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How to Say "cream" in Spanish

English → Spanish

crema

KRAY-mahˈkɾema

nounA1general
Use 'crema' for a dairy product added to drinks or dishes, or for cosmetic/medicinal lotions, and also to describe a pale yellowish-white color.
A close-up view of thick white dairy cream poured over bright red strawberries.

Examples

¿Quieres un poco de crema en tu café?

Do you want a little cream in your coffee?

Esta tarta lleva mucha crema de chocolate.

This cake has a lot of chocolate filling/custard.

Me puse crema hidratante después de la ducha.

I put on moisturizing cream after the shower.

No olvides llevar la crema solar a la playa.

Don't forget to take the sun cream to the beach.

Always Feminine

Even though 'crema' ends in -a, it is always a feminine word, so you must use 'la' or 'una' before it.

Color Invariable

When used as a color, 'crema' usually acts like a noun describing the color, so it typically does not change its ending to match the noun it describes (it stays 'crema' whether the noun is singular, plural, masculine, or feminine).

Changing the Ending

Mistake: “Unos zapatos cremas.”

Correction: Unos zapatos crema. (The color name remains singular and feminine/invariable.)

nata

nah-tahˈnata

nounA2general
Use 'nata' specifically for the thick dairy product used in cooking and desserts, especially in Spain.
A small white ceramic bowl filled with thick, smooth white cream sitting on a simple wooden surface.

Examples

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

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

Esta tarta de fresas tiene mucha nata montada.

This strawberry cake has a lot of whipped cream.

Quita la nata de la leche antes de beberla.

Take the skin off the milk before drinking it.

Using 'Nata' as a 'Mass' Noun

Just like the word 'water' or 'sand,' we usually treat 'nata' as a single mass of stuff. You rarely make it plural unless you are talking about different types of cream.

Cream vs. Custard

Mistake: “Using 'nata' to describe the yellow filling in a donut.”

Correction: Use 'crema' or 'crema pastelera' for yellow pastry custard. 'Nata' is specifically the white dairy cream.

crema

adjectiveB1general
Use 'crema' as an adjective to describe the color cream, a pale yellowish-white hue.

Examples

Necesito pintar la pared de color crema.

I need to paint the wall cream-colored.

flor

florfloɾ

nounB1general
Use 'flor' figuratively to mean the best part, the peak, or the prime of something, like a person's youth or a season.
A large, perfectly bloomed golden sunflower, facing brightly upwards, towering over several small, green, closed flower buds.

Examples

Estaba en la flor de su juventud cuando se hizo famoso.

He was in the prime of his youth when he became famous.

Esa novela representa la flor de la literatura de esa época.

That novel represents the cream of the literature of that era.

Fixed Phrase

This meaning is almost always found in the phrase 'la flor de...' (the prime of...), linking the concept to a time period or a group.

Dairy 'Cream': Crema vs. Nata

The most common mistake is using 'crema' and 'nata' interchangeably for the dairy product. While both are understood, 'nata' is more specific to the thick cream used in cooking and desserts, particularly in Spain. 'Crema' is more general and also covers cosmetic lotions and the color cream.

Related Translations

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