Tengo calor, not estoy caliente
Say tengo calor, literally "I have heat". Estoy caliente is slang for "I'm horny", and that's how most people will hear it. For the weather, say hace calor (it's hot out). For things, like soup or a pan, está caliente is fine.
English uses "hot" for everything. Spanish splits it three ways, and only one of them is about you.
| Say | Means | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| tengo calor | I'm hot | how your body feels |
| hace calor | it's hot | the weather, a room |
| está caliente | it's hot | food, drinks, a pan, the water |
| estoy caliente | I'm horny | probably not what you meant |
Why tener?
Spanish says you have a lot of things English says you are. You aren't hungry, you have hunger. Same with cold, thirst and fear. Calor is a noun, heat, so you have it too.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| tengo calor | I'm hot |
| tengo frío | I'm cold |
| tengo hambre | I'm hungry |
| tengo sed | I'm thirsty |
| tengo sueño | I'm sleepy |
| tengo miedo | I'm scared |
| tengo 30 años | I'm 30 |
The rest of tener is on the tener conjugation page: tienes calor (you're hot), tenemos frío (we're cold).
When caliente is fine
- Food and drinks. El café está caliente, the coffee's hot. Nobody blinks.
- Water. Agua caliente is hot water. The C on a tap is for caliente.
- A guessing game. Caliente is "warm, getting warmer" when someone's close to the answer.
- Just not about yourself. Estoy caliente is the one people will laugh at.
Questions
How do you say "I'm hot" in Spanish?
Tengo calor. Literally "I have heat". Don't say estoy caliente: it usually means you're horny.
What does estoy caliente mean?
In everyday Spanish it's slang for "I'm horny". To say you're too warm, say tengo calor.
What's the difference between hace calor and tengo calor?
Hace calor is about the weather: it's hot out. Tengo calor is about you: you feel hot. You can say both on the same day.
How do you say "I'm cold" in Spanish?
Tengo frío. Same pattern as tengo calor. For the weather, hace frío.
Sources
Keep going
- tener conjugationThe full conjugation of the Spanish verb tener: present, preterite, imperfect, future, conditional, subjunctive, imperative, gerund and participle, with the irregular forms and the expressions built on it. Free, no sign-up.
- Spanish false friendsThe Spanish words that look like English and aren't: how to say actually, sensible, eventually, to assist and more, with the real meaning and what to say instead. With sources.
- Fine here, rude there: Spanish words that change by countryCoger, concha, bicho, papaya: everyday Spanish words that are completely normal in one country and vulgar in the next. Where each one is safe, and what to say instead.