Periódico vs. revista
While both periódico and revista refer to publications, they are not interchangeable. Their main differences lie in their frequency of publication, content focus, and physical format, much like the English words "newspaper" and "magazine".
Periódico
A2A periódico is a newspaper. It is published with high frequency, typically daily or weekly. Its primary content is current events, general news, politics, sports, and local affairs, and it is usually printed on large sheets of thin, inexpensive paper known as newsprint.
Leo el periódico en el café todas las mañanas.
(I read the newspaper at the café every morning.)
El periódico local anunció la construcción de un nuevo parque.
(The local newspaper announced the construction of a new park.)
La sección de finanzas del periódico de hoy es muy interesante.
(Today's newspaper finance section is very interesting.)
El titular del periódico deportivo era sobre la victoria del equipo.
(The headline of the sports newspaper was about the team's victory.)
Mi padre prefiere leer la versión digital del periódico en su tableta.
(My father prefers to read the digital version of the newspaper on his tablet.)
Revista
A2A revista is a magazine or journal. It is published less frequently, such as weekly, monthly, or quarterly. It focuses on specific topics and interests like fashion, science, technology, hobbies, or celebrity news. A revista is typically printed on higher quality, glossy paper and is bound together like a thin book.
Compré una revista de moda para ver las últimas tendencias.
(I bought a fashion magazine to see the latest trends.)
Esta revista científica tiene un artículo sobre el cambio climático.
(This scientific journal has an article about climate change.)
En la sala de espera del dentista siempre hay una revista de cotilleos.
(In the dentist's waiting room there is always a gossip magazine.)
Mi abuelo está suscrito a una revista de historia.
(My grandfather is subscribed to a history magazine.)
La portada de esa revista de viajes muestra una playa en el Caribe.
(The cover of that travel magazine shows a beach in the Caribbean.)
Summary
In short, use periódico for a newspaper that covers general, current news on a daily or weekly basis. Use revista for a magazine that is published less often and focuses on a specialized topic for entertainment or information. The key differences are frequency (daily vs. monthly), content (general news vs. specific interests), and format (newsprint vs. glossy paper).