Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| cálido | /ˈkalido/ |
| caluroso | /kaluˈɾoso/ |
| calientito | /kaljenˈtito/ |
Which one should you use?
Use cálido to describe a pleasant, comfortable warmth, such as a warm climate or a warm welcome. In contrast, use caluroso to describe weather that is uncomfortably warm or hot. The form calientito is a diminutive used colloquially to describe something that is pleasantly and slightly warm, such as food or a drink.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Cálido is a formal way to express warmth. Calientito is an informal and colloquial term used to depict something that is pleasantly warm. Calentito is also a colloquial and affectionate term for something pleasantly warm.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective cálido must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. It changes to cálida for feminine nouns and to cálidos for masculine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkalido/
Did you know?
- The word caldo, meaning 'broth', is a doublet of cálido because both come from the same Latin root for heat.
- While English uses 'warm' for both a 'warm welcome' and 'warm weather', using caluroso to describe a person's personality might imply they are 'hot' or feverish rather than friendly.
- The term calientito uses the diminutive suffix -ito to signal not just a small amount of heat, but a sense of comfort and affection toward the object.
Examples in context
- Se ve caluroso afuera.It seems warm outside.This sentence is useful for describing the temperature of the weather outside using caluroso.Tatoeba #1370359 by marcelostockle, translation #21993 by CK
- Es agradable y cálido.It's nice and warm.This sentence is useful for describing a pleasant atmosphere using cálido.Tatoeba #1630596 by teskmon, translation #37778 by CK
- Este invierno es cálido.This winter is warm.This sentence is useful for describing a season using cálido.Tatoeba #1296861 by marcelostockle, translation #243113 by CK
- Por favor, sirva el té templado.Please serve the warm tea.
- ¡Me encanta quedarme en casa los días fríos y disfrutar de una manta calentita!I love staying home on cold days and enjoying a warm blanket!
- Si tienes frío, tómate un vasito de agüita caliente. ¡Te hará bien!If you're cold, have a glass of warm water. It will do you good!
- 32 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are talking about the weather in a coastal city.
- DanielEl clima aquí es muy cálido.The weather here is very warm.
- LucíaSí, me gusta mucho este ambiente.Yes, I really like this atmosphere.
- Daniel¿Prefieres un clima cálido o frío?Do you prefer a warm or cold climate?
- LucíaPrefiero el cálido, sin duda.I prefer the warm one, without a doubt.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “warm” translations and entries cálido, caluroso, calientito, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries calientito, caluroso, cálido, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
