Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| espresso | /esˈpɾeso/ /esˈpɾesso/ |
masculine |
| expreso | /eɡsˈpɾeso/ | masculine |
| café exprés | /kafe eɡspɾes/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
The term refers to a strong type of coffee. The most common and widely understood term for espresso in Spanish is café expreso. You may also use the word mediano if you need to specify a medium size for an espresso-based drink.
Which one should you use?
While espresso is the original Italian spelling, expreso is the more common Spanish spelling used in daily life. The phrase café exprés is also used to describe the same drink.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Spanish-speaking regions, especially in Spain, the term café solo is used synonymously with espresso. In Cuba, espresso is commonly known as un colado.
How does it change in a sentence?
All forms provided, espresso, expreso and café exprés, are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/esˈpɾeso/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often use the Italian spelling espresso, but in Spanish, the 's' is typically replaced with an 'x' to form expreso.
Did you know?
- The word café has a long journey from the Arabic word qahwa, which originally referred to a type of wine before it became associated with coffee.
- The term café solo literally translates to 'coffee alone', referring to a shot of espresso without milk.
- In Spanish, the word expreso is a homonym that also means 'expressed' or 'explicit', as in a clear statement.
Examples in context
- Esta mañana me tomé un doble expreso muy caliente en la cafetería.I drank a very hot double espresso at the coffee shop this morning.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use expreso in a sentence.Tatoeba #1312842 by marcelostockle, translation #1312843 by Luornu
- Un espresso es más fuerte que el café filtrado.An espresso is stronger than filtered coffee.
- ¿Quieres un espresso con azúcar o sin azúcar?Do you want an espresso with sugar or without sugar?
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are at a coffee shop.
- LucíaHola, Mateo. ¿Qué vas a pedir hoy?Hi, Mateo. What are you going to order today?
- MateoCreo que voy a pedir un espresso.I think I'll order an espresso.
- LucíaEs una buena elección para despertar.That is a good choice to wake up.
- MateoSí, necesito mucha energía ahora.Yes, I need a lot of energy right now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “espresso” translations and entries espresso, expreso, 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 café, espresso, expreso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
