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crema

KRAY-mahˈkɾema

cream

Also: whipped cream, custard
NounfA1
Spain
A close-up view of thick white dairy cream poured over bright red strawberries.

📝 In Action

¿Quieres un poco de crema en tu café?

A1

Do you want a little cream in your coffee?

Esta tarta lleva mucha crema de chocolate.

A2

This cake has a lot of chocolate filling/custard.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • nata (cream (especially heavy cream))
  • leche (milk)

Common Collocations

  • crema batida – whipped cream
  • crema agria – sour cream

cream, ointment

Also: lotion
NounfA2
A hand's finger scooping a small amount of white cosmetic lotion from an open glass jar.

📝 In Action

Me puse crema hidratante después de la ducha.

A2

I put on moisturizing cream after the shower.

No olvides llevar la crema solar a la playa.

A2

Don't forget to take the sun cream to the beach.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • ungüento (ointment)
  • loción (lotion)

Common Collocations

  • crema de manos – hand cream
  • crema antiarrugas – anti-wrinkle cream

cream soup, purée

Also: bisque
NounfB1
A deep white bowl filled with thick, smooth orange cream soup.

📝 In Action

De primero, vamos a tomar una crema de calabaza caliente.

B1

For the starter, we are going to have a hot pumpkin cream soup.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • crema de champiñones – cream of mushroom soup

cream, beige

A plain coffee mug rendered in the pale, yellowish-white cream color.

📝 In Action

Necesito pintar la pared de color crema.

B1

I need to paint the wall cream-colored.

Compramos unos zapatos crema muy elegantes.

B2

We bought some very elegant cream shoes.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • beige (beige)
  • blanquecino (off-white)

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: crema

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'crema' to talk about a thick, blended soup?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
cremoso(creamy) — Adjective
descremar(to skim (milk)) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
temagema
📚 Etymology▼

The word comes from the Late Latin word *crama*, which itself might be related to the Greek word *chrísma* (meaning 'anointing oil' or 'ointment'). This history explains why 'crema' is used for both food (a rich substance) and topical lotions.

First recorded: 15th century

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: cremaFrench: crème

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'crema' the same as 'nata'?

They are related, but not always the same. 'Crema' is a general term for any thick, creamy substance (food, cosmetic, or soup). 'Nata' specifically refers to the fatty part of milk, like heavy cream or clotted cream, especially in Spain.

Does 'crema' ever mean 'ice cream'?

No. While 'crema' is a key ingredient, the word for ice cream is generally 'helado' (Spain/Mexico) or 'mantecado' (Caribbean/parts of South America).