caldo
/ˈkal.do/
The English phrase 'caliente' is translated into Italian as caldo.
In Italian, caldo is used to describe something that has a high temperature.
Which one should you use?
While the English speaker may intend to use the Spanish word 'caliente', that word is not a standard Italian word for temperature. Instead, use caldo.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective caldo must agree in gender with the noun it describes, so use calda for feminine nouns. The adjective caldo changes to caldi when describing multiple masculine nouns and calde when describing multiple feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
caldo is pronounced /ˈkal.do/. It has 2 syllables, with the stress on 1 of 2.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the Spanish word 'caliente' instead of the Italian caldo when trying to say 'hot'.
Did you know?
- In Italian, you must use the verb fare instead of essere to say 'it is hot' outside. You would say fa caldo instead of è caldo, as the latter would mean 'it is a hot object'.
- The word caldo is used in the phrase a caldo, which describes a 'hot' or immediate reaction to an event. This usage has nothing to do with temperature and instead refers to the timing of a response.
- The Italian word caldo is a direct descendant of the Latin 'calidus', which is where the English word 'calid' comes from. Although 'calid' is an obsolete term in English, its ancestor lives on in everyday Italian.
Examples in context
- La zuppa è calda.The soup is hot.
- Il caffè è molto caldo.The coffee is very hot.
- L'oggetto è caldo.The object is hot.
- Luca è davvero figo.Luca is really hot/attractive.
- Fai attenzione, il piatto è caldo.Be careful, the plate is hot.
Example conversation
Martina and Francesco are in the kitchen during lunch.
- MartinaFrancesco, il brodo è caldo?Francesco, is the broth hot?
- FrancescoSì, è caldissimo.Yes, it is very hot.
- MartinaPerfetto, grazie.Perfect, thank you.
- FrancescoPrego, buon appetito!You're welcome, enjoy your meal!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry caldo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries caldo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
