Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| caliente | /kaˈljente/ |
| calientísimo | /kaljentisimo/ (from spelling rules) |
The term caliente is used to describe objects or substances that have a high temperature. For example, you would use it to describe hot water or hot coffee.
Which one should you use?
While caliente is the standard adjective for temperature, calientísimo is the superlative form used when you want to emphasize that something is very hot or extremely hot.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, the terms Papacito and Mamacita are used as affectionate ways to refer to an attractive person. In Argentina, the informal term Bomba is used to describe an incredibly attractive person.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective caliente is invariable in gender, so it remains the same whether you are describing a masculine or feminine noun. However, it must change to calientes when describing plural nouns. The form calientísimo is used to express that something is extremely hot.
How do you pronounce it?
/kaˈljente/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use estar caliente to say they feel hot. In many dialects, estar caliente can have sexual connotations. To describe the sensation of a person feeling hot, you should use tener calor instead.
Did you know?
- The word caliente can also describe a person's mood in some dialects, meaning they are angry or agitated rather than physically warm.
- The word caliente shares a root with the English word 'calid', an archaic term for hot that you might only see in old literature or scientific names.
- To describe weather as hot, Spanish speakers use hace calor rather than caliente, effectively saying 'it makes heat'.
Examples in context
- Sé que está caliente.I know it's hot.This sentence confirms that something is hot using caliente.Tatoeba #2412470 by marcelostockle, translation #2376058 by CK
- No hay agua caliente.There is no hot water.This sentence shows how to describe the temperature of water using caliente.Tatoeba #3682114 by Seael, translation #3256301 by CC
- El café está caliente.The coffee is hot.This sentence demonstrates using caliente to describe the temperature of coffee.Tatoeba #9017922 by Shishir, translation #2977228 by CM
- El sol ardiente iluminaba la playa durante el verano.The scorching sun illuminated the beach during the summer.
- Tienen una relación ardiente llena de amor y pasión.They have a passionate and loving relationship.
- ¡Mira a ese chico! Es guapísimo.Look at that guy! He's really hot.
- 176 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Javier are having lunch at a restaurant.
- SofíaJavier, ¿está caliente la sopa?Javier, is the soup hot?
- JavierSí, Sofía, está muy caliente.Yes, Sofía, it is very hot.
- SofíaGracias por avisarme.Thanks for letting me know.
- JavierDe nada, ten cuidado al comer.You're welcome, be careful while 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.
