تِلْفَاز em 30 segundos
- Formal Arabic word for television set.
- Used in Fusha (MSA) rather than daily dialects.
- Central to Arab family life and news consumption.
- Requires verbs like 'watch' (شاهد) and 'turn on' (شغل).
The word تِلْفَاز (Tilfāz) is the formal Arabic term for a television set. While in daily spoken Arabic (Ammiya), people often use the loanword 'تلفزيون' (Televizyōn), the term Tilfāz is the standard (Fusha) word used in literature, news broadcasts, and formal education. It refers specifically to the hardware—the box or screen that receives signals and converts them into moving images and sound.
- Root Origin
- It is an Arabized form of the Greek 'tele' (far) and Latin 'visio' (sight).
- Grammatical Gender
- Masculine (Mudhakkir).
- Plural Form
- تِلْفَازَات (Tilfāzāt) - Sound Feminine Plural.
أُشَاهِدُ الأَخْبَارَ عَلَى الـتِلْفَازِ كُلَّ مَسَاءٍ. (I watch the news on the television every evening.)
In the modern context, تِلْفَاز encompasses everything from the old cathode-ray tube (CRT) boxes to modern 4K LED smart screens. It is a central piece of furniture in most Arab households, serving as a hub for family gatherings, especially during the holy month of Ramadan when special series (Musalsalat) are aired.
اشْتَرَى أَبِي تِلْفَازاً جَدِيداً كَبِيراً. (My father bought a large new television.)
لا تَقْتَرِبْ كَثِيراً مِنَ الـتِلْفَازِ. (Do not get too close to the television.)
يُعْرَضُ هَذَا الفِيلْمُ عَلَى الـتِلْفَازِ الآنَ. (This movie is being shown on the television now.)
تَعَطَّلَ الـتِلْفَازُ بِسَبَبِ العَاصِفَةِ. (The television broke down because of the storm.)
Using تِلْفَاز correctly involves pairing it with specific verbs related to operation and consumption. The most common verb is شَاهَدَ (to watch). Unlike 'looking at' (نظر إلى), 'watching' implies a duration of focus on moving content.
- Action: Turning On
- شَغَّلَ التِّلْفَاز (Shagh-ghala al-tilfāz)
- Action: Turning Off
- أَطْفَأَ التِّلْفَاز (Atfa'a al-tilfāz)
- Action: Changing Channels
- غَيَّرَ القَنَاةَ (Ghayyara al-qanāh)
When describing the television, you can use adjectives like ذَكِيّ (smart - as in Smart TV), مُلَوَّن (colored), or قَدِيم (old). It is also important to distinguish between the device itself and the 'broadcast' (البَثّ). You watch a program *on* the television (عَلَى التِّلْفَاز).
You will encounter تِلْفَاز in various professional and social settings. In a retail environment, a salesperson will use it to describe technical specifications. In a domestic setting, a parent might use it when setting boundaries for children. In media studies, it is used to discuss the impact of mass communication.
- In the News
- 'نَقَلَ التِّلْفَازُ الرَّسْمِيُّ...' (The official television broadcasted...)
- In Advertisements
- 'أَقْوَى عُرُوضِ التِّلْفَازَاتِ' (The strongest offers on televisions)
Interestingly, while the internet has taken over much of its role, the Tilfāz remains the primary source for live sports (especially football) and major national announcements in the Arab world. Hearing the word often evokes a sense of shared experience, as many people watch the same programs simultaneously.
One frequent mistake for learners is confusing تِلْفَاز with شَاشة (Shāsha), which means 'screen'. While every television has a screen, not every screen is a television (e.g., a computer monitor or phone screen). If you are talking about the hardware device that receives channels, use Tilfāz.
Another mistake is using the wrong preposition. In English, we say 'on TV'. In Arabic, we also use عَلَى (on), but beginners sometimes try to use فِي (in). While 'in the television' (فِي التِّلْفَاز) is grammatically possible if you are talking about the internal components, 'on the television' is the standard for content.
To enrich your vocabulary, compare تِلْفَاز with related media devices. The مِذْيَاع (Midhyā' - Radio) was its predecessor. The حَاسُوب (Hāsūb - Computer) is its modern rival. The مِذْيَاع مَرْئِيّ (Visual Radio) is an archaic term sometimes used in very old formal texts to describe the television before the word Tilfāz became standardized.
- شَاشَة (Shāsha)
- Screen / Monitor
- قَنَاة (Qanāh)
- Channel
- بَرْنَامَج (Barnāmaj)
- Program / Show
How Formal Is It?
Nível de dificuldade
Gramática essencial
Sun and Moon Letters (Taa is Sun)
Idafa Construction
Adjective Agreement
Object of the Verb (Mansub)
Prepositions (Ala)
Exemplos por nível
هَذَا تِلْفَازٌ كَبِيرٌ.
This is a big television.
Demonstrative pronoun 'هذا' + noun + adjective.
أَيْنَ التِّلْفَازُ؟
Where is the television?
Interrogative 'أين' + definite noun.
التِّلْفَازُ فِي الغُرْفَةِ.
The television is in the room.
Subject + prepositional phrase.
أَنَا أُحِبُّ التِّلْفَازَ.
I love the television.
Subject pronoun + verb + object.
عِنْدِي تِلْفَازٌ جَدِيدٌ.
I have a new television.
Possessive 'عندي' + noun + adjective.
لا تَلْمِسِ التِّلْفَازَ.
Do not touch the television.
Negative imperative 'لا' + jussive verb.
التِّلْفَازُ مَكْسُورٌ.
The television is broken.
Noun + predicate adjective.
هَذَا تِلْفَازُ جَدِّي.
This is my grandfather's television.
Idafa construction (possession).
أُشَاهِدُ التِّلْفَازَ مَعَ أُسْرَتِي.
I watch television with my family.
Present tense verb + object + prepositional phrase.
هَلْ تُحِبُّ مُشَاهَدَةَ التِّلْفَازِ؟
Do you like watching television?
Interrogative 'هل' + verb + verbal noun (Masdar).
أَطْفِئِ التِّلْفَازَ قَبْلَ النَّوْمِ.
Turn off the television before sleep.
Imperative verb + object.
يُوجَدُ تِلْفَازٌ فِي كُلِّ بَيْتٍ.
There is a television in every house.
Passive-like verb 'يوجد' (there is).
أَخِي يَجْلِسُ أَمَامَ التِّلْفَازِ طَوَالَ اليَوْمِ.
My brother sits in front of the television all day.
Adverb of place 'أمام' + Idafa.
اشْتَرَيْنَا تِلْفَازاً ذَكِيّاً.
We bought a smart television.
Past tense verb (1st person plural).
صَوْتُ التِّلْفَازِ عَالٍ جِدّاً.
The television's volume is very high.
Subject (Idafa) + adjective + intensifier.
لا يُوجَدُ شَيْءٌ جَيِّدٌ عَلَى التِّلْفَازِ اليَوْمَ.
There is nothing good on television today.
Negative existence + adjective.
يُفَضِّلُ بَعْضُ النَّاسِ القِرَاءَةَ عَلَى مُشَاهَدَةِ التِّلْفَازِ.
Some people prefer reading over watching television.
Verb + subject + object + prepositional comparison.
أَصْبَحَ التِّلْفَازُ جُزْءاً أَسَاسِيّاً مِنَ الحَيَاةِ اليَوْمِيَّةِ.
Television has become an essential part of daily life.
Verb 'أصبح' (sister of Kana) + subject + predicate.
تَعَلَّمْتُ اللُّغَةَ العَرَبِيَّةَ مِنْ خِلَالِ بَرَامِجِ التِّلْفَازِ.
I learned Arabic through television programs.
Prepositional phrase 'من خلال' (through).
هَلْ تَعْتَقِدُ أَنَّ التِّلْفَازَ يُؤَثِّرُ عَلَى الأَطْفَالِ؟
Do you think that television affects children?
Verb 'يعتقد' + 'أن' clause.
قَضَيْتُ السَّهْرَةَ أَمَامَ التِّلْفَازِ أُتَابِعُ فِيلْماً وَثَائِقِيّاً.
I spent the evening in front of the television following a documentary.
Past tense + circumstantial clause (Hal).
يَجِبُ أَنْ نُحَدِّدَ وَقْتَ مُشَاهَدَةِ التِّلْفَازِ.
We must limit the time of watching television.
Modal 'يجب أن' + subjunctive verb.
التِّلْفَازُ مَصْدَرٌ هَامٌّ لِلأَخْبَارِ العَالَمِيَّةِ.
Television is an important source for international news.
Nominal sentence with adjectives.
كَمْ سَاعَةً تَقْضِي أَمَامَ التِّلْفَازِ؟
How many hours do you spend in front of the television?
Interrogative 'كم' + noun (Tamyiz).
تَرَاجَعَ دَوْرُ التِّلْفَازِ التَّقْلِيدِيِّ مَعَ ظُهُورِ المِنَصَّاتِ الرَّقْمِيَّةِ.
The role of traditional television declined with the emergence of digital platforms.
Verb + subject (Idafa) + prepositional phrase.
يُعْتَبَرُ التِّلْفَازُ وَسِيلَةً فَعَّالَةً لِنَشْرِ الثَّقَافَةِ.
Television is considered an effective means for spreading culture.
Passive verb 'يُعتبر' + double objects.
انْتَقَدَ الخُبَرَاءُ كَثْرَةَ الإِعْلَانَاتِ التِّجَارِيَّةِ عَلَى التِّلْفَازِ.
Experts criticized the abundance of commercial advertisements on television.
Verb + subject + object (Idafa).
يُسَاهِمُ التِّلْفَازُ فِي تَشْكِيلِ الرَّأْيِ العَامِّ.
Television contributes to shaping public opinion.
Verb 'يساهم في' + Masdar.
لَمْ يَعُدِ التِّلْفَازُ المَصْدَرَ الوَحِيدَ لِلتَّرْفِيهِ.
Television is no longer the sole source of entertainment.
Negative 'لم يعد' (no longer).
بُثَّتِ المِيَارَاةُ مُبَاشَرَةً عَلَى التِّلْفَازِ الوَطَنِيِّ.
The match was broadcast live on national television.
Passive past tense + adverb 'مباشرة'.
يَتَنَافَسُ التِّلْفَازُ مَعَ شَبَكَاتِ التَّوَاصُلِ الِاجْتِمَاعِيِّ.
Television competes with social media networks.
Verb 'يتنافس مع'.
أَدَّى التِّلْفَازُ إِلَى تَغْيِيرِ العَادَاتِ الِاجْتِمَاعِيَّةِ.
Television led to changing social habits.
Verb 'أدى إلى' + Masdar.
يَنْبَغِي تَحْلِيلُ الخِطَابِ الإِعْلَامِيِّ المَبْثُوثِ عَبْرَ التِّلْفَازِ.
The media discourse broadcast via television should be analyzed.
Modal 'ينبغي' + subject (Masdar).
ظَلَّ التِّلْفَازُ عُقُوداً طَوِيلَةً أَدَاةً لِلتَّوْجِيهِ الأَيْدِيُولُوجِيِّ.
Television remained for long decades a tool for ideological guidance.
Verb 'ظل' + duration + predicate.
تَعْكِسُ بَرَامِجُ التِّلْفَازِ الوَاقِعَ الِاجْتِمَاعِيَّ بِكُلِّ تَنَاقُضَاتِهِ.
Television programs reflect social reality with all its contradictions.
Verb + subject (Idafa) + object.
أَحْدَثَ التِّلْفَازُ ثَوْرَةً فِي مَفْهُومِ التَّلَقِّي البَصَرِيِّ.
Television brought about a revolution in the concept of visual reception.
Verb 'أحدث' + object.
رَغْمَ هَيْمَنَةِ الإِنْتَرْنِت، لا يَزَالُ لِلتِّلْفَازِ بَرِيقُهُ الخَاصُّ.
Despite the dominance of the internet, television still has its special luster.
Concession 'رغم' + 'لا يزال'.
تَسْعَى القَنَوَاتُ التِّلْفَازِيَّةُ إِلَى اسْتِقْطَابِ أَكْبَرِ عَدَدٍ مِنَ المُشَاهِدِينَ.
Television channels seek to attract the largest number of viewers.
Verb 'تسعى إلى' + Masdar.
يُثِيرُ التِّلْفَازُ جَدَلاً حَوْلَ مَعَايِيرِ القِيَمِ وَالأَخْلَاقِ.
Television sparks debate about the standards of values and ethics.
Verb 'يثير' + object.
ارْتَبَطَتِ الهُوِيَّةُ الوَطَنِيَّةُ فِي بَعْضِ الدُّوَلِ بِبَرَامِجِ التِّلْفَازِ الرَّسْمِيِّ.
National identity in some countries was linked to official television programs.
Passive-like past tense 'ارتبطت' + preposition 'بـ'.
يَتَجَلَّى الِاسْتِلابُ الثَّقَافِيُّ فِي أَبْهَى صُوَرِهِ عَبْرَ شَاشَاتِ التِّلْفَازِ.
Cultural alienation manifests in its most vivid forms through television screens.
Reflexive verb 'يتجلى' + subject.
أَمْسَى التِّلْفَازُ أَيْقُونَةً لِلْعَصْرِ الِاسْتِهْلَاكِيِّ الحَدِيثِ.
Television has become an icon of the modern consumerist era.
Verb 'أمسى' (sister of Kana).
تَتَمَاهَى الحَقِيقَةُ مَعَ الخَيَالِ فِي الفَضَاءِ التِّلْفَازِيِّ المَفْتُوحِ.
Reality identifies with fantasy in the open television space.
Verb 'تتماهى مع'.
يُعَدُّ التِّلْفَازُ أَدَاةً لِصِيَاغَةِ الوَعْيِ الجَمْعِيِّ وَتَوْجِيهِ المَشَاعِرِ.
Television is considered a tool for formulating collective consciousness and directing emotions.
Passive verb + complex Idafa.
إِنَّ سَطْوَةَ التِّلْفَازِ البَصَرِيَّةَ تَفُوقُ أَيَّ وَسِيلَةٍ مَعْرِفِيَّةٍ أُخْرَى.
The visual power of television surpasses any other cognitive medium.
Emphasis 'إن' + subject + adjective + verb.
تَآكَلَتِ الحُدُودُ بَيْنَ الخُصُوصِيَّةِ وَالعُمُومِيَّةِ بِفِضْلِ بَرَامِجِ تِلْفَازِ الوَاقِعِ.
The boundaries between privacy and publicity eroded thanks to reality TV programs.
Verb 'تآكلت' + subject.
يُمَثِّلُ التِّلْفَازُ مِرْآةً مُقَعَّرَةً تَعْكِسُ هُمُومَ المُجْتَمَعِ بِنَظْرَةٍ انْتِقَائِيَّةٍ.
Television represents a concave mirror that reflects society's concerns with a selective gaze.
Metaphorical usage with complex adjectives.
لَقَدْ غَدَا التِّلْفَازُ سُلْطَةً رَابِعَةً تُؤَثِّرُ فِي صُنْعِ القَرَارِ السِّيَاسِيِّ.
Television has become a fourth power influencing political decision-making.
Particle 'لقد' + past tense 'غدا' (became).
Colocações comuns
Frases Comuns
Frequentemente confundido com
Expressões idiomáticas
Fácil de confundir
Padrões de frases
Como usar
Tilfāz is the device; I'lām is the media industry.
In North Africa, 'Tele' is often used as a short form.
- Saying 'Al-Tilfāz' with a pronounced 'L'.
- Using 'Fi' instead of 'Ala'.
- Confusing it with 'Midhyā' (Radio).
- Using the feminine adjective with it.
- Misspelling the plural as 'Tilfāzūn'.
Dicas
Formal vs Informal
Use Tilfāz in your homework and Televizyōn in the street.
Sun Letter
Remember the 'L' is silent: At-Tilfāz.
Ramadan
Watch Arabic series in Ramadan to improve your listening.
Long Vowel
Make sure to stretch the 'aa' in Tilfāz.
Prepositions
Always use 'Ala' (on) for content on TV.
Spelling
Don't forget the Hamza on the 'Alif' if it's part of a sentence.
News
Listen to BBC Arabic or Al Jazeera to hear 'Tilfāz' used formally.
Verbs
Practice 'Shagh-ghil' (Turn on) and 'Atfi' (Turn off).
Association
Link it to the English word 'Television'.
Context
Modern TVs are often called 'Shāsha' (Screen) now.
Memorize
Origem da palavra
Loanword from French 'télévision' or English 'television', adapted to Arabic phonology.
Contexto cultural
Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya changed how Arabs view the 'Tilfāz'.
Peak TV season in the Arab world.
Cartoons on TV are often in Fusha, helping children learn the formal language.
Pratique na vida real
Contextos reais
Iniciadores de conversa
"ماذا تشاهد على التلفاز عادة؟"
"هل تفضل التلفاز أم اليوتيوب؟"
"ما هو برنامجك المفضل؟"
"كم ساعة تشاهد التلفاز يومياً؟"
"هل التلفاز مهم في غرفتك؟"
Temas para diário
Write about your favorite childhood TV show.
Describe the role of television in your country.
Should children watch television? Why?
If you could create a TV channel, what would it be?
Describe a day without any screens.
Perguntas frequentes
10 perguntasNo, it is widely understood and used in daily life, but 'Tilfāz' is the correct formal term.
The plural is 'Tilfāzāt' (تلفازات).
You say 'Tilfāz Dhaki' (تلفاز ذكي).
It is masculine.
It's better to use 'Shahada' for watching programs.
It is 'Tilfāz al-Waqi' (تلفاز الواقع).
You say 'Jihāz at-tahakkum' or simply 'Remote'.
Yes, 'Talfaza' (تلفز).
It is 'Qanāh Tilfāziyya' (قناة تلفازية).
No, it is a modern invention and a modern word.
Teste-se 61 perguntas
/ 61 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Tilfāz is the formal, standard Arabic term for a television. While 'Televizyōn' is common in speech, 'Tilfāz' is essential for reading news, literature, and formal documents, representing both the technology and the cultural medium.
- Formal Arabic word for television set.
- Used in Fusha (MSA) rather than daily dialects.
- Central to Arab family life and news consumption.
- Requires verbs like 'watch' (شاهد) and 'turn on' (شغل).
Formal vs Informal
Use Tilfāz in your homework and Televizyōn in the street.
Sun Letter
Remember the 'L' is silent: At-Tilfāz.
Ramadan
Watch Arabic series in Ramadan to improve your listening.
Long Vowel
Make sure to stretch the 'aa' in Tilfāz.
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