hielo

ice

noun YEH-loh Less Common

Usage Note

Hielo covers ice in all senses: ice cubes (hielo para el vaso), black ice (hielo negro), and glacial ice. The idiomatic phrase romper el hielo ('to break the ice') works identically to English. Note the silent h — the word is pronounced starting with the /y/ sound of the ie diphthong.

Examples

"¿Quieres hielo en tu refresco?"

Natural Translation

Do you want ice in your soft drink?

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