Hot in Spanish: From Calor and Caliente to Sexy and Picante

In Spanish, expressing the concept of hot can vary wildly depending on the context. The most common words for saying hot in Spanish are calor and caliente, but they aren’t used interchangeably. We also have several other words that you might translate as hot, which have nothing to do with temperature at all.

Mixing these words up is a common mistake for learners, so understanding the different ways to say hot in the Spanish language will make your conversations flow much more smoothly.

In this post, we’ll provide a comprehensive breakdown of the different ways to say hot in Spanish, and explain exactly how to use them in everyday situations. We’ll also go over some additional terms, like picante for spicy foods and ardiente for intense heat, as well as the key differences between calor vs caliente.

So let’s dive into this sizzling topic and explore everything from the essentials to the nuances!

How do you say Hot in Spanish?

As we mentioned above, our options for how to say hot in Spanish will differ depending on the context. Whereas you use the same English word for several meanings, the Spanish word for hot will vary whether we’re talking about hot weather, a hot person, or food that is spicy hot.

Let’s have a look at the different words for hot in Spanish.

Hot in Spanish for weather

When talking about the weather, we have one Spanish word for hot that’s a noun, and others which are adjectives.

Here are the most common ways of saying hot in Spanish when describing the weather.

Calor

We’ll start with calor, which is a masculine noun meaning heat in a general sense.

Calor is a good word to describe the ambient temperature, whether we’re talking about the weather outside or about the warmth in a room. In this case we use the verb hacer to say that it’s hot, as hace calor.

People can also use calor to describe the feeling of being hot, in which case we use the verb tener. The best expression for I am hot in Spanish is therefore tengo calor, which translates literally as I have heat.

On the other hand, we cannot use calor to describe inanimate objects or food as being hot. We’ll see the best adjectives for those in a moment.

• Tengo mucho calor, por favor enciende el aire acondicionado. – I am very hot, please turn on the air conditioning.

• Hace demasiado calor afuera, no quiero salir. – It’s too hot outside, I don’t want to go out.

Caluroso

Caluroso is our best Spanish adjective to describe warm or hot conditions. It’s frequently used to describe hot days or climates. When we refer to a place or a stretch of time as caluroso, it’s a specific and intense word for a powerful, noticeable, and even oppressive heat in the environment.

Caluroso is not used for describing people, food, or drinks, but rather focuses on conditions or environments such as a long, hot summer day.

• Los días de verano son muy calurosos en esta ciudad. – Summer days are very hot in this city.

• Después de varias semanas calurosas, afortunadamente llovió esta mañana. – After several hot weeks, fortunately it rained this morning.

Acalorado

For someone or something that is physically warm, we can use the Spanish adjective acalorado. Good translations include hot, heated, or even flushed.

Acalorado is a good adjective to describe something or someone whose temperature is warmer than usual, such as a person feeling hot after exercise. In addition to physical temperature, it’s also a suitable adjective to describe heightened emotions, like when someone gets figuratively heated during an argument or an intense discussion.

• Ella se sintió acalorada después de trabajar todo el día en el patio. – She felt hot after working all day in the yard.

• El debate presidencial estuvo muy acalorado. – The presidential debate was very heated.

Hot in Spanish for a person

Describing a person as hot in Spanish can be challenging for Spanish learners because it doesn’t translate as gente caliente. There are other terms Spanish speakers use when referring to a person as hot in the context of attractiveness, and they vary depending on the level of formality, the region, and the cultural context.

Here are some common ways of referring to someone as hot in Spanish.

Guapo

The term guapo is a versatile adjective that describes someone as attractive, good-looking, or hot. This fairly polite term is shared across Spain and Latin America and pops up in various contexts. It can be used to compliment someone’s physical appearance, or in more casual situations to describe someone as brave or bold.

• Mi esposa se ve muy guapa hoy. – My wife looks very attractive today.

• Los soldados fueron muy guapos, pelearon contra un ejército más grande que ellos. – The soldiers were very brave, they fought against an army bigger than they were.

Sexy

Sexy in Spanish is widely used and understood in the same way as in English. It describes someone as attractive, implying physical appeal or attractiveness. It is informal and carries a flirtatious or bold tone, often used among friends or in casual situations.

• Esa ropa te hace ver demasiado sexy. – Those clothes make you look too sexy.

• Maria es muy guapa y sexy. – Maria is very hot and sexy.

Bueno

As one of the most basic Spanish adjectives, bueno is also versatile, particularly in informal contexts. While its easiest meaning is usually just good in Spanish, when we use bueno on a person it can also imply that they’re attractive or appealing.

In most Latin American countries, estar bueno means to be hot in the sense of physical attractiveness. Used with other verbs though (and sometimes even when used with estar), referring to someone as bueno can also just imply that they’re good as a person, without any suggestion of physical appeal. This is the same meaning when we use bueno to describe anything other than people, like when talking about food or a situation.

In short, bueno is usually just translated as good, but estar bueno can be used to say someone is hot in the sense of attractive.

• La comida está buena, pero el chef también está bueno. – The food is good, but the chef is also hot.

• Mi novia no es solo una buena persona, ¡también está buena! – My girlfriend is not only a good person, she’s also hot!

Hot in Spanish for food

Whereas in English you might describe spicy food as being hot, we have distinct words in Spanish for whether a food has a hot temperature or whether it’s spicy hot.

Caliente

Caliente describes the temperature of food or drinks, specifically when something is physically hot to the touch. It’s the go-to word to indicate that a dish, beverage, or item is warm or steaming, and it applies to any food or drink served hot.

• No te comas la sopa todavía, está demasiado caliente. – Don’t eat the soup yet, it’s too hot.

• No me gusta el café caliente. – I don’t like hot coffee.

Remember our first vocab word of today’s post, calor? Well calor and caliente are often confused, since both refer to something’s temperature. The key difference between calor vs caliente is their grammatical category. Caliente is an adjective, so it’s used to describe nouns as being hot.

On the other hand, calor is a noun that translates better as heat, so it’s used with verbs like tener or hacer to say that something has heat or feels hot. Calor is only used for ambient temperature or for people, so for foods or any other inanimate objects the best choice is caliente.

Picante

Picante describes food that is spicy or has a strong, peppery heat. Unlike caliente, which refers to temperature, picante indicates that a dish has a flavor that causes a tingling or burning sensation due to ingredients like chilis, peppers, or spices.

• Prefiero la comida que no sea picante. – I prefer food that is not spicy.

• Ese plato mexicano es demasiado picante. – That Mexican dish is too spicy.

Picoso

Similar to picante, picoso is another term used to describe spicy food. While both words express spiciness, picoso is more common in certain regions, especially in Mexico and parts of Latin America. It often implies that the food has a pleasant, tingling heat, usually from chilis or other spices.

Picoso and picante can be used interchangeably, though picoso is often more conversational and region-specific. Both indicate spiciness.

• Este plato está picoso para mi tía que le gusta el picante. – This dish is spicy for my aunt who likes spiciness.

• Ellos prefieren los tacos con una salsa menos picosa. – They prefer tacos with a less spicy sauce.

Conclusion: Hot in Spanish

Well done! Let’s keep it spicy before we go! Today’s post was all about how to say hot in Spanish. The key most important point is that the right Spanish word for hot depends on whether it’s describing the weather, a person, or food.

We started with hot temperatures, learning that caluroso is a good adjective for weather or people, while acalorado is suitable for people or objects. Tener calor is the expression for when a person feels hot, while hacer calor is for when the environment feels hot.

Then we looked at how to say that someone looks hot, meaning that they’re physically attractive. Guapo is the most widespread option, while sexy is even more suggestive. We can also use estar bueno to suggest that someone looks attractive, though bueno can also be interpreted simply as good.

Finally, we saw how to describe hot food. Caliente is the best adjective to describe anything that’s steaming hot, whether it’s a fresh cup of coffee or a sun-soaked day at the beach. On the other hand, the adjectives picante and picoso are strictly used to describe food that’s spicy hot.

Between all these options, you should now know exactly what version of Spanish hot you’ll want to utilize when you’re talking about the temperature, a spicy food, or someone’s hotness!