calentar
/kalenˈtaɾ/
To heat up in Spanish is calentar.
Calentar is a common and versatile way to say 'heat up'. While calentar is the standard term, if you specifically want to say 'reheat' something, such as leftovers, you should use recalentar.
Meaning: cause to become hotter (verb)
Which one should you use?
The choice between forms depends on whether the action is being performed on an object or happening on its own. Use the transitive form calentar when you are performing the action on an object, such as heating up food or water. If you are describing something heating up on its own, like a room or an engine, the reflexive form calentarse is often used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb changes based on the subject: Tú calientas means 'You heat up', Él/Ella calienta means 'He/She heats up' and Nosotros/Nosotras calentamos means 'We heat up'.
How do you pronounce it?
/kalenˈtaɾ/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, if you say a person is caliente, you are not saying they are hot due to the weather, but rather that they are sexually aroused.
- The phrase calentar el asiento literally means 'to heat the seat' but is used idiomatically to describe a substitute player who never gets to play.
- The verb calentar shares a common ancestor with the English word 'caloric', which relates to heat energy.
Examples in context
- Pon agua a calentar.Heat up some water.This sentence is useful for using calentar to describe heating up water.Tatoeba #6816367 by arh, translation #9179787 by DJ_Saidez
- Esta habitación se calentará pronto.This room will soon heat up.This sentence shows how to use calentar to describe a room heating up.Tatoeba #1604975 by teskmon, translation #57334 by CK
- Por favor, calienta la comida antes de servirla.Please heat up the food before serving it.
- El técnico calentó la habitación antes de la conferencia.The technician heated up the room before the conference.
- Recalienta la sopa en el microondas.Reheat the soup in the microwave.
- Voy a recalentar la pizza en el horno.I'm going to heat up the pizza in the oven.
- Oye, ¿calientas el agua para el té?Hey, can you heat up the water for tea?
- Calienta el coche antes de salir.Heat up the car before leaving.
- Necesito calentar la sopa.I need to heat up the soup.
Example conversation
A kitchen in the evening.
- MaríaAlejandro, ¿puedes calentar la cena?Alejandro, can you heat up the dinner?
- AlejandroSí, María, la voy a calentar ahora.Yes, María, I am going to heat it up now.
- MaríaGracias, tengo mucha hambre.Thanks, I am very hungry.
- AlejandroDe nada, ya casi está lista.You're welcome, it is almost ready.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry calentar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries calentar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
