tinto

What it means

1. 1.

   A small black coffee, usually weak, usually pre-sweetened, sold from thermoses by street vendors and offered to every visitor to every office in the country.

2. 2.

   The offer of one is a social ritual rather than a beverage transaction. '¿Le provoca un tintico?' opens meetings, negotiations and condolence visits alike.

Literally: Tinted, dyed.

Examples with translations

• ¿Le provoca un tintico?

  Fancy a coffee?

  Note: The diminutive is near-obligatory. Tinto alone sounds brusque.

• Me tomo tres tintos antes del mediodía.

  I have three black coffees before midday.

Where it comes from

From vino tinto, 'red wine', by way of the colour: a dark liquid in a small glass. The false friend is total — order un tinto in Spain and you will be brought wine.

Other forms

Spellings and variants:

tintico