huele a
/wele a/from spelling rules
The Spanish phrase for "smells like" is huele a.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the third-person singular form of oler (to smell) and the preposition a (to/at).
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the preposition a instead of como to indicate the scent being described. Note that if the subject is plural, you must change the verb from huele to huelen.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using huele como to mean "smells like". In Spanish, the standard construction is huele a followed by the noun.
Did you know?
- While huele a describes scents, Spanish uses the verb oler to describe something that is rotten or spoiled. For example, saying esto huele without adding a scent often implies the food has gone bad.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, if a situation 'huele a traición', it is not a literal description of a scent but a common way to say someone 'smells a rat' or senses a betrayal.
- Spanish speakers use huele a to describe an atmosphere or a 'vibe' as well as a smell. For example, saying something huele a dinero describes the aura of wealth.
Examples in context
- Huele a una trampa.It smells like a trap.This sentence shows how to describe a scent being like a trap using huele a.Tatoeba #5087597 by albrusgher, translation #3115533 by Hybrid
- Aquí huele a incienso.It smells like incense in here.This sentence uses huele a to describe the scent of incense in a room.Tatoeba #3672806 by Seael, translation #11346536 by Luornu
- Huele a carne chamuscada.It smells like burnt meat.This sentence uses huele a to describe the scent of burnt meat.Tatoeba #7728642 by arh, translation #9179747 by DJ_Saidez
- La casa huele a flores frescas.The house smells like fresh flowers.
- El perfume desprende un olor a vainilla.The perfume gives off a smell of vanilla.
- La comida huele a puro ajo.The food smells strongly of garlic.
- El lugar echa olor a frituras.The place smells like fried food.
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are walking through a bakery.
- MateoHuele a pan recién hecho.It smells like freshly baked bread.
- SofíaSí, es delicioso.Yes, it is delicious.
- MateoHuele a café también.It smells like coffee too.
- SofíaMe encanta este lugar.I love this place.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
