caliento

Caliento is the first-person singular present indicative form of the Spanish verb calentar, which means to heat or to warm. It is used for actions where heat is applied to something, as well as for warming oneself or objects. In addition to its literal sense, calentar can be used in figurative expressions such as preparing for an event or increasing intensity in a situation.

Conjugation and usage: Calentar is an -ar verb and a stem-changing verb in the present tense. The forms are: yo caliento, tú calientas, él calienta, nosotros calentamos, vosotros calentáis, ellos calientan. The stem change e → ie occurs in all present forms except the nosotros and vosotros forms, which keep the stem as calent- (calentamos, calentáis). This pattern is typical of many common Spanish verbs that describe heating or warming actions.

Etymology and related terms: Calentar derives from Latin calēre, meaning to be warm, and came into Spanish through the development of Old Spanish calentar. Related nouns and adjectives include calor (heat) and caliente (hot), which share the same semantic field connected to warmth.

Examples: "Voy a calentar la sopa en el microondas." "Ella calentó las manos junto al fuego." "La discusión se calentó durante la reunión." "Vamos a calentar motores para el inicio del partido." These usages show how calentar spans cooking, personal warmth, and figurative intensification.

See also: calentamiento, calentamiento global, calefacción.

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