Inklingo

How to Say "dessert" in Spanish

English → Spanish

postre

POH-stray/ˈpos.tɾe/

nounA1general
Use 'postre' when referring to the sweet course served at the end of a meal.
A piece of rich chocolate cake sitting on a plate, garnished with a bright red strawberry.

Examples

¿Qué quieres de postre? Tenemos tarta de chocolate.

What do you want for dessert? We have chocolate cake.

El postre favorito de mi abuela es el flan.

My grandmother's favorite dessert is flan.

Siempre pido un postre ligero después de una cena pesada.

I always order a light dessert after a heavy dinner.

Gender Rule Breaker

Even though many Spanish nouns that end in '-e' can be either masculine or feminine, 'postre' is always masculine: el postre.

Confusing Postre and Dulce

Mistake: “Using 'dulce' when referring specifically to the course after dinner (e.g., 'Quiero un dulce').”

Correction: While 'dulce' means 'sweet' and can sometimes mean 'dessert,' it's safer and clearer to use 'postre' when talking about the final dish of a meal. 'Dulce' is often used for candies or general sweet treats.

dulce

/DOOL-seh//ˈdul.se/

nounA2general
Use 'dulce' when referring to a sweet food item in a general sense, like candy or sweets, rather than specifically the end of a meal.
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 many sweets 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.

Confusing 'postre' and 'dulce'

Learners often use 'dulce' when they mean 'postre'. Remember that 'postre' specifically means the dessert served at the end of a meal, while 'dulce' is a broader term for any sweet treat, like candy.

Related Translations

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