Phrases
News and media in Esperanto: newspaper, TV, radio, press
Newspaper, TV, radio and online news in Esperanto, with the traps to avoid: gazeto or ĵurnalo, televido or televidilo, and the false friend aktuala.
A newspaper is gazeto, television is televido, a broadcast is an elsendo and a piece of news is a novaĵo. Most media words are built from a few parts: -ist- for a professional, -il- for a device, -ej- for a place and -ar- for a group. This page groups about 90 words by topic, flags the pairs that confuse learners, and ends with sentences you can reuse. Pronunciation guides split words into syllables, with the stressed syllable in capitals.
Newspapers and magazines
| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| newspaper | gazeto | ga-ZE-to | ReVo: a periodical that reports current affairs |
| daily newspaper | taggazeto, ĉiutaga gazeto | tag-ga-ZE-to, ĉi-u-TA-ga ga-ZE-to | ReVo: taggazeto is ĉiutaga gazeto; it lists ĵurnalo as a synonym |
| the press | gazetaro | ga-ze-TA-ro | all the newspapers of a place or country |
| magazine | magazino | ma-ga-ZI-no | ReVo: a popular periodical, often illustrated, with various sections |
| journal, review | revuo | re-VU-o | ReVo sense 3: a non-daily periodical devoted to one field |
| periodical (general term) | periodaĵo | pe-ri-o-DA-ĵo | ReVo's umbrella word for gazeto, magazino, revuo, bulteno |
| newsletter, bulletin | bulteno | bul-TE-no | a regular information sheet of a society or institution |
| issue, number | numero | nu-ME-ro | ReVo lists it as a part of a periodical |
| article | artikolo | ar-ti-KO-lo | ReVo sense 2: a text in a newspaper, magazine or booklet |
| headline, title | titolo | ti-TO-lo | ReVo: the heading of a book, newspaper, article or chapter |
| editorial | ĉefartikolo | ĉef-ar-ti-KO-lo | PMEG: the main article of a paper, usually showing the opinion of the publisher or chief editor |
| section, topic heading | rubriko | ru-BRI-ko | a group of articles under one topic title |
| column (regular space) | kolumno | ko-LUM-no | ReVo sense 2: a fixed place in successive issues for one author or theme |
| interview, to interview | intervjuo, intervjui | in-ter-VJU-o, in-ter-VJU-i | ReVo: questions and answers about someone's life or opinions; the person is the object: intervjui la ministron |
| advertisement | reklamo | rek-LA-mo | selling and praising a product or business |
| notice, announcement | anonco | a-NON-co | ReVo: gazetanonco is an announcement published in a newspaper |
Gazeto or ĵurnalo?
Both can mean "newspaper", and gazeto is the safer choice. ReVo defines ĵurnalo as gazeto and adds a second sense, a news bulletin, as in la televida ĵurnalo "the TV news". It also notes that the Fundamento does not define ĵurnalo and the Academy made it official later, in its first Official Addition. Gazeto is more firmly rooted, and the word list Vortoj de la Bona Lingvo recommends gazeto, taggazeto or revuo instead. Ĵurnalo is not a diary: that is taglibro.
The usual word for the profession is ĵurnalisto; gazetisto is a newspaper journalist in particular. Revuo has other meanings too, a military parade inspection and a theatrical revue, so magazino or gazeto can be clearer.
People who make and read the news
| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| journalist | ĵurnalisto | ĵur-na-LIS-to | ReVo: a professional who collects news or presents it in the media |
| newspaper journalist | gazetisto | ga-ze-TIS-to | ReVo: a journalist of a newspaper |
| reporter | raportisto | ra-por-TIS-to | ReVo: a journalist who reports on events; reportero is rare and ReVo advises raportisto |
| correspondent | korespondanto | ko-res-pon-DAN-to | korespondi "exchange letters" + -ant-; ReVo's examples include Monato's contributors |
| editor | redaktisto, redaktoro | re-dak-TIS-to, re-dak-TO-ro | ReVo: redaktisto edits professionally; redaktoro is a synonym |
| chief editor | ĉefredaktisto | ĉef-re-dak-TIS-to | PMEG: the editor responsible for the content of a paper or magazine |
| editorial office | redaktejo | re-dak-TE-jo | PMEG: the place where a newspaper is edited; ReVo also has redakcio |
| publisher (person) | eldonisto | el-do-NIS-to | ReVo: orders or accepts manuscripts, corrects them, plans printing and sale |
| announcer, presenter | anoncisto, parolisto | a-non-CIS-to, pa-ro-LIS-to | ReVo: a professional voice that announces; parolisto presents news from a medium |
| subscriber | abonanto | a-bo-NAN-to | aboni "to subscribe" |
| reader | leganto | le-GAN-to | legi "read" + -ant-; the group is legantaro |
Television and radio
Televido has two main senses in ReVo: the technique of sending and receiving moving pictures and sound, and the programmes made with it. The set is a televidilo. ReVo marks the third sense of televido ("television set") as rare and best avoided, so say televidilo for the object.
| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| television | televido | te-le-VI-do | the system and its programmes |
| television set | televidilo | te-le-vi-DI-lo | televidi + -il-: a device for watching television |
| to watch television | spekti televidon, rigardi televidon | SPEK-ti te-le-VI-don, ri-GAR-di te-le-VI-don | PMEG uses rigardi televidon; ReVo also lists televidi |
| cable television | kablotelevido | ka-blo-te-le-VI-do | ReVo: a system where programmes reach customers by cable |
| TV channel, radio channel | kanalo | ka-NA-lo | ReVo sense 4: a communication route, such as the frequency of a radio or TV station |
| television station | televidstacio | te-le-vid-sta-CI-o | ReVo: a station that broadcasts television programmes |
| radio (broadcasting) | radio, radiofonio | ra-DI-o, ra-di-o-fo-NI-o | ReVo: the system of public broadcasting by radio waves |
| radio set | radio, radioaparato | ra-DI-o, ra-di-o-a-pa-RA-to | ReVo: a device for listening to broadcasts |
| radio station | radistacio, radiostacio | ra-di-sta-CI-o, ra-di-o-sta-CI-o | ReVo lists both |
| programme | programo | pro-GRA-mo | ReVo sense b: the list of items to be presented, on stage, radio or TV |
| TV programme, TV show | televidprogramo, televidaĵo | te-le-vid-pro-GRA-mo, te-le-vi-DA-ĵo | ReVo: televidaĵo is a separate film or broadcast |
| broadcast | elsendo | el-SEN-do | from elsendi; ReVo uses it for radio and TV programmes |
| to broadcast | elsendi, dissendi | el-SEN-di, dis-SEN-di | ReVo: elsendi "send out sounds, pictures, information"; dissendi is a synonym for this sense |
| viewer | spektanto | spek-TAN-to | ReVo: a person watching a theatre, TV or similar show; avoid the archaic spektatoro |
| listener | aŭskultanto | aŭ-skul-TAN-to | ReVo: someone who listens to a radio station's broadcasts |
Radio covers both the broadcasting and the device, so context decides: Mi aŭskultas la radion "I am listening to the radio". The adjective televida means "of television". A note in ReVo points out that publika contrasts not only with privata "private" but also with ŝtata "state": publika televido "public television" is not ŝtata televido "state television".
News, facts and sources
Novaĵo is nov- "new" + -aĵ- "thing". ReVo gives three senses: something that has just happened, something freshly announced, and something appearing for the first time. For "the news" ReVo's examples use the plural novaĵoj, and one item is novaĵo.
| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| news item, news (plural) | novaĵo, novaĵoj | no-VA-ĵo, no-VA-ĵoj | |
| current topic | aktualaĵo | ak-tu-a-LA-ĵo | ReVo: a matter of current public interest |
| information | informo | in-FOR-mo | informi "to inform" |
| report | raporto | ra-POR-to | raporti "to report, to bring information" |
| fact | fakto | FAK-to | ReVo: a real, non-fictional event one can rely on as a basis for reasoning |
| source | fonto | FON-to | ReVo sense 3: a document or speech that a quotation or knowledge comes from |
| up to date | ĝisdata | ĝis-DA-ta | ĝisdatigi "to update" |
| fake, falsification | falsaĵo | fal-SA-ĵo | ReVo: the result of falsifying; an inauthentic object or untrue information |
| fake news | falsa novaĵo | FAL-sa no-VA-ĵo | ReVo: incorrect, misleading information about news; Vikipedio's article is Falsaj novaĵoj |
| deliberate fake news | trompnovaĵo | tromp-no-VA-ĵo | ReVo: intentionally incorrect information, misleading news |
| misinformation | misinformo | mi-sin-FOR-mo | ReVo: incorrect, untrue or misleading information; mis- "wrongly" |
| propaganda | propagando | pro-pa-GAN-do | ReVo: effort to spread an idea |
Watch the false friend aktuala. ReVo calls it an outstanding false friend. Its useful sense is "of current interest" (aktualaĵo), and it says the other senses are better expressed with more precise words. For "actual, real" use reala, efektiva or vera, for "current" use nuna, and for "actually" use efektive or fakte.
For debate and opinion words (opinio, debato, argumento), see politics and society.
Online media and social posts
| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| blog | blogo | BLO-go | ReVo: a neologism, an internet diary; the word list suggests reta taglibro |
| to blog | blogi | BLO-gi | ReVo: to write a blog by adding posts |
| blog post | blogaĵo | blo-GA-ĵo | ReVo: a single addition to a blog |
| podcast | podkasto | pod-KAS-to | ReVo: a sound recording delivered by podkastado |
| poster, forum post | afiŝo | a-FI-ŝo | ReVo: a printed notice on a wall; also a message sent to a forum or mailing list |
| to post | afiŝi | a-FI-ŝi | ReVo sense 3: to send a message to a computer-network forum |
| to subscribe | aboni | a-BO-ni | ReVo: also to follow a forum, mailing list or RSS feed |
Social network names, links, email and apps are on the computers and internet page.
Publishing, printing and press freedom
| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| to publish | publikigi | pu-bli-KI-gi | ReVo: make something publicly available or known, in print or through the media |
| to publish (a work) | eldoni | el-DO-ni | ReVo sense 2: to publish and sell a work |
| publishing house | eldonejo | el-do-NE-jo | ReVo: a company that publishes works |
| to appear (of a book or paper) | aperi | a-PE-ri | ReVo sense 3; aperigi "to bring out", which ReVo links to publikigi |
| to print | presi | PRE-si | ReVo: to reproduce text in quantity, usually with ink on paper; printing house: presejo |
| mass media | amasinformilo, amaskomunikilo | a-mas-in-for-MI-lo, a-mas-ko-mu-ni-KI-lo | ReVo: umbrella words for newspaper, television and radio |
| censorship | cenzuro | cen-ZU-ro | ReVo: controlling the publication of information, for example on political or moral grounds |
| to censor | cenzuri | cen-ZU-ri | |
| freedom | libereco | li-be-RE-co | |
| press freedom | gazetara libereco | ga-ze-TA-ra li-be-RE-co | Vikipedio's article is titled Gazetarlibereco |
Two cautions from ReVo. Cenzuro must not mean a school grade, which ReVo calls a Germanism to avoid. And a ReVo note suggests that amaskomunikilo fits the internet better, where people communicate in both directions, while one-way newspapers and television suit informilo.
How media words are built
| Part | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -ist- | professional | gazetisto, ĵurnalisto, raportisto, redaktisto, eldonisto |
| -ant- | person doing it | abonanto, spektanto, aŭskultanto, leganto |
| -ej- | place | redaktejo, eldonejo, presejo |
| -il- | device | televidilo, informilo, amasinformilo |
| -ar- | group, collection | gazetaro, spektantaro, legantaro |
| -aĵ- | a thing | novaĵo, aktualaĵo, televidaĵo, periodaĵo, blogaĵo, falsaĵo |
| ĉef- | chief, main | ĉefartikolo, ĉefredaktisto |
| mis- | wrongly | misinformo, misraporto |
PMEG uses redaktejo as its example for -ej-, gazetaro for -ar- ("all newspapers in one region") and ĉefartikolo for ĉef-. More on these parts: suffixes and word building.
Sentences about the news
| Esperanto | English |
|---|---|
| Mi legas la gazeton ĉiumatene. | I read the newspaper every morning. |
| Ĉu vi jam legis la hodiaŭan numeron? | Have you already read today's issue? |
| Pri kio temas la artikolo? | What is the article about? |
| La ĵurnalisto intervjuis la ministron. | The journalist interviewed the minister. |
| La gazeto aperas ĉiutage. | The newspaper appears every day. |
| La televida ĵurnalo komenciĝas je la oka. | The TV news starts at eight. |
| Mi ofte aŭskultas la radion en la aŭto. | I often listen to the radio in the car. |
| Kiu estas la fonto de tiu informo? | What is the source of that information? |
| Tio ne estas fakto, sed trompnovaĵo. | That is not a fact but a fake news item. |
| Mi afiŝis mesaĝon en la forumo. | I posted a message in the forum. |
| En kelkaj landoj oni cenzuras la gazetojn. | In some countries newspapers are censored. |
| La eldonejo eldonos la libron en Marto. | The publisher will publish the book in March. |
| Mi skribis leteron al la redaktisto. | I wrote a letter to the editor. |
Objects take -n: la gazeton, la ministron, televidon; see the accusative. To write to a newspaper, a magazine or a broadcaster, the usual forms are in letters and email.
Media in Esperanto
Esperanto has had its own press from the start. The first Esperanto periodical, La Esperantisto, appeared on 1 September 1889 in Nuremberg with Zamenhof's collaboration and ended in 1895, after the Russian Empire banned it. The monthly magazine Monato has appeared since January 1980 and is published by the Flemish Esperanto League in Antwerp, Belgium. Libera Folio is an independent online bulletin about the movement. For Esperanto radio, podcasts and film, see music, film and radio; for books and authors, see literature.
Common questions
How do you say "newspaper" in Esperanto?
Gazeto. The word ĵurnalo also means "newspaper" and "news bulletin", but ReVo notes that gazeto is the better-rooted word. A daily newspaper is taggazeto or ĉiutaga gazeto.
What is the difference between televido and televidilo?
Televido is the system and its programmes; televidilo is the device. ReVo marks the use of televido for the set as rare and best avoided, so say Mi aĉetis novan televidilon "I bought a new television".
How do you say "news" in Esperanto?
Novaĵoj (plural) for "the news", as in ReVo's examples, and novaĵo for one item. A TV news programme is televida ĵurnalo in ReVo.
How do you say "fake news" in Esperanto?
Falsa novaĵo or trompnovaĵo (deliberately misleading news). ReVo lists both, and Vikipedio's article is titled Falsaj novaĵoj. A single fake is a falsaĵo.
Does "aktuala" mean "actual" in Esperanto?
No. Aktuala means "of current interest", and aktualaĵo is a topical matter. For "real" use reala, efektiva or vera; for "current" use nuna.
Sources
- ReVo: gazeto, ĵurnalo, magazino, revuo, periodaĵo, bulteno
- ReVo: artikolo, titolo, rubriko, kolumno, numero, intervjuo
- ReVo: reklamo, anonci, anoncisto, aboni, abonanto
- ReVo: raporti, raportisto, reportero, redakti, redaktisto, redaktoro, redakcio, korespondi
- ReVo: eldoni, eldonejo, eldonisto, aperi, publiko, publikigi, presi, presejo
- ReVo: televido, televidilo, radio, radiofonio, radioaparato, radiostacio, televidstacio
- ReVo: kanalo, programo, elsendi, dissendi, spekti, spektanto, spektatoro, aŭskulti, aŭskultanto, parolisto
- ReVo: novaĵo, trompnovaĵo, falsa novaĵo, aktuala, aktualaĵo, informo, misinformo, fakto, fonto, falsaĵo, ĝisdata, propagando
- ReVo: blogo, podkasto, afiŝo, afiŝi, cenzuro, amasinformilo, amaskomunikilo
- ReVo bibliography: Monato, Vortoj de la Bona Lingvo
- PMEG: ĉef-, -ej-, -ar-, -il-, kaj (example with rigardi televidon)
- Vikipedio: Falsaj novaĵoj, Gazetarlibereco, La Esperantisto, Libera Folio
- Wikipedia: La Esperantisto, Monato
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