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Un café solo, por favor.

Un café solo, por favor.
A black coffee, please.
From Lesson 69:At the bar (¿qué vas a tomar?)·Spanish (Spain)

Breakdown of Un café solo, por favor.

un
a, an, some
por favor
please
el café solo
the black coffee

Questions & Answers about Un café solo, por favor.

Why does solo mean "black" here? Doesn't it mean "alone"?
You are exactly right! Solo literally means "alone." When you order un café solo, you are asking for a coffee "alone"—meaning just the coffee without any milk. This is the standard way to order a black coffee in Spain.
Why are the words in that order (café solo)?
In Spanish, describing words (adjectives) usually come right after the thing they describe. So, instead of "black coffee" like we say in English, you say "coffee black" (café solo).
How would I ask for a coffee with milk instead?
If you do not want your coffee solo (black), you can ask for un café con leche, which means "a coffee with milk."
Does the word solo change if the noun is feminine?
Yes! Café is a masculine word, so it uses solo. If you were describing a feminine word as being alone, you would change the ending to match and use sola.

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