café con leche
/kaˌfe kon ˈlet͡ʃe/
The English phrase "latte" is translated into Spanish as café con leche.
In Spanish, the term café con leche is the standard way to refer to a coffee with milk. While English speakers frequently use the Italian term "latte" to describe this beverage, that word is not used in Spanish for this purpose.
Meaning: caffè latte (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase café con leche literally translates to "coffee with milk".
Is it said differently in some regions?
The terminology for coffee with milk can vary by country. In Argentina, you might hear café con leche, but note that café cortado refers specifically to a coffee with a small amount of milk. In Colombia, a coffee with milk is called tinto con leche.
Did you know?
- While the word café is central to the phrase, it shares a distant linguistic ancestor with the Arabic word qahwa, which originally referred to a type of wine.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, café con leche is traditionally served as a breakfast beverage and is rarely ordered after midday.
- In some Latin American regions, asking for a café con leche might result in a drink sweetened with piloncillo or panela instead of refined sugar.
Examples in context
- Tom bebió un café con leche.Tom drank a latte.This sentence shows how to use café con leche in a simple sentence.Tatoeba #10873640 by Luornu, translation #10651636 by CK
- Disculpe, ¿me podría preparar un café con leche?Excuse me, could you make me a coffee with milk?
- Por favor, ¿me puede servir un café latte?Please, could you serve me a latte?
- ¿Me haces un café con leche, por favor?Could you make me a coffee with milk, please?
- Un café latte, porfa.A latte, please.
- Quiero un café con leche, por favor.I want a latte, please.
- Ella prepara un café con leche muy rico.She makes a very delicious latte.
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are at a local café.
- Daniel¿Qué quieres tomar, Sofía?What do you want to drink, Sofía?
- SofíaUn café con leche, por favor.A latte, please.
- DanielMuy bien, yo pediré un té.Very well, I will order a tea.
- SofíaGracias, Daniel.Thank you, Daniel.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry café con leche, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries café, café con leche, con, leche, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
