agua con hielo
/aɡwa kon jelo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "ice water" is translated into Spanish as agua con hielo.
In many Spanish-speaking contexts, if you simply ask for agua (water), it may be served at room temperature unless you specify con hielo.
Meaning: Translations (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase agua con hielo literally translates to "water with ice".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some regions, particularly in Latin America, agua con harto hielo is used to mean with lots of ice.
How does it change in a sentence?
Using the plural hielos instead of the singular hielo emphasizes the presence of multiple ice cubes.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, drinking agua con hielo is sometimes avoided for health reasons, as cold drinks are believed by some to cause digestive issues or colds.
- Despite agua ending in 'a', it is a feminine noun that takes the masculine article el in the singular for phonetic reasons, though it remains feminine when modified by adjectives.
- The word hielo shares a common ancestor with the English word 'gel' through the Proto-Indo-European root *gel-, meaning 'to freeze' or 'to become cold'.
Examples in context
- Oye, ¿me consigues agua bien fría?Hey, can you get me some ice-cold water?
- Quiero un vaso de agua con hielo.I want a glass of ice water.
- ¿Me traes agua con hielo, por favor?Will you bring me ice water, please?
- No me gusta el agua con hielo.I do not like ice water.
Example conversation
At a restaurant during lunch.
- MateoHola, ¿me puedes traer agua con hielo?Hello, can you bring me ice water?
- MaríaClaro que sí, Mateo.Of course, Mateo.
- MateoMuchas gracias, María.Thank you very much, María.
- MaríaDe nada.You're welcome.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries agua, con, hielo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
