Cold
Use this to say YOU feel cold. It literally means 'I have cold.'
Use this for objects or food that are cold to the touch. Use 'frío' for masculine nouns (el café) and 'fría' for feminine nouns (la sopa).
An exclamation meaning 'How cold!' or 'It's so cold!'.
In the winter it's very cold here.
Can you close the window? I'm cold.
I don't want the juice, it's very cold.
—Are you all cold? —No, we're fine, thanks.
The distinction between 'hace frío' (weather), 'tengo frío' (feeling cold), and 'está frío' (object is cold) is standard across all Spanish-speaking countries.
It's common to hear '¡Qué frío hace!' as an exclamation. 'Hace un frío...' is also used to start a sentence describing the cold.
In Bogotá, known for its cool climate, you'll often hear the diminutive '¡Qué fríito!' to express that it's chilly.
While 'Hace frío' is standard, you might hear 'Che, qué frío' in casual conversation. The 'che' is a very common Argentine interjection.
In addition to 'tengo frío,' it's common to hear 'estoy helado' (masculine) or 'estoy helada' (feminine) to say 'I'm freezing.'
The core phrases are identical to Latin America. They do not use 'vosotros' with these phrases (e.g., 'tenéis frío').
Using 'ser' for feeling cold: 'Soy frío.' — This is a major mistake. 'Soy frío' means 'I am a cold person' (describing your personality). To say you feel cold, you must use 'Tengo frío.'
Using 'ser' for weather: 'Es frío.' — For describing weather, Spanish uses the verb 'hacer'. The correct phrase is always 'Hace frío' (It is cold).
Using 'estar' for feeling cold: 'Estoy frío.' — While you might hear this in some contexts, it can mean your body is literally cold to the touch (like a medical problem). The universal and correct way to say you feel chilly is 'Tengo frío.'
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