Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| caliente | /kaˈljente/ |
| calientísimo | /kaljentisimo/ (from spelling rules) |
The adjective caliente is used to describe objects or substances that have a high temperature, such as food or water. For more intense or specific contexts, other words are used: ardiente is a poetic term for passionate love or intense emotions, abrasador describes a scorching, overwhelming heat and in some parts of Latin America, candente is used to describe something hot in a sexually arousing sense.
Which one should you use?
caliente is the standard form for temperature, while calientísimo is the absolute superlative used to express that something is extremely hot.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries like Mexico or Argentina, the word picante is used to describe food that is hot or spicy rather than its temperature. In certain parts of Latin America, candente is also used to describe something as hot, specifically in a sexually arousing sense.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective caliente is invariable in gender, so it remains the same whether modifying a masculine or feminine noun. However, it must agree in number with the noun it modifies. For example, it becomes calientes when describing plural nouns. The form calientísimo serves as the absolute superlative to indicate extreme heat.
How do you pronounce it?
/kaˈljente/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use estar caliente to say a person feels hot, but this can have sexual connotations. Instead, use tener calor to describe a person's sensation of feeling hot.
Did you know?
- The word 'caliente' shares its DNA with the English word 'calid', an archaic term for 'warm' or 'hot' that is rarely used in modern English.
- While caliente describes an object's temperature, the phrase tener calor literally means 'to have heat' when describing a person's feeling.
- The word 'caliente' is unique because its form does not change based on whether the noun it describes is masculine or feminine.
Examples in context
- Sé que está caliente.I know it's hot.This sentence confirms the use of caliente to describe a state of being hot.Tatoeba #2412470 by marcelostockle, translation #2376058 by CK
- No hay agua caliente.There is no hot water.This sentence shows caliente being used to describe hot water.Tatoeba #3682114 by Seael, translation #3256301 by CC
- El café está caliente.The coffee is hot.This sentence demonstrates caliente describing the temperature of coffee.Tatoeba #9017922 by Shishir, translation #2977228 by CM
- Hace mucho calorIt's very hot
- La sopa está calienteThe soup is hot
- Tiene una pasión ardienteHe/She has a burning passion
- El desierto es abrasadorThe desert is scorching
- Hace mucho calor hoyIt's very hot today
- Esta salsa es muy picanteThis sauce is very spicy
- Tiene un cuerpo candenteHe/She has a scorching-hot body
- 176 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are in the kitchen after cooking.
- DanielElena, ¿está caliente la sopa?Elena, is the soup hot?
- ElenaSí, Daniel, está muy caliente.Yes, Daniel, it is very hot.
- DanielPerfecto, me encanta la comida caliente.Perfect, I love hot food.
- ElenaEntonces, ten cuidado al comer.Then, be careful when eating.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hot” translations and entries caliente, 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 caliente, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
