vs
QUICK ANSWER
"Calentar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to heat", and "caldear" is a transitive verb which is also often translated as "to heat". Learn more about the difference between "calentar" and "caldear" below.
calentar(
kah
-
lehn
-
tahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. to heat
La chimenea eléctrica calentó bien el cuarto.The electric fireplace heated the room nicely.
b. to heat up
Hace tanto frío que la estufa eléctrica no sirve para calentar la habitación.It's so cold the electric heater won't heat the room up.
c. to warm up
Voy a calentar mi cena en el microondas.I'm going to warm up my dinner in the microwave.
2. (sports)
a. to warm up
Los jugadores están calentando los brazos para evitar lesiones.The players are warming up their arms to avoid injuries.
3. (colloquial) (to arouse)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. to turn on (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
¿Te calienta la ropa interior sexy?Does sexy underwear turn you on?
4. (to make angry) (Latin America)
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
5. (colloquial) (to hit)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. to beat up (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Lo amenazaron diciéndole que si no confesaba lo iban a calentar.They threatened him by telling him that if he didn't confess they would beat him up.
a. to inflame
El discurso de Correa calentó los ánimos de sus seguidores.Correa's speech inflamed the feelings of his followers.
7. (music)
a. to warm up
Estos ejercicios sencillos te ayudarán a calentar la voz antes del recital.These simple exercises will help you warm up your voice before the concert.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
8. (sports)
a. to warm up
Siempre se debe calentar antes del entrenamiento de fútbol.You should always warm up before soccer practice.
a. to get hot
No salgas a correr a esa hora; el sol calienta mucho.Don't go running at that time; the sun gets really hot.
b. to give off heat
Esta plancha no calienta nada. Hay que comprar una nueva.This iron doesn't give off any heat. We've got to buy a new one.
10. (music)
a. to warm up
Antes y después de tocar un instrumento, es importante calentar y estirar.Before and after playing an instrument, it is important to warm up and stretch.
calentarse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
11. (to get warm)
12. (colloquial) (to get aroused)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. to get turned on (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Muchas personas se calientan con los acentos extranjeros.Many people get turned on by foreign accents.
13. (to liven up)
a. to run high
Cuando un hincha insultó al arquero, los ánimos comenzaron a calentarse.When a fan insulted the goalkeeper, tempers started to run high.
caldear(
kahl
-
deh
-
ahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. to heat
El agua caliente de la regadera caldea el baño y empaña el espejo.The hot water from the shower heats the bathroom and fogs up the mirror.
La casa es fría por la mañana, pero el sol del medio día la caldea agradablemente.The house is cold in the mornings, but the midday sun heats it nicely.
b. to heat up
Para pegar estas piezas de hierro, habría que caldearlas.To stick these iron pieces together, we'd need to heat them up.
c. to warm
¿Podrías subirle al termostato para caldear un poco la habitación?Could you turn up the thermostat to warm the room a bit?
d. to warm up
Teresa compró una manta eléctrica para caldear su cama en el invierno.Teresa bought an electric blanket to warm up her bed in winter.
caldearse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
a. to warm up
Estoy esperando a que el agua se caldée para meterme en la ducha.I'm waiting for the water to warm up to get in the shower.
a. to get heated
Las declaraciones controversiales del ponente hicieron que se caldearan los ánimos en el salón.Tempers got heated in the hall with the presenter's controversial comments.
b. to get worked up
Los empleados se caldearon cuando recibieron la noticia del recorte salarial.The employees got worked up when they were told there would be a pay cut.
