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"Calentar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to heat", and "recalentar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to warm up". Learn more about the difference between "calentar" and "recalentar" below.
calentar(
kah
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lehn
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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.
recalentar(
rreh
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kah
-
lehn
-
tahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. to warm up
Michael acaba de llegar, así que le voy a recalentar la comida.Michael has just arrived, so I'll warm up the food for him.
b. to reheat
Alicia prendió el horno para recalentar la pizza.Alicia turned on the oven to reheat the pizza.
a. to overheat
La falta de anticongelante recalentó el motor de mi auto.The lack of antifreeze overheated my car's engine.
recalentarse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
a. to overheat
El motor se recalentó porque los niveles de agua estaban muy bajos.The engine overheated because the water levels were too low.
