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chocolate

cho-co-LA-te/tʃokoˈlate/

“chocolate” means “chocolate” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:

chocolate

Also: cocoa
NounmA1
A thick, rectangular bar of dark chocolate, broken into two pieces, sitting on a surface.

📝 In Action

Mi postre favorito es el pastel de chocolate.

A1

My favorite dessert is chocolate cake.

Compré una tableta de chocolate negro para hornear.

A2

I bought a bar of dark chocolate for baking.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • chocolate con leche – milk chocolate
  • chocolate blanco – white chocolate
  • tableta de chocolate – chocolate bar

hot chocolate

Also: cocoa drink
NounmA2
Mexico / Colombia
A steaming white ceramic mug filled with dark hot chocolate, topped with a swirl of whipped cream.

📝 In Action

Vamos a la churrería a tomar un chocolate caliente.

A2

We are going to the churro shop to have a hot chocolate.

Mi abuela siempre prepara el chocolate con un poco de canela.

B1

My grandmother always prepares the hot chocolate with a little cinnamon.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • cacao (cocoa)

Common Collocations

  • chocolate con churros – hot chocolate with churros (a traditional Spanish pairing)
  • taza de chocolate – cup of hot chocolate

chocolate

Also: brown
A single, perfectly round sphere painted in a solid, deep chocolate brown color against a light background.

📝 In Action

Necesito un par de botas color chocolate para el invierno.

B1

I need a pair of chocolate-colored boots for the winter.

El perro tiene un pelaje marrón chocolate muy brillante.

B2

The dog has a very shiny chocolate brown coat.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • marrón (brown)
  • café (brown (common in Latin America))

Common Collocations

  • color chocolate – chocolate color

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "chocolate" in Spanish:

brown→chocolate→cocoa→cocoa drink→hot chocolate→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: chocolate

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'chocolate' as a color description?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
chocolatería(chocolate shop/factory) — Noun
chocolatero(chocolate maker/seller) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

This word has deep roots in the Americas. It comes from the Nahuatl language (spoken by the Aztecs in ancient Mexico) word 'xocolatl,' which was likely a combination of 'xococ' (sour/bitter) and 'atl' (water/drink), referring to the original bitter beverage.

First recorded: 16th century (in European languages)

Cognates (Related words)

English: chocolateFrench: chocolat

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'chocolate' always masculine in Spanish?

Yes, 'chocolate' is always a masculine noun ('el chocolate', 'un chocolate') when referring to the food or the drink. However, when used as a color adjective, it stays the same regardless of what it describes.

How is 'chocolate' pronounced differently in Spanish than in English?

In Spanish, the 'ch' is pronounced like the 'ch' in 'chip,' and the last syllable 'te' is clearly pronounced (choh-koh-LAH-teh), unlike the silent 'e' often heard in English.