ELI5: what is the difference between espresso and coffee

Espresso is like a super strong coffee shot, while regular coffee is like a bigger, but less intense, cup of coffee.

Imagine you're making juice.

• Coffee is like squeezing an orange gently. You get a lot of juice, but it's not super concentrated. You use more water to make a bigger drink. Think of a big mug you have in the morning, you drip hot water through ground coffee.

• Espresso is like squeezing a tiny lemon really, really hard. You don't get much juice (just a small shot), but it's super concentrated and strong. It's made by forcing hot water through tightly packed, finely ground coffee beans using a lot of pressure.

• If you order a coffee at a diner, you usually get a big mug filled with a weaker, less intense brew. You might add milk and sugar to it.

• If you order an espresso at a fancy coffee shop, you get a small, strong shot. This shot is the base for drinks like lattes and cappuccinos, where the espresso is mixed with milk and foam.