leche
/LEH-cheh/
milk
Leche commonly refers to milk, the liquid substance produced by mammals.
leche(noun)
milk
?The liquid substance produced by mammals
dairy
?Context of products derived from milk
📝 In Action
¿Quieres café con leche o té?
A1Do you want coffee with milk or tea?
Necesitamos un litro de leche fresca para el desayuno.
A1We need a liter of fresh milk for breakfast.
💡 Grammar Points
Gender Reminder
Even though 'leche' is a feminine noun, it doesn't follow the typical pattern of ending in '-a'. Always remember to use feminine words with it, like 'la leche' or 'mucha leche'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Ordering Coffee
To order a standard coffee with milk, simply ask for 'un café con leche.' This is a basic survival phrase everywhere in the Spanish-speaking world.
In some contexts, leche can describe someone's negative disposition or bad temper.
leche(noun)
temper
?Refers to disposition or mood, often negative
malice
?Ill will or mean-spiritedness
📝 In Action
Ten cuidado con ella, tiene muy mala leche.
B1Be careful with her, she has a very bad temper (or: she's very mean-spirited).
Es una broma sin mala leche; solo queríamos reír.
B2It's a joke with no ill will; we just wanted to laugh.
💡 Grammar Points
Fixed Phrases
This meaning almost always appears inside the fixed phrases 'tener mala leche' or 'tener buena leche.' Don't try to use 'leche' by itself to mean 'temper'—it won't make sense.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'Leche' Alone
Mistake: "Mi amigo es leche."
Correction: Mi amigo tiene mala leche. (You must include 'mala' or 'buena' and the verb 'tener' to describe a person's temperament.)
Leche can also be used informally to mean a blow or a strike, such as in an accident.
leche(noun)
blow
?A hit or a strike (e.g., in an accident)
speed
?Used in the idiom 'a toda leche' (very fast)
,surprise/shock
?Used as an interjection of shock (¡Qué leche!)
📝 In Action
El coche iba a toda leche por la autopista.
B2The car was going really fast (at full speed) on the highway.
Me di una leche contra la pared y ahora me duele la cabeza.
C1I hit (or smacked) myself against the wall and now my head hurts.
¡Qué leche! ¡Se me ha olvidado el pasaporte!
C1Darn it! I forgot my passport!
💡 Grammar Points
Use with Reflexive Verbs
To express hitting yourself, you often use 'darse una leche' (to give oneself a blow). The 'se' (reflexive pronoun) is key here.
⭐ Usage Tips
Interjections
Using '¡Qué leche!' is a common, slightly stronger way of saying 'Darn it!' or 'What bad luck!' in Spain.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: leche
Question 1 of 2
Which of these sentences uses 'leche' to describe a personality trait?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'leche' have any other very common slang meanings?
Yes. In many regions, '¡Qué leche!' or similar phrases are used as a mild curse word or an exclamation of frustration, similar to 'Darn it!' or 'What a mess!'. It's highly versatile slang, but always informal.
Why is it feminine ('la leche') even though it doesn't end in -a?
Many of the most common feminine Spanish nouns that were inherited from Latin do not follow the modern rule of ending in -a. Think of other feminine words like 'la noche' (night) and 'la flor' (flower). You just have to memorize that 'leche' is feminine.