Spanish · Food & Drink
"Coffee" in Spanish: café
el café
You order coffee as el café (kah-FEH). It is masculine: un café, el café caliente. For milk coffee say café con leche; for a small strong cup, café solo is the usual ask.
How to pronounce café: audio and sound guideAt a café counter
Un café con leche, por favor.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce café
Say it
kah-FEH
/kaˈfe/
kah-FEH, stress on the second syllable. The accent mark on é shows that stress. The c is hard like k, never soft like s.
"Coffee" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| el café | coffee; café (shop) The drink, and also a coffee shop. | The drink, and also a coffee shop. |
| el café con leche | coffee with milk Everyday milky coffee at breakfast. | Everyday milky coffee at breakfast. |
| el café solo | black coffee A small cup without milk. | A small cup without milk. |
| el café americano | Americano / long black Espresso stretched with hot water. | Espresso stretched with hot water. |
| el café de olla | pot coffee with spice Mexican coffee simmered with cinnamon and often piloncillo. | Mexican coffee simmered with cinnamon and often piloncillo. |
How to use café in real life
- 1At a café counter
Un café con leche, por favor.
A coffee with milk, please.
A safe, clear order almost anywhere.
- 2Morning plans
Necesito un café antes de salir.
I need a coffee before going out.
Necesito un café is natural when you are half-awake.
- 3Meeting a friend
¿Tomamos un café después?
Shall we have a coffee afterward?
Tomar un café often means a short social meet-up, not only the drink.
Mistakes English speakers make with café
Incorrect: Una café, por favor.
Correct: Un café, por favor.
Café is masculine. Use un café, este café, el café rico.
Incorrect: Quiero cafe sin acento.
Correct: Quiero café.
Write the accent: café. Without it, cafe looks unfinished and can confuse stress.
Good to know
Good to knowIn Mexico, café de olla is coffee simmered in a clay pot with cinnamon and dark sugar. In much of Latin America a café solo arrives small and strong, closer to espresso than to a huge US drip mug. Asking for café after a meal is normal social glue, not only a caffeine fix.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Ordering at a neighborhood café
ChatPal
Buenos días. ¿Qué café quieres hoy?
Good morning. What coffee do you want today?
You
Un café con leche, no muy dulce.
A coffee with milk, not too sweet.
ChatPal
Claro. ¿Algo más con el café?
Sure. Anything else with the coffee?
You
Solo el café, gracias.
Just the coffee, thanks.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Coffee" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Coffee" in Spanish
Is café masculine or feminine?
Masculine: el café, un café grande. The -é ending does not make it feminine.
How do you pronounce café?
kah-FEH with stress on FEH. The written accent marks that stress.
What is café solo?
Black coffee, usually a small strong cup without milk. Ask for café americano if you want more water.
Does café also mean a coffee shop?
Yes. Voy al café can mean "I'm going to the café," not only "I'm going for coffee."
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