agua con hielo
/aɡwa kon jelo/from spelling rules
Water with ice in Spanish is agua con hielo.
agua con hielo is what you ask for when you want your water served with ice cubes.
Which one should you use?
Agüita con hielo is an informal, affectionate way to say it.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some areas you may hear agua con hielos.
How does it change in a sentence?
agua is feminine but takes el in the singular because it starts with a stressed a sound, so it is el agua con hielo. hielo stays singular because it refers to ice in general.
How do you pronounce it?
The h in hielo is silent.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, asking for agua con hielo may result in the ice being served in a separate glass rather than inside the drink.
- The word hielo shares an ancient root with the English word 'gel', as both stems originate from the Proto-Indo-European word for 'cold'.
- Using the diminutive agüita in agüita con hielo is not a comment on the size of the glass but a cultural method of expressing politeness or affection.
Examples in context
- Un agua con hielo, por favor.A water with ice, please.
- Quiero un agua con hielo, por favor.I want a water with ice, please.
- ¿Me trae un agua con hielo?Will you bring me a water with ice?
- No quiero agua con hielo, solo agua fría.I don't want water with ice, just cold water.
Example conversation
At a sunny outdoor cafe.
- DanielHola, ¿qué desea tomar?Hello, what would you like to drink?
- MaríaPara mí, un agua con hielo.For me, a water with ice.
- DanielPerfecto, en un momento se la traigo.Perfect, I will bring it to you in a moment.
- MaríaMuchas gracias, Daniel.Thank you very much, Daniel.
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.
