Spanish Conversation · Level 22
90 words
Spanish word
café
Pronunciation
IPA/kaˈfe/
Meaning
- masculine nouncoffee
Example
¿Quieres un café?
Do you want a coffee?
More examples
Quedamos para un café por la tarde.
We agreed to meet for a coffee in the afternoon.
Core concept
Steaming cup of coffee on a saucer.
Common phrases
ir por un café
go for a coffee
quedar para un café
meet for a coffee
llevar un café
bring a coffee
Similar words
cafetería: Informal coffee shop selling drinks and light dishes for daytime visits.
bar: Establishment with a long counter where customers stand or sit to have drinks.
expreso: Dense, small-volume coffee made by forcing hot water through finely ground beans.
capuchino: Coffee blended with steamed milk and topped with a creamy foam cap.
Definition in Spanish
Bebida preparada con granos de café tostados que se consume caliente o fría y suele acompañar el desayuno o una pausa.
Word origin
The word comes from French café (via Italian caffè) and ultimately from Arabic qahwa.
Usage tips
- In Spanish writing the accent matters ('café' not 'cafe') and tomar un café commonly signals a casual meeting rather than only drinking coffee.