Have you ever wondered what cariño means in English? You're not alone! This is one of the most searched Spanish words by English speakers, and for good reason. The truth is, cariño is one of those beautiful Spanish words that simply doesn't have a direct English translation. It occupies a unique emotional space that English just can't capture with a single word.
If you've been struggling to understand what cariño means or how to use it properly, you've come to the right place. Today, we're diving deep into this wonderful word that reveals something beautiful about the Spanish language and culture.
So, what does cariño mean exactly? The word cariño refers to a warm, tender feeling of affection that flows between love and care. It's more than simple fondness but not as intense as passionate love. Think of it as that sweet spot of human connection - intimate yet gentle, caring yet not overwhelming.
When Spanish speakers use cariño, there's an understanding of exactly what kind of emotion they mean. It's applicable to family members, close friends, romantic partners, and even beloved pets, but it carries a particular warmth that's neither casual nor overpowering.
English tends to compartmentalize emotions when it comes to love and affection. We have "love" (which often feels too strong), "like" (too weak), "fondness" (too formal), "affection" (clinical), and "care" (not quite right either). But cariño flows seamlessly between all these categories.
This is similar to how other languages have untranslatable emotional concepts - like Portuguese saudade or Danish hygge. These words capture entire emotional experiences that other cultures recognize but don't have compact ways to express.
Let's look at how cariño is actually used in everyday Spanish conversations:
One of the most common uses of cariño is as a term of endearment, similar to "honey," "dear," or "sweetheart" in English. As we can see in these two clips from our popular series Extr@: Extra en español:
Hola, Pablo, cariño. -Hola.
Hello, Pablo, honey. -Hello.
Caption 9, Extr@: Extra en español Ep. 8: La prima de la dueña - Part 5
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Notice how natural it sounds when used between people who care about each other. You can also use the diminutive form cariñito to make it even more affectionate:
¿A que sí, cariñito?
Right, honey?
Caption 15, Extr@: Extra en español Ep. 8: La prima de la dueña - Part 5
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You can also use cariño to express your feelings of fondness toward someone or something. For example, when talking about a beloved tree:
Es un árbol al que le tenemos muchísimo cariño.
It's a tree that we're very fond of.
Caption 51, Estepona Orquidario - Part 1
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The word also appears when talking about doing something with love and care, like in this example about handmade crafts:
que es hecho con mucho cariño, hecho a mano.
which is done with lots of love, handmade.
Caption 57, Otavalo Bisutería Kinty
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Cariño is commonly used when sending emotional support to someone:
Te mando mi cariño y muchos ánimos
I send you my love and a lot of encouragement
Caption 19, Aprendiendo con Silvia Pésame y condolencias - Part 2
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You'll also hear cariño used to express warm hospitality:
a la ciudad de Pasto y que los recibimos con todo cariño
in the city of Pasto, and we welcome you with all our affection,
Caption 11, Pipo Carnavales de Pasto - Part 2
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There are several related words and expressions that complement cariño in Spanish:
Cariñoso/a - This adjective means "affectionate" or "loving"
Con cariño - This phrase means "with love" or "with affection" and is commonly used when signing cards or letters
Tener cariño - This expression means "to have affection for" someone
Understanding cariño reveals how Spanish-speaking cultures have remarkably nuanced emotional vocabulary. While there are English words that can come close to its meaning - like "affection," "fondness," or "love" - none quite captures the complete essence of cariño.
These approximations can serve as helpful guidance for understanding the concept, but they miss the specific warmth and tenderness that makes cariño unique. This is one of the most compelling reasons to learn Spanish: accessing emotional territories that English doesn't map precisely. So when someone asks "what does cariño mean in English," you can explain that while we can approximate it with several English words, it's a beautiful Spanish concept that's best understood in its original form.
What other untranslatable Spanish words would you like to explore? We'd love to hear from you with your questions and comments!
Can you think of any Spanish word that contains all five vowels? Believe it or not, there are many words in Spanish that have all five vowels. In this brief lesson, we will list some of the most common ones. However, before you go through our list, we would like to invite you to do the following:
1. Read this lesson about the vowels in Spanish.
2. Try to come up with some word in Spanish that has all 5 vowels.
If nothing comes to mind, get ready to check out the following list of words, which we have classified into 3 big groups: Nouns, Adjectives, and Conjugated Verbs. If you have been studying Spanish, we are sure you are already familiar with several of the words we have included in this list. Are you ready to unveil these words and hear how to say them? Let's get started!
El abuelito merece la mejor fiesta
Grandpa deserves the best party
Caption 10, Cleer y Carolina Organizando la fiesta del abuelo
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España está dividida en diecisiete comunidades autónomas.
Spain is divided into seventeen autonomous communities.
Caption 11, Ariana España
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Mi escultura es la solución a una ecuación
My sculpture is the solution to an equation
Caption 25, San Sebastián Peine del viento
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El uso de las computadoras y el internet forman parte de la educación de los estudiantes
The use of computers and the internet are part of the students' education
Captions 38-39, Aprendiendo con Karen Útiles escolares - Part 2
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¿Qué es eso de la euforia?
What is that [whole] euphoria [thing]?
Caption 5, Aprendiendo con Silvia Las emociones - Part 6
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dice que si tú tienes tu menstruación,
says that if you're on your period,
Caption 37, Melyna El aguacate
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Los murciélagos se llaman "morciguillos",
Bats are called "morciguillos,"
Caption 73, Soledad El argot
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O sea... que esa imagen que tenemos de la orquídea,
In other words... that image that we have of the orchid
Captions 29-30, Estepona Orquidario - Part 1
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A veces era una fuente, otras un riachuelo,
Sometimes, it was a fountain, other times, a stream,
Captions 50-51, Aprendiendo con Silvia Recuerdos de infancia - Part 3
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para un taco auténtico:
for an authentic taco:
Caption 23, Hispanoamericanos en Berlín Karla y los tacos - Part 2
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o algo que puede ser cuestionable.
or something that could be questionable.
Caption 17, Carlos explica 20 formas de decir no sin decir no
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y servían como necrópolis para los enterramientos funerarios.
and were used as a necropolis for funeral burials.
Caption 7, Rosa Los Dólmenes de Antequera
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Pero claro, muñeca. No te preocupes que averiguo todo y te cuento, ¿listo?
But of course, doll. Don't worry as I'll find out everything and I'll tell you, alright?
Caption 32, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa Capítulo 1 - Part 5
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Sí, querida, te llamé porque quería comunicarte
Yes, dear, I called you because I wanted to communicate to you
Caption 12, Muñeca Brava 39 Verdades - Part 10
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And those were the words with all five vowels in Spanish! How many did you know? While there are, of course, many more words Spanish words containing all five vowels, we have limited this list to some of the more common ones. Is there any word that you think we should have included? Do let us know, and don't forget to send us your suggestions and comments.
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