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nata

nah-tah/ˈnata/

“nata” means “cream” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

cream

Also: skin
NounfA2
SpainMexico
A small white ceramic bowl filled with thick, smooth white cream sitting on a simple wooden surface.

📝 In Action

¿Prefieres el café solo o con un poco de nata?

A1

Do you prefer black coffee or with a bit of cream?

Esta tarta de fresas tiene mucha nata montada.

A2

This strawberry cake has a lot of whipped cream.

Quita la nata de la leche antes de beberla.

B1

Take the skin off the milk before drinking it.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • leche desnatada (skimmed milk)

Common Collocations

  • nata montada – whipped cream
  • nata líquida – heavy cream/liquid cream
  • nata para cocinar – cooking cream

cream of the crop

Also: elite
NounfB2
A basket of red apples with one single, shiny golden apple sitting prominently in the center.

📝 In Action

A la gala asistió la nata de la sociedad.

B2

The elite of society attended the gala.

Estos estudiantes son la crema y nata de la universidad.

C1

These students are the cream of the crop of the university.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • élite (elite)
  • lo mejor (the best)

Antonyms

  • chusma (rabble/commoners)

Common Collocations

  • la crema y nata – the absolute best / the cream of the crop

Idioms & Expressions

  • ser la crema y nata – To be the very best or most exclusive part of a group.

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "nata" in Spanish:

cream→elite→skin→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: nata

Question 1 of 3

If you want to buy heavy cream to make a sauce in Spain, what should you look for?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
natilla(custard) — Noun
desnatado(skimmed/fat-free) — Adjective
natoso(creamy) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'nata,' which is the feminine form of 'natus' (born). It refers to the layer that is 'born' or appears on the surface of milk.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: nataFrench: crème (different root, but shared conceptual development)

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'nata' the same as 'crema'?

In Spain, 'nata' is dairy cream (for coffee/desserts), while 'crema' usually refers to thick vegetable soups or pastry custard. In Latin America, 'crema' is the more common word for dairy cream.

How do I say 'whipped cream'?

You say 'nata montada' (literally 'mounted cream').

What is 'leche desnatada'?

It is 'skimmed milk' or 'fat-free milk,' meaning the 'nata' (cream) has been removed.