café con leche
/kaˌfe kon ˈlet͡ʃe/
The Spanish phrase for "coffee with milk" is café con leche.
The expression café con leche is the most standard and commonly used way to refer to a beverage made by mixing coffee and milk.
What does it mean word for word?
This phrase is composed of café (coffee), con (with) and leche (milk).
How does it change in a sentence?
When speaking about the beverage in general, café con leche is typically used as an uncountable noun phrase and does not require an article.
Did you know?
- The word leche is used in Spanish slang to describe someone who is very lucky, as in having 'good milk'.
- The word café shares an interesting historical link with the Arabic word qahwa, which originally referred to a type of wine before it became associated with coffee.
- While café con leche is standard, if you order a café con leche cortado, you will receive a much smaller drink with just a tiny splash of milk.
Examples in context
- Prefiero el café con leche.I prefer coffee with milk.This sentence is useful for expressing a preference for café con leche.Tatoeba #1196712 by cueyayotl, translation #1195533 by mookeee
- Bebo café con leche todas las mañanas.I drink coffee with milk every morning.This sentence is useful for describing a daily habit involving café con leche.Tatoeba #10044319 by manufrutos, translation #10043554 by ddnktr
- A mis abuelos nunca les gustó el café con leche.My grandparents never liked coffee with milk.This sentence is useful for talking about the past dislikes of others regarding café con leche.Tatoeba #7869876 by Seael, translation #5311377 by mervert1
- Hola, me gustaría pedir un café con leche, por favor.Hello, I would like to order a coffee with milk, please.
- Buenos días, ¿me podría traer un café latte, por favor?Good morning, could you bring me a café latte, please?
- Buenos días, un café con leche, por favor.Good morning, a coffee with milk, please.
- ¿Me pones un café con leche?Can you give me a coffee with milk?
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
In a small cafe during the morning.
- María¿Quieres un café con leche, Mateo?Do you want a coffee with milk, Mateo?
- MateoSí, por favor. Tengo mucha sed.Yes, please. I am very thirsty.
- MaríaAquí tienes tu café con leche.Here is your coffee with milk.
- MateoGracias, María. Se ve muy bueno.Thanks, María. It looks very good.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry café con leche, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries café, café con leche, con, leche, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
