fría
“fría” means “cold” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
cold, chilly
Also: distant, unemotional
📝 In Action
La sopa está muy fría, necesito calentarla.
A1The soup is very cold, I need to heat it up.
Ella fue muy fría conmigo cuando le conté mi problema.
B1She was very distant with me when I told her my problem.
cold beer
Also: a cold one
📝 In Action
Después del partido, nos merecemos una fría.
B1After the game, we deserve a cold one (a beer).
fry
📝 In Action
Espero que no fría el pescado demasiado tiempo.
B2I hope she doesn't fry the fish for too long.
Quizá yo fría los huevos con mantequilla esta vez.
C1Maybe I will fry the eggs with butter this time.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: fría
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'fría' as a form of the verb 'to fry'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word 'fría' has two distinct origins, which is why it has two separate meanings. 1) As an adjective/noun (cold), it comes from the Latin word *frīgidus*, meaning 'cold'. 2) As a verb form (fry), it comes from the Latin word *frīgere*, meaning 'to roast or fry'.
First recorded: Both roots entered Spanish during the early medieval period, around the 10th-12th centuries.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if 'fría' means 'cold' or 'fry'?
If 'fría' is used to describe a feminine noun (like 'la sopa fría' or 'la noche fría'), it means 'cold'. If it follows a pronoun (yo, él, ella, usted) or a phrase that triggers the special verb form (like 'Espero que él fría...'), it is a conjugation of the verb 'freír' (to fry).