Spanish Vocabulary for Food & Drinks
Learn common Spanish words and phrases related to Food & Drinks to expand your language skills.
comida abundante
abundant food
The Spanish phrase 'comida abundante' translates to 'abundant food' in English. It is generally used to describe a large quantity or plenty of food, often at celebrations, gatherings, or feasts where food is ample. The phrase emphasizes not just the presence of food but its richness and variety.
comida casera
homemade food
The Spanish term 'comida casera' is directly translated to 'homemade food' in English. This refers to meals that are prepared and cooked at home, from scratch, rather than bought pre-made from a store or eaten at a restaurant. 'Comida casera' often involves traditional recipes and signifies food prepared with care, using fresh ingredients, often imparting comfort and a sense of home.
comida escasa
scarce food
The Spanish phrase 'comida escasa' translates to 'scarce food' in English. It is used to describe situations where food resources are low or not abundantly available. It may be used in various contexts related to food supply or discussions around hunger and food security issues.
comida tradicional
traditional food
The Spanish term 'comida tradicional' refers to traditional food. This encompasses a wide range of dishes that have been prepared according to customs and techniques passed down from past generations. Traditional food is often specific to a certain region or country, reflecting its history, geography, and culture. Thus, 'comida tradicional' could refer to anything from Spanish paella to Mexican tacos, depending on the context.
comilón
glutton
The Spanish term 'comilón' translates to 'glutton' in English. It can be used to describe a person who has a tendency to eat excessively or indulges in food. It's a noun and often carries a playful, teasing tone, but can sometimes be used in a more serious context when referring to someone's eating habits.
condimentar
seasoning
The Spanish word 'condimentar' translates to 'seasoning' in English. This means to add salt, herbs, pepper, or other spices to food to enhance its flavor. The term can be applied to every type of food preparation, ranging from meats to vegetables, and everything in-between.
corcho (de la botella)
cork (from the bottle)
The Spanish term 'corcho (de la botella)' translates to 'cork (from the bottle)' in English. It pertains to the cylindrical or spherical piece of cork, rubber, or similar pliable material, which is used as a stopper for bottles, particularly in wine bottles, preserving the content from external elements and sealing the bottle tight.
cortar el pan
cut the bread
The Spanish phrase 'cortar el pan' translates directly to 'cut the bread' in English. In practice, this phrase could be used in a culinary context where the action of slicing or cutting bread is required.
cortar en dados finos
cut into thin dice
The Spanish phrase 'cortar en dados finos' translates to 'cut into thin dice' in English. It is a culinary term often used in recipes to describe the way vegetables, fruits, or meats should be cut before cooking. The process involves cutting food into small square pieces, usually about 0.25 to 0.5 inches on each side, to cook evenly and quickly. This term is commonly used when preparing ingredients for soups, salads or sauces.
cortar en dados gruesos
cut into thick dice
The Spanish phrase 'cortar en dados gruesos' directly translates to 'cut into thick dice' in English. This phrase is typically used in cooking instructions when preparing ingredients. The phrase is instructing to chop or cut the ingredient into noticeably large, cube-like pieces, similar to dice. The size is relatively larger than that of typical dicing methods, hence 'thick' or 'grueso' in Spanish.
cortar en dados pequeños
cut into small dice
The phrase 'cortar en dados pequeños' in Spanish translates to 'cut into small dice' in English. This is a culinary term often used to instruct how certain ingredients, specifically vegetables or meat, should be cut into uniform, small, cube-like pieces, resembling dice. This style of cut is usually for aesthetic consistency and to ensure the ingredients cook evenly.
cortar en pedazos
cut into pieces
The Spanish phrase 'cortar en pedazos' translates to 'cut into pieces' in English. It is often used in context where you're describing the act of dividing something into several smaller parts. It can be applied to various contexts, including cooking when you need to slice food into small pieces, or figuratively when discussing deconstructions of ideas or tasks.
cortar en rodajas
cut in slices
The Spanish phrase 'cortar en rodajas' translates to 'cut in slices' in English. This phrase is often used in the context of preparing food, where it can refer to slicing various items such as fruits, vegetables, meat, and others. This is generally performed using a knife, and the purpose is to make the food item easier to eat, or to prepare it for cooking.
cortar en tacos finos
cut in fine tacos
The Spanish phrase 'cortar en tacos finos' translates directly to 'cut in fine tacos' in English. However, 'tacos' in this context does not refer to the Mexican dish. In culinary terms, 'taco' in Spanish is a piece of something, particularly food. So, this phrase can mean to cut or chop something, often a food item, into small, fine pieces or chunks.
cortar en tacos gruesos
cut into thick tacos
The Spanish phrase 'cortar en tacos gruesos' translates to 'cut into thick tacos' in English. It's a culinary term commonly used in cooking recipes or instructions. The word 'cortar' means 'to cut', 'en' is a preposition usually translated as 'into' in this context, 'tacos' refer to 'tacos' or 'pieces', and 'gruesos' means 'thick'. So, it basically describes the process of cutting something into thick chunks or pieces, not necessarily referring to the food item taco in English context.
cortar en tacos pequeños
cut in small tacos
The phrase 'cortar en tacos pequeños' is a culinary term in Spanish. It instructs to cut ingredients into small pieces, similar to the size of small tacos. This is typically done to prepare the ingredients for a wide variety of dishes, such as stews, soups, or salads. Knowing this phrase could be especially useful for those with interest in cooking and recipe translation from Spanish to English.
cortar en trozos finos
cut into thin pieces
The Spanish phrase 'cortar en trozos finos' translates to 'cut into thin pieces' in English. This phrase is commonly used in cooking instructions where ingredients need to be prepared and fractioned into smaller sizes. It could refer to chopping a variety of items, like vegetables, fruits, or meats, into small, thin pieces for a particular recipe. Proper usage of this phrase always involves some form of culinary context.
cortar en trozos gruesos
cut into thick pieces
The Spanish phrase 'cortar en trozos gruesos' translates to 'cut into thick pieces' in English. This phrase is commonly used in cooking instructions or recipes where ingredients need to be prepared in certain sizes. The verb 'cortar' means 'to cut', 'trozos' means 'pieces', and 'gruesos' means 'thick'. Thus, when you 'cortar en trozos gruesos', you are instructed to cut something into large or thick pieces.
cortar en trozos pequeños
cut into small pieces
The Spanish phrase 'cortar en trozos pequeños' translates to 'cut into small pieces' in English. In this context, 'cortar' means 'to cut', 'en' refers to 'into' or 'in', 'trozos' translates to 'pieces', and 'pequeños' means 'small'. Thus, this phrase is often used in cooking instructions or when dividing something into multiple smaller parts.
cortar la carne
cut the meat
The Spanish phrase 'cortar la carne' translates to 'cut the meat' in English. It's a commonly used phrase in cooking and food preparation contexts. 'Cortar' specifically refers to the action of cutting or slicing, and 'la carne' means 'the meat'. Therefore, you would use this phrase when asking someone to cut the meat, or when giving instructions in a recipe, for example.
cortarse la digestión
cut the digestion
'Cortarse la digestión' is a Spanish phrase that literally translates to 'cut the digestion' in English. However, the actual meaning of this phrase is closer to 'to have indigestion' or 'to get a cramp'. It is often used to describe the uncomfortable feeling in your stomach, typically after eating too quickly, consuming heavy meals, or swimming shortly after having a meal. This phrase is a good example of how idiomatic expressions in Spanish do not always have a direct translation to English.
corteza de limón
lemon rind
The Spanish term 'corteza de limón' translates to 'lemon rind' in English language. Lemon rind is the outer, yellow layer of a lemon, specifically the part of the lemon’s peel that is typically removed with a grater or knife to be used in various food recipes or drinks, often as a way to impart a citrus flavor. It is known for its bright, fresh flavor that is more complex than the fruit's juice or pulp.
corteza de pan
bread crust
The Spanish phrase 'corteza de pan' translate to 'bread crust' in English. This refers to the outer layer of bread that undergoes the most baking and usually ends up harder than the soft, inner part of bread.
costilla de cordero
rib of lamb
The Spanish term 'costilla de cordero' translates to 'rib of lamb' in English. It's usually referred to a type of meat that is from the rib section of a lamb. This is often cooked, grilled, or smoked in various cuisines around the world. Its taste is generally tender and juicy, depending on the preparation method. This is a common dish in many Mediterranean countries, where lamb is a typical ingredient in their recipes.
crema pastelera
cake cream
Crema pastelera' is a Spanish term that translates directly to 'pastry cream' in English. This is a rich, thick custard made from a mixture of milk, eggs, sugar, and usually a flavoring such as vanilla. It's commonly used as a filling for cakes, tarts, and pastries in many Spanish and Latin American cuisines. The term 'crema pastelera' may occasionally be translated as 'cake cream', although 'pastry cream' is more accurate.
croquetas
croquettes
Croquetas are a common Spanish dish. They are small, rounded foods often made from a thick white sauce, known as bechamel, mixed with ham or chicken. This mixture is then breaded and fried. The outside of croquetas is typically crispy, while the inside is smooth and creamy. In English, these are referred to as 'croquettes.'
crudo
raw
The Spanish word 'crudo' translates to 'raw' in English. It is an adjective commonly used to describe food that is not cooked such as vegetables, sushi, or meat. It can also be used figuratively to describe concepts, situations, or experiences that are harsh, unfiltered, or unrefined.
cuello de la botella
bottleneck
The Spanish term 'cuello de la botella' translates to 'bottleneck' in English. It can be used both literally, to denote the narrow part of a bottle, and metaphorically, to refer to a point of congestion or blockage in a system or process that inhibits progress.
dar sed
thirst
The Spanish phrase 'dar sed' translates to 'give thirst' in English. However, in usage, it is often used in the same context we use 'thirst' or 'to be thirsty'. It is primarily used to express a need or desire for a drink due to dehydration, often after physical exertion. As many idioms and phrases, the literal translation may not always make sense, but it is a commonly used phrase in Spanish speaking regions to indicate thirst.
delicioso
delicious
The Spanish word 'delicioso' translates to 'delicious' in English. It is an adjective used to describe food that gives great pleasure or satisfaction to taste or smell. It is used in the same way as it is in English, to express that something, usually a dish or a type of food, is extremely tasty and enjoyable. In general, it emphasizes the speaker's positive sensory experience.