Inklingo
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hielo

/YAY-loh/

ice

A large, translucent cube of solid ice sitting on a cold blue surface, illustrating frozen water.

Hielo as literal frozen water, or ice.

hielo(noun)

mA1

ice

?

frozen water

Also:

glacier

?

large frozen mass (less common)

📝 In Action

Por favor, pon un poco de hielo en mi limonada.

A1

Please put some ice in my lemonade.

El suelo está resbaladizo porque hay una capa de hielo.

A2

The ground is slippery because there is a layer of ice.

Compramos una bolsa de hielo para la fiesta.

A1

We bought a bag of ice for the party.

Word Connections

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • cubito de hielo – ice cube
  • rompehielos – icebreaker (ship)

💡 Grammar Points

Always Masculine

'Hielo' is always treated as a masculine word, even though it begins with the 'a' sound. Use 'el hielo' or 'un hielo'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing 'Hielo' and 'Nieve'

Mistake: "Using 'hielo' when you mean 'nieve' (snow)."

Correction: 'Hielo' is hard, clear frozen water (like in a drink). 'Nieve' is soft, white frozen flakes falling from the sky.

⭐ Usage Tips

Asking for Ice

The simplest way to order a drink with ice is just to say: 'Con hielo, por favor.' (With ice, please.)

A solitary figure wearing a heavy blue coat, standing with their back mostly turned in a stark white environment, conveying emotional distance and reserve.

Hielo can also mean emotional coldness or reserve.

hielo(noun)

mB2

coldness

?

emotional reserve or distance

Also:

icy atmosphere

?

social tension

📝 In Action

Había un hielo evidente en la sala después de la mala noticia.

B2

There was an evident coldness/chill in the room after the bad news.

Su rostro mostró un hielo total ante mi disculpa.

C1

Her face showed total coldness/reserve toward my apology.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • frialdad (coldness)
  • indiferencia (indifference)

Antonyms

  • calidez (warmth)

Idioms & Expressions

  • romper el hielo – To start a conversation or ease tension in a difficult social setting (an icebreaker).
  • quedarse de hielo – To be stunned or petrified by shock.

💡 Grammar Points

Metaphorical Use

This meaning uses the idea of physical coldness to describe someone who is emotionally distant or a situation that feels tense and unfriendly.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: hielo

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'hielo' in its figurative meaning of emotional coldness?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

helar(to freeze) - verb
helado(frozen; ice cream) - adjective/noun
congelar(to freeze (in a freezer)) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'hielo' countable? Can I ask for 'dos hielos'?

Yes, although 'hielo' is generally treated as an uncountable substance (like 'water'), when ordering drinks, it is completely normal and correct to ask for 'dos hielos' or 'tres hielos' when referring to two or three individual ice cubes (cubitos de hielo).

Why is 'hielo' masculine ('el hielo') if it starts with a pronounced 'ie' sound?

'Hielo' follows the normal rule for masculine nouns. The specific rule about using 'el' instead of 'la' only applies to feminine nouns that begin with a stressed 'A' or 'HA' sound (like 'el agua' or 'el hambre'). Since 'hielo' is masculine, this rule doesn't affect it.