How to Say "Cafe" in Spanish - How To Say Guide

café

/kaˈfe/

In Spanish, the phrase "cafe" is translated as café.

The word café refers to a hot drink made from roasted coffee beans.

Which one should you use?

While café can refer to a cafe, the word cafetería is the standard term used to describe the physical establishment or the coffee shop itself.

In Spain, the term cafetera is used to refer to a coffee maker or a coffee machine.

/kaˈfe/

English speakers often omit the accent mark on the final e, but in Spanish, the accent is necessary to indicate the correct stress and meaning.

The word café describes not only the drink but also a specific shade of brown. If you describe a wall or a piece of clothing as café, you are referring to the color 'coffee-brown'.
In some Spanish dialects, the phrase tomar un café is used as a social invitation that does not necessarily involve drinking coffee. It is often a general term for 'meeting up to chat'.
The word café shares a common ancestor with the Arabic word qahwa, which originally referred to a type of wine or a stimulant.

En el café se toma café.
One drinks coffee in a cafe.
This sentence is useful for showing how the word café can be used to mean both the establishment and the drink.
Tatoeba #2297992 by marcelostockle, translation #4398871 by XenoKat
Estoy tomando café en un café.
I am drinking coffee at a cafe.
This sentence demonstrates using the word café for both the drink and the establishment.
Tatoeba #2667036 by marcelostockle, translation #2666938 by dipdowel
A menudo bebo café en esa cafetería.
I often drink coffee at that cafe.
This sentence shows the use of café in the context of a drink.
Tatoeba #4387700 by saverius, translation #4384260 by CK
5 more sentences on Tatoeba

Javier and María are having breakfast at home.

Sources

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