dulce
“dulce” means “sweet” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
sweet
Also: gentle, soft, fresh
📝 In Action
El café está demasiado dulce para mí.
A1The coffee is too sweet for me.
Mi abuela es una mujer muy dulce y amable.
A2My grandmother is a very sweet and kind woman.
Los peces de agua dulce viven en ríos y lagos.
B1Freshwater fish live in rivers and lakes.
candy, sweet
Also: dessert, jam / preserve
📝 In Action
Mi hijo comió demasiados dulces en la fiesta.
A2My son ate too much candy at the party.
¿Qué hay de dulce hoy?
B1What's for dessert today?
El dulce de leche es muy popular en Argentina.
B1Dulce de leche (a caramel-like spread) is very popular in Argentina.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: dulce
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'dulce' to describe a person?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes directly from the Latin word 'dulcis', which meant 'sweet' in the exact same ways we use it today: for taste, sounds, and people's personalities. It's a word that has barely changed in over 2000 years!
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it 'el dulce' (masculine) if it ends in '-e'?
That's a great question! While many nouns ending in '-e' are masculine, there isn't a perfect rule. You just have to learn them. 'Dulce' as a noun for candy is one you just remember as masculine: 'el dulce' and 'los dulces'.
How do I know if 'dulce' means 'sweet' (adjective) or 'candy' (noun)?
You can tell by how it's used in the sentence. If it's describing something (like 'el café dulce'), it's an adjective. If it has 'el', 'un', or is plural ('los dulces'), it's almost always the noun meaning 'candy'.