hielo seco
/ˌʝelo ˈseko/masculine
In Spanish, dry ice is hielo seco. Wiktionary also lists nieve carbónica.
Meaning: carbon dioxide frozen in the solid state (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| hielo seco | /ˌʝelo ˈseko/ | masculine |
| nieve carbónica | /njebe kaɾbonika/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
The term refers to carbon dioxide frozen in its solid state.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase hielo seco is a literal translation of the English term, where hielo means 'ice' and seco means 'dry'.
Which one should you use?
Hielo seco is the common everyday term. In contrast, nieve carbónica (carbonic snow) is a more technical or scientific term. You may also encounter the formal scientific expression dióxido de carbono sólido (solid carbon dioxide).
How does it change in a sentence?
Hielo seco is a masculine noun, which means it is used with the masculine article el (e.g., el hielo seco). Nieve carbónica is a feminine noun, so it is used with the feminine article la (e.g., la nieve carbónica).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌʝelo ˈseko/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the word seco for 'dry' descends from the Latin siccus, which is also the root of the English word 'desiccate'.
- While hielo seco is common, the term nieve carbónica is used because the solid carbon dioxide often forms as a fine, powdery frost rather than a clear block.
Examples in context
- Tom puso un trozo de hielo seco en un vaso de agua.Tom put a piece of dry ice into a cup of water.This sentence shows how to use hielo seco when describing an action involving a piece of the substance.Tatoeba #2081338 by marcelostockle, translation #1093114 by CK
- ¿Sabes dónde puedo conseguir hielo seco?Do you know where I can get dry ice?
- Necesitamos comprar hielo seco para el experimento.We need to buy dry ice for the experiment.
- El hielo seco se evapora muy rápido.The dry ice evaporates very quickly.
Example conversation
Elena and Mateo are preparing a science experiment.
- ElenaMateo, ¿ya tienes el hielo seco para el proyecto?Mateo, do you already have the dry ice for the project?
- MateoSí, lo tengo aquí en esta caja térmica.Yes, I have it here in this thermal box.
- ElenaPerfecto, vamos a ponerlo en el agua ahora.Perfect, let's put it in the water now.
- MateoEstá bien, pero usaré guantes para tocarlo.All right, but I will use gloves to touch it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dry ice” translations and entries hielo seco, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hielo, nieve, seco, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
