tibio
“tibio” means “lukewarm” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
lukewarm
Also: tepid, mild
📝 In Action
Me gusta ducharme con agua tibia.
A2I like to shower with lukewarm water.
El café ya está tibio; deberías calentarlo.
A2The coffee is already lukewarm; you should heat it up.
Disfrutamos de una tarde tibia en el jardín.
B1We enjoyed a mild afternoon in the garden.
half-hearted
Also: indecisive, wishy-washy
📝 In Action
Su respuesta fue un poco tibia; esperaba más entusiasmo.
B2His response was a bit half-hearted; I expected more enthusiasm.
No seas tibio y toma una decisión ahora.
B2Don't be indecisive and make a decision now.
El público le dio un tibio aplauso al final de la obra.
C1The audience gave him a lukewarm applause at the end of the play.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: tibio
Question 1 of 3
If your soup has cooled down but isn't cold yet, how would you describe it?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'tepidus', which means lukewarm or tepid. It is the direct ancestor of the English word 'tepid'.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'tibio' mean 'warm'?
Yes, but specifically 'room temperature' or 'lukewarm'. If you want to say something is pleasantly hot (like a cozy fire or a hot meal), 'caliente' or 'calentito' is often better.
Is 'tibio' an insult?
When describing temperature, it's neutral. When describing a person's character, it's usually negative, implying they lack courage or conviction.
How do I say 'to warm up' using this word?
You can use the verb 'entibiar'. For example: 'Voy a entibiar la leche' (I'm going to warm up the milk).