calienten

Calienten is a Spanish verb form derived from calentar, meaning to heat or warm. It functions as the present subjunctive form for the third-person plural (ellos/ellas/ustedes) and as the affirmative imperative for ustedes. In both uses, it expresses a request, instruction, or wish that something be heated.

Conjugation notes: Calentar is a stem-changing -ar verb. In the present tense, its forms include caliento, calientas, calienta, calentamos, calentáis, calientan. In the present subjunctive, the forms are caliente, calientes, caliente, calentemos, calentéis, calienten. The imperative form for ustedes, calienten, is identical to the present subjunctive form, and is used to give a direct command to a group.

Usage and examples: In recipes and cooking instructions, calienten is common when addressing a group. Examples include: “Calienten la olla a fuego medio” and “Es necesario que ustedes calienten la sopa antes de servir.” It can also appear in subordinate clauses after verbs of necessity, desire, or possibility: “Es importante que ustedes calienten la mezcla.”

See also: calentar, subjunctive mood, imperative mood. Calienten, as a form, demonstrates how Spanish uses the same spelling for different grammatical purposes—present subjunctive and affirmative command for ustedes—depending on context.