalized to mean a portable telephone.
Usage tips
- In Spain móvil is the common term and is masculine (el móvil), while many Latin American speakers say celular, and common casual questions include '¿Tienes móvil?' and '¿Me pasas tu número?'