Estar como agua para chocolate
/es-TAR KOH-moh AH-gwah PAH-rah choh-koh-LAH-teh/
To be at the boiling point, either with anger (furious) or with passion (very excited, aroused, or flustered).
💡 Understanding the Idiom
🎨 Literal vs. Figurative
Literally, the phrase means 'to be like water for chocolate'.
In reality, it means to be at a 'boiling point' of emotion, like anger or passion.
Key Words in This Idiom:
📝 In Action
Después de discutir con su jefe, se quedó como agua para chocolate todo el día.
B2After arguing with his boss, he was boiling mad all day.
Estaba como agua para chocolate, esperando a que llegara para darle la gran noticia.
C1She was bursting with excitement, waiting for him to arrive to give him the big news.
No le hables ahora, vio que rayaron su coche nuevo y está como agua para chocolate.
B2Don't talk to him now, he saw that they scratched his new car and he's furious.
📜 Origin Story
This colorful idiom comes from traditional Mexican kitchens. To make classic hot chocolate, you first bring water to a rolling boil. Only when the water is at its most intense, bubbling point is it ready ('para') for the chocolate tablet to be dropped in and dissolved. So, when a person is 'like water for chocolate,' they are at their emotional boiling point—ready to explode with anger or bubble over with passion.
⭐ Usage Tips
Anger or Passion?
This idiom is versatile! It can mean 'boiling mad' or 'bursting with passion/excitement.' The only way to know which is to look at the context. Is someone's car scratched? Anger. Are they about to go on a first date? Passion or excitement.
Use with 'Estar' or 'Ponerse'
You'll often see this phrase with 'estar' (to be) to describe a current state ('estoy como agua para chocolate') or 'ponerse' (to become) to describe the change in emotion ('me puse como agua para chocolate').
❌ Common Pitfalls
It's Not Just About Anger
Mistake: "Thinking the phrase only means someone is angry."
Correction: While anger is a very common meaning, don't forget the passion side! It can describe intense love, excitement, or even frustration. The core idea is an intense, bubbling emotion that's about to spill over.
📚 Related Grammar
Want to understand the grammar behind this idiom? Explore these lessons for a deep dive:
Ser vs. Estar
This idiom uses the verb 'estar' (está, estaba) because it describes a temporary, intense emotional state, like being furious or excited, rather than a permanent trait.
Por vs. Para
The preposition 'para' is essential to the meaning, showing purpose or destination. The water is specifically 'para chocolate' (intended for making chocolate).
🌎 Where It's Used
Mexico
This is a hallmark idiom of Mexican Spanish, deeply tied to its culinary traditions. It is used and understood by everyone here.
General (Latin America & Spain)
Thanks to the world-famous 1989 novel 'Como agua para chocolate' by Mexican author Laura Esquivel, this phrase is now widely recognized across the entire Spanish-speaking world. However, it is still used most frequently and naturally in Mexico.
🔗 Related Idioms
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: Estar como agua para chocolate
Question 1 of 1
If your friend says, '¡Vi a mi ex con otra persona y me puse como agua para chocolate!', how are they feeling?
🏷️ Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this idiom famous because of the book and movie?
The idiom existed in Mexico long before the book. However, Laura Esquivel's 1989 novel 'Como Agua Para Chocolate' ('Like Water for Chocolate') and the award-winning film made the expression famous internationally. The title is a perfect metaphor for the intense passion, love, and frustration felt by the characters.