Inklingo

How to Say "candy" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “candy” is “dulce” — use 'dulce' when referring to candy in a general sense, or for individual pieces of candy that are not necessarily hard confections..

English → Spanish

dulce

/DOOL-seh//ˈdul.se/

nounA2general
Use 'dulce' when referring to candy in a general sense, or for individual pieces of candy that are not necessarily hard confections.
A small, colorful pile of assorted candies and sweets, including lollipops and wrapped hard candies.

Examples

Mi hijo comió demasiados dulces en la fiesta.

My son ate too much candy at the party.

¿Qué hay de dulce hoy?

What's for dessert today?

El dulce de leche es muy popular en Argentina.

Dulce de leche (a caramel-like spread) is very popular in Argentina.

Always Masculine

Even though it ends in '-e', when 'dulce' is used as a noun for candy, it's always masculine. So you say 'el dulce' (the candy) or 'los dulces' (the candies).

'Dulce' vs. 'Postre'

Mistake: “Saying 'Quiero un dulce' when you mean the dessert course on a menu.”

Correction: It's better to ask '¿Qué hay de postre?'. While 'dulce' can mean dessert, 'postre' is more specific for the final course of a meal. 'Un dulce' usually means a single piece of candy.

caramelo

kah-rah-MEH-loh/ka.ɾaˈme.lo/

nounA1general
Use 'caramelo' specifically for a piece of hard candy, like a boiled sweet or a lollipop.
A single piece of shiny, spherical hard candy wrapped in clear cellophane, tied at the ends.

Examples

Mi abuela siempre tiene caramelos de menta en su bolso.

My grandmother always has mint candies in her purse.

No comas tantos caramelos antes de la cena.

Don't eat so many sweets before dinner.

Este caramelo es para la tos, no es muy dulce.

This lozenge is for the cough, it's not very sweet.

Masculine Noun

Even though many Spanish words ending in '-a' are feminine, 'caramelo' ends in '-o' and is always masculine, so you use 'el caramelo' or 'un caramelo'.

General vs. Specific Candy Terms

The most common mistake is using 'caramelo' for all types of candy. Remember that 'caramelo' is specific to hard candy, while 'dulce' is the broader, more common term for candy in general or individual sweets.

Related Translations

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