A jump to glossary, along with phrases and explanation of terms where literal translation is not useful is my end goal of this project. In my earlier versions of the list I simply sought out glossaries, anywhere I could find them on the Net (see revision history below). This resulted in several problems:
- often there are errors in other peoples’ glossaries, often in spelling (esp. diacritical marks; also is singular or plural and genders, that is not using the base word one would find in proper dictionaries;
- regional differences within Spain lead to confusion in either different spellings (or words) for the same food item or different items from the same word;
- “Spanish”, of course, includes a lot more of the world than just Spain and often there are severe contradictions between different countries and I really want to stay focused on Spain (although hongo (mushroom) has appeared in Spanish menus and this is primarily a Latin American term, so even the Spanish are inconsistent on this);
- many words don’t really have a translation to English because either they stand for themselves (e.g paella, chistorra) or a literal translation is not helpful (as already mentioned, see post on revuelto);
- some colloquial or slang terms are used in Spain just as they are anywhere and these don’t translate easily; and, 6) sometimes food items are modified with brands or regional terms (de Tuledo) that are quite relevant but not terms that can be converted to English.
So many glossaries you find, as I did (the hard way) are fairly inaccurate and/or fail to provide much help for menus. This is the main reason I’m starting my v3.x effort from menus of restaurants in Spain. While I could look for all restaurants I could find I’m tying my search to my virtual walk along the Camino de Santiago. I started this project when I’d reached just west of Pamplona. So I’ve now covered about 20 miles (now about 400 miles as of v4.0 revision) looking at every restaurant along the way (they have to have webpages and then menus at the website to be useful). So I’ve covered the towns of Cizur Menor, Zariquiegui, Uterga, Muruzábal, Obanos, Puente la Reina, Mañeru, Cirauqui and figured I had enough raw material for my first cut at a glossary (English translation mostly based on Google Translate with some lookups in spanishdict.com). This is a fairly complete list based on no more than extractions from menus. Some words I’ve left off this list as they take more research to get them properly defined (e.g. “beef”, lots of different names for this, and cuts of meat). Other words the literal translation and/or quick searches are insufficient to get a useful (if there is one) definition. For v3.2 I have included terms from many restaurants in Palencia.
So this is v3.2 and I have a lot more to do to even begin to have anything approaching the final list but already my list is better than many of the others you can find on the Net.
Now this is updated to v3.3 where I’ve included some words from a print dictionary.
Please note this post and this post for the process I’m doing to enhance this glossary to the v4.0 version (coming soon, done on 31Mar2019).
Notation in this glossary includes: a) {x|y} which means a letter (sometimes word) can be either x or y, usually this is for gender in adjectives and thus {a|o}, b) [x] means an optional letter (sometimes) word, usually [s] or [es] for plurals (Note: the number in Spanish word may not match number in English word), and, c) stuff inside () is some sort of explanatory comment, not part of the translation per se.
Caution: This glossary comes from many sources and may have errors as I have not done the complete analysis (a large corpus with software collation) and careful editing to eliminate errors (or sometimes typos or spelling). While this list is less good than my goal it may be better than many other lists you’ll find.
| a elección | of your choice |
| a elegir | to choose [from] |
| a la brasa | charcoal grilled; blackened (on charcoal), cooked over embers; rotisserie |
| a la espalda | on the back (split fish pressed flat, fried on skin side) |
| a la gallego | in Galician style |
| a la parrilla | grilled (on grill grate); broiled |
| a la piedra | cooking on a hot rock |
| a la plancha | grilled (on iron plate); grilled on a griddle ; broiled on a hot surface |
| a la riojana | In La Rioja style |
| a la vasca | Basque style (garlic and parsley) |
| a la vizcaína | In the style of the Bay of Biscay. |
| a su gusto | to your liking (as in how well done) |
| abierto | open |
| abril | April |
| abuela | Grandma’s, Grandmother’s |
| abundante | abundant |
| acedera | Sorrel |
| aceite de oliva | olive oil |
| aceite de oliva virgen | virgin olive oil |
| aceite de oliva virgen extra | extra virgin olive oil; quality cold pressed olive oil with an acidity level below .75 percent and a distinctive flavor |
| aceite[s] | oil[s] |
| aceituna[s] | olive[s] |
| acelga[s] | Swiss chard |
| achicoria | chicory |
| acompañad{a|o}[s] | accompanied |
| acompañamiento | garnishes. trimmings |
| adobad{o|a} | marinated; pickled |
| afrutad{o|a} | fruity |
| agosto | August |
| agri{a|o} | sour, bitter |
| agridulce[s] | sweet and sour; bittersweet |
| agrios | citrus fruits |
| agua | water |
| aguacate | avocado |
| ahumad{o|a} | smoked; smoked foods |
| ajada | garlic and paprika sauce |
| ajete[s] | young garlic[s]; Garlic shoots pulled from the center of the new bulb in spring |
| ajillo | garlic sauce |
| ajo[s] | garlic[s] |
| ajoarriero | a pasta made with potatoes, garlic, egg and oil |
| ajoblanco | cold almond soup from Andalusia, often served with grapes |
| al ajillo | in/with garlic; fried with garlic |
| al carbon | charcoal |
| al centro | in the center (of table, i.e. sharing) |
| al estilo X | X style |
| al gusto | to taste, presumably doneness, i.e. cooked to order |
| al horno | baked; roasted/baked in the oven |
| al peso | by weight |
| al vapor | steamed |
| albahaca | basil |
| albaricoque[s] | apricot[s] |
| albariño | (white) typically from Galicia; Albariño wines are aromatic, crispy and with a distinctive aroma. It produces acid wines, but also with high glycerine that gives them a silky texture. |
| albondiga[s] | meatball[s], also meatloaf |
| alcachofa[s] | artichoke[s] |
| alcaparra[s] | caper[s] |
| Alemania | Germany |
| alergia[s] | allergy |
| alga[s] | seaweed[s] |
| alimento[s] | food[s]; groceries |
| aliñad{a|o} | seasoned; dressed |
| aliño[s] | dressing[s]; seasoning[s] |
| alioli | with mayonnaise; A popular sauce in Catalonia made from garlic oil (garlic mayonnaise) |
| alitas | wings |
| allergic{o|a} | allergic |
| alli-olli | alioli |
| almeja[s] | clam[s] |
| almendra[s] | almond[s] |
| almíbar | syrup |
| almuerzo[s] | lunch[es]; brunch[es]; hearty second breakfast[s] |
| alt{o|a}[s] | high |
| alubia[s] | bean[s], typically dried (can be white, red or black) |
| amarg{o|a} | sour |
| amarill{o|a}[s] | yellow |
| anchoa[s] | anchovy |
| anguila[s] | eel[s] |
| angula[s] | baby eels; elver; eels (dish is fried eels with garlic) |
| anís | aniseed |
| añojo | yearling |
| antigua | old, ancient, vintage |
| anzuelo | hook (as in caught by) |
| aperitivo[s] | appetizer; aperitif |
| aperitivos fríos | cold appetizers |
| apio | celery |
| apreciad{o|a}[s] | valued, high regarded, esteemed, prized |
| arándano[s] | blueberry[ies]; cranberry[ies]; bilberry[ies] |
| arbequina | one of the more unique-looking olives as they have a light-brown exterior color and the have a firm flesh and a deliciously light and fruity taste. |
| arenque | herring |
| aroma[s] | aroma[s]; fragrance |
| aromáticas | herb |
| aros | rings |
| aros de cebolla | onion rings |
| arroces | rice (plural, singular is arroz) |
| arrope | syrup |
| arroz | rice (while nominally singular really this would apply to a group of individual rice grains) |
| artesan{a|o}[s] | artisan |
| arzúa-ulloa | pale yellow cow’s milk cheese comes from northwestern corner of Spain ; creamy soft and is cured for a minimum of six days. |
| asad{a|o}[s] | roasted/roast |
| asador | steak house; roasting pan; rotisserie, spit |
| asiento | seat |
| asturian{o|a} | Asturian |
| atún | tuna |
| auténtica | real |
| ave[s] | bird[s] (to eat) |
| avellana[s] | hazelnut[s] |
| avena | oats |
| azafrán | saffron |
| azúcar | sugar |
| azúcar glas | icing sugar |
| bacalao | cod |
| bacon | bacon |
| baj{o|a}[s] | low |
| baja temperature | low temperature |
| balsámico[s] | balsamic |
| bandeja | tray |
| barat{o|a} | cheap |
| barbacoa | barbecue |
| barra | baguette; loaf of bread |
| batido[s] | milkshake[s] |
| bebida[s] | drink[s] |
| beicon | bacon |
| bellota | acorn |
| berberecho[s] | heart clams; cockles |
| berenjena[s] | eggplant;[s]; aubergine[s] |
| berza | cabbage |
| besugo | sea bream |
| bistec | “Beef steak.” Steak is not common in Spain where the lack of pasture means that cattle are usually killed at a young age for veal. On the whole “beefsteak” indicates that it is likely to be an inferior cut or it would be specifically named. |
| bizcochitos | biscuits |
| bizcocho | sponge cake |
| blanc{a|o} | white |
| bland{o|a} | soft, as in soft boiled eggs or soft ice cream. |
| boca | mouth |
| bocadillo[s] | sandwich[es], snack[s]; Spanish sandwich, usually made from length of barra /baguette (or on a crusty white breadroll) |
| bocaditos | baby fingers |
| bocado[s] | morsel[s] |
| bocatas | sandwich (like sub, i.e. on roll) |
| bodega[s] | winery; bar; store in some place |
| bogavante | lobster |
| bola[s] | ball[s] (scoop for ice cream); Ball-shaped, as in meatball. It can also mean a croquette bound with béchamel sauce and deep-fried or little balls of cheese |
| bollería | bakery [goods]; pastries pastry |
| bombilla | bulb |
| boquerones | anchovies |
| borracho[s] | cookies soaked in liqueur |
| borraja | borage |
| botella[s] | bottle[s] |
| brasa[s] | lit: embers, barbecued or fire grilled (also a la brasas) |
| brasead{o|a}[s] | charcoal-grilled; braised |
| brazo | arm |
| brécol | broccoli |
| brocheta[s] | skewer[s], skewered meat; a skewer or spit and the food cooked on it. |
| brotes | shoots, sprouts |
| buey | beef |
| bufet | buffet |
| buñuelo[s] | light fried pastries; fritter, donut; hollow puffs often served as a tapas. They can be sweet, using apricots or savory, including versions made with salt cod, cheese, ham, shellfish, brains or celery. |
| butifarra | Catalan sausage; a mild pork sausage (white or black in color) used extensively in Catalán cooking. |
| caballa | mackerel |
| cabeza[s] | head[s] |
| cabra | goat |
| cabracho | red scorpion fish |
| cabrales | blue veined cows milk cheese from Asturias, aged in the mountain caves and wrapped in tree leaves. It is strong but not bitter, smoother, sharp, slightly salty taste, and less biting than a French Roquefort. |
| cabrito[s] | kid goat |
| cacahuete[s] | peanut[s] |
| café con leche | coffee with hot milk; espresso coffee with steamed milk, café au lait \ coffee with plenty of milk, hot or cold |
| café[s] | coffee[s] |
| calabacín | zucchini |
| calabaza | pumpkin, squash |
| calamar[es] | squid[s] |
| calamares en su tinta | squid in ink |
| caldo | stock |
| calidad | quality |
| caliente[s] | hot |
| calle | street |
| callos | tripe (even ‘guts’) |
| camarer{o|a} | waiter/waitress |
| camarón | baby prawns |
| campo propio | our own field |
| campo[s] | field[s] |
| caña[s] | small serving of draft beer |
| canela | cinnamon |
| canelone[s] | cannelloni |
| cangrejo[s] | crab[s] |
| canónigos | corn salad (aka lamb’s lettuce) |
| cantábrico | Bay of Biscay |
| carabinero[s] | scarlet prawn[s] |
| caracol[es] | snail[s] |
| carajillo | coffee with brandy |
| caramelizad{a|o}[s] | caramelized |
| caramelo[s] | caramel[s]; sweet[s] |
| carbohidratos | carbohydrates |
| cardo | cardoon |
| careta de cerdo | pigs’s face |
| carne[s] | meat[s] |
| carrillera[s] | cheek[s] |
| carta | a la carte menu |
| cartilago | cartilage |
| casa | house |
| caser{a|o}[s] | homemade |
| castaña[s] | chestnut[s] |
| castellan{o|a}[s] | Castilian |
| catorce | 14, fourteen |
| cava | Spanish sparkling wine, i.e. “champagne” |
| cazón | dogfish, shark |
| cazuela[s] | casserole (the dish itself but also reference to food cooked in this dish); Terra cotta earthenware dishes which are glazed on the inside and normally unfinished on the outside. |
| cazuelita | small casserole dish |
| cebolla[s] | onion[s] |
| cebolleta[s] | chive[s]; green onion[s]; scallion[s] |
| cebollino | chive |
| cecina | cured and dried pork; smoked beef (which?) |
| celíac{o|a}[s] | celiac |
| cena[s] | dinner[s] |
| centeno | rye |
| centollo | spider crab |
| cerdo | pork |
| cerebro | brain |
| cereza[s] | cherry[ies] |
| cero | 0, zero |
| cerrado | closed |
| cervecería | beer hall |
| cerveza de barril | draft beer |
| cerveza rubia | lager |
| cerveza[s] | beer[s] |
| chacinas | cold meats |
| champán | champagne |
| champiñones | mushrooms |
| chapatas | sandwich on small roll (like ciabatta) |
| chicharro | horse mackerel |
| chipirón | baby squid |
| chipiron[es] | squid[s] (Note, accent changes in plural) |
| chistorra | cured pork sausage typical of Aragon and Navarre |
| chocolate | chocolate |
| chopitos | baby squid, probably also means battered and fried |
| chorizo | the signature Spanish sausage: ground pork, flavored with paprika, garlic, salt and pepper. It comes in fresh, smoked, or cured versions. Spanish chorizo differs significantly from Hispanic or Mexican. \ strongly flavoured, spicy spanish pork sausage |
| chorizo de Matanza | chorizo from particular location of origin |
| chuleta[s] | chop[s], cutlet[s] |
| chuletillas | chops, small chops |
| chuletón | T-bone steak |
| churro[s] | a fritter, deep-fried tube of batter, often eaten with thick drinking chocolate (chocolate a la taza) \ fried pastry cut into lengths; deep fried tubes of dough covered in sugar |
| cien | 100, hundred |
| ciervo | deer (venison) |
| cigala[s] | crayfish; sea crayfish; Dublin Bay prawn; king prawns |
| cinco | 5, five |
| cincuenta | 50, fifty |
| ciruela[s] | plum[s] |
| cítric{o|a}[s] | citrus |
| clásic{a|o} | classic |
| cliente[s] | client[s], guest[s], customer[s] |
| cochinillo | suckling pig |
| cocid{a|o}[s] | cooked (also boiled; steamed); long simmered stew based on chickpeas or other legumes, which includes vegetables, meats, and embutidos / sausages; wholesome Madrileño stew |
| cocina | kitchen; cuisine |
| cocinad{o|a}[s] | cooked |
| coco | coconut |
| cococha[s] | fleshy part of jaw (of fish) |
| cóctel | cocktail |
| codornices | quail (plural, irregular so a separate entry) |
| codorniz | quail |
| cogollo[s] | heart[s], bud[s], sprout[s] |
| col | cabbage |
| cola | tail |
| coliflor | cauliflower |
| combinado[s] | combination[s] |
| comedor | dining room |
| comensales | guests |
| comer | to eat |
| comestibles | groceries |
| comida[s] | meals, food, lunch |
| compartir | to share |
| composición | ingredients |
| compota | compote |
| compota de manzana | applesauce |
| coñac | brandy |
| concha | shell |
| condimentad{o|a} | seasoned |
| conejo | rabbit |
| confitad{a|o}[s] | confit; candied |
| confitería | candy store |
| confitura[s] | jam[s] |
| conserva | canned food |
| consistencia | consistency |
| consultar disponibilidad | check availability |
| contramuslos | thighs |
| copa | cup |
| copita | small glass |
| corazón[es] | heart[s] |
| cordero | lamb |
| cordero lechal | suckling lamb |
| cornozuelo | olive variety is very demanded by the people who know it, for its great texture and flavor, usually available a few months to the year. |
| cortado | espresso with a dash of milk |
| cosquera (koskera) | traditional Basque stew |
| costilla[s] | rack, ribs |
| crema catalana | Catalan cream (similar to the french crème brûlée but with milk) |
| crema de leche | coffee creamer |
| crema pastelera | custard (aka pastry cream) |
| crema[s] | cream[s] |
| cremos{a|o} | creamy |
| crianza | aged |
| criollo | Creole |
| cristal | crystal |
| croqueta[s] | croquette[s]; a deep fried ball of bechamel (white sauce); breaded croquettes filled with a thick bechamel, incorporating chopped ham, boiled egg, chicken. |
| cruasán | croissant |
| crud{o|a} | raw |
| crujiente[s] | crunchy, crispy |
| cuajada | curd |
| cuarenta | 40, forty |
| cuatro | four |
| cubierto[s] | silverware; a piece of cutlery |
| cuchara[s] | spoon[s] |
| cuchillo[s] | knife[ves] |
| cuello | neck |
| cuenta | bill |
| cuerpo | body |
| curación | curing |
| curad{o|a} | cured |
| cuscus | couscous |
| D.O. | an official system of quality control and protecting the quality and authenticity of specialty products and wines |
| dado[s] | cube[s] |
| dátil[es] | date[s] |
| de corral | free range or farmyard |
| degustación | tasting; tasting or sampling of food or drink |
| del día | of the day |
| delicia[s] | delight[s] |
| delicios{o|a}[s] | delicious |
| denomination de origen | an official system of quality control and protecting the quality and authenticity of speciality products and wines |
| desayuno[s] | breakfast[s] |
| descafeinado | decaffeinated |
| deshidratados | dehydrated |
| deshuesad{o|a}[s] | pitted (olives, fruit); boned (meat) |
| desnatada | low-fat |
| destilería | brewery |
| diario | daily |
| diciembre | December |
| diecinueve | 19, nineteen |
| dieciocho | 18, eighteen |
| dieciséis | 16, sixteen |
| diecisiete | 17, seventeen |
| diente[s] | tooth[teeth] |
| diez | 10, diez |
| dinero | money |
| disfrutar | to enjoy |
| disponible previo encargo | available upon request |
| disponible[s] | available |
| doble | double |
| doce | 12, twelve |
| domingo[s] | Sunday[s] |
| dorada | gilt-head bream |
| dos | two |
| dulce[s] | sweet[s] |
| dur{o|a}[s] | hard; tough; stale |
| ecológic{o|a}[s] | organic |
| elaboración | preparation |
| elaborado artesanalmente | handcrafted |
| elegir | to choose, to select |
| embutido[s] | sausage[s], a generic term for sausage meats, whether cured, cooked, or fresh; selection of cold sausages; cold cuts |
| empanada[s] | tart[s] or pie[s] with meat; In Galicia a flat, thin pie or turnover with a variety of fillings such as tuna with peppers and tomato. |
| empanado | breaded |
| en fritura | fried |
| en temporada | in season |
| encargo | custom (order) |
| encebollad{o|a}[s] | cooked with fried onion, especially liver or tuna |
| encina | oak |
| encurtid{o|a}[s] | picked; pickled products |
| endibia[s] | endive[s] |
| eneldo | dill |
| enero | January |
| ensalada[s] | salad[s] |
| ensaladilla | salad |
| enter{o|a}[s] | whole |
| entrada[s] | entrance[s], also starters, hors d’oeuvres |
| entrante[s] | starter[s] |
| entrecot | entrecote |
| entremeses | appetizer, hors d’oeuvres |
| envuelto | wrapped |
| erizo de mar | sea urchin |
| escabechad{a|o}[s] | pickled |
| escabeche[s] | pickling marinade, usually made of oil, vinegar, peppercorns, bay leaves, and/or spices. |
| escalfado | poached |
| Escocés | Scottish |
| espaguetis | spaghetti |
| esparrago triguero | wild asparagus |
| espárrago[s] | asparagus |
| espárragos enteros blancos | white whole asparagus |
| especiada | spices |
| especial[es] | special |
| especialidad[es] | specialty[ies] |
| especias | spices |
| espeto | skewered |
| espina | fish bone |
| espinaca[s] | spinach |
| espolvoreado | sprinkled |
| esponjos{o|a} | fluffy/spongy |
| espuma | foam |
| espumoso | sparkling (in wine context) |
| estilo | style |
| estofad{o|a}[s] | stewed; stew |
| estómago | stomach |
| estragón | tarragon |
| estrella[s] | star[s] |
| excelencia | excellence |
| exquisit{o|a}[s] | exquisite, excellent, delicious |
| factura | bill |
| febrero | February |
| festivo[s] | holiday[s] |
| fiambres | cold cuts |
| fideo[s] | noodles; thin macaroni-like pasta ; small noodles |
| filete[s] | steak[s]; fillet[s] |
| fin de semana | weekend |
| fin{a|o}[s] | thin |
| finas hierbas | fine herbs |
| flambead{o|a} | flambé |
| flan | flan; cream caramel |
| fonda | refreshment stall; lodging house, in Catalonia, also implies cheap restaurant |
| fondo | pan juices after cooking meat or fish |
| forma[s] | shapes |
| frambuesa[s] | raspberry[ies] |
| Francesa | French |
| fresa[s] | strawberry[ies] |
| fresc{a|o}[s] | fresh, cool |
| frí{a|o}[s] | cold |
| frit{a|o}[s] | fried; fried in oil;often coated in egg and flour before frying as in fish and shell fish |
| frut{a|o}[s] | fruit |
| fruta de la pasión | passion fruit |
| fruta del tiempo | seasonal fruit |
| frutos secos | nuts |
| fuente[s] | fountain[s] |
| fundido | melted |
| gabardine | batter coating |
| galleg{o|a} | Galician, of or in the style of |
| galleta[s] | biscuit[s] (aka cookie[s]) |
| gallina[s] | hen[s] usually, sometimes chicken |
| gamba[s] | prawn[s] (medium size, other names tied to size) |
| gambones | large shrimps |
| garbanzo[s] | chickpea[s] |
| garnacha | (red) grape of Spanish origin, found in the Northeast area, La Rioja, Navarra, Aragón and Cataluña; normally blended with Tempranillo. This grape can produce fruity wines, with raspberry aromas. |
| gaseosa[s] | soda[s], soft drink[s] |
| gazpacho | cold tomato and cucumber soup with bread and onion, in Andalusia this is a cold vegetable soup; in La Mancha it is a hearty stew. |
| gelatina | jelly |
| ginebra | gin |
| glasead{o|a}[s] | glazed |
| gluten | gluten |
| gofres | waffles |
| gordal | olive that stands out for its great size; culinary characteristics do not stand out, but it is their great size that makes them very demanded. |
| gota[s] | drop[s] |
| gramos | grams |
| granada[s] | pomegranate[s] |
| granizado[s] | water ice; iced drink |
| gratinad{a|o}[s] | gratinated (au gratin) |
| gratuito | free of charge |
| Griega | Greek |
| grosella | currant |
| guarnición[es] | garnish[es]; side dish[es] |
| guayaba | guava |
| guijuelo | A town in Spain that is the center of premium ham production |
| guindilla[s] | pepper[s] (generically), but more commonly \ long, moderately hot Spanish chilis – especially popular in the Basque Country. Picked while still green, they are most commonly sold preserved in vinegar |
| guisad{a|o}[s] | stewed ; braised, fried and then cooked in liquid |
| guisante[s] | peas, usually green peas |
| guiso[s] | stew[s] |
| guisotes | stews |
| gulas | fake small eels /elvers |
| haba[s] | broad bean[s] |
| habitas | bean (small) |
| hamburguesa[s] | burger[s] (doesn’t have to be beef); hamburger[s] |
| harina | flour |
| harina de maíz | cornmeal |
| hech{o|a}[s] | made; done (in how well done sense) |
| hechos en casa | homemade |
| helada | frost |
| helado[s] | ice cream |
| hervid{o|a}[s] | boiled; sometimes also cooked |
| hielo | ice |
| hierba[s] | herb[s] |
| hierbabuena | mint |
| hierbas provenzales | Provencal herbs |
| hígado | liver |
| higo[s] | fig[s] |
| hinojo | fennel |
| hoja de parra | grapeleaf |
| hoja[s] | leaf/leaves |
| hojaldre | puff pastry |
| hojiblanca | olive picked when green, they have a distinctive strong, bitter flavor |
| hongo[s] | mushroom[s] |
| horario | hours |
| hornead{a|o}[s] | baked |
| hornillo | stove (small or portable); burner or ring in cooktop; hotplate |
| horno | oven |
| huerta[s] | small local garden; vegetable patch, especially a vegetable-producing garden close to the city |
| huerto[s] | orchard, vegetable garden |
| hueso[s] | bone[s] |
| huev{o|a}[s] | egg[s]; sometimes cured and pressed fish roe, normally tuna or grey mullet |
| huevo duro | hard-boiled egg |
| ibores | goat’s milk cheese from Extremadura, medium-flavored raw goat’s milk cheese that strengthens in flavor while it ages for two months, resulting in a hard, tangy and salty cheese with an oil and paprika-rubbed rind. |
| idiazabal | a pressed cheese made from unpasteurized sheep’s milk, usually from Latxa and Carranzana sheep elaborated in the mountains of Basque Country; flavor is intense, balanced, clean, consistent with a marked character that remember the matured sheep milk flavor. |
| incluid{o|a}[s] | included |
| infusion de hierbas | herbal tea |
| ingrediente[s] | ingredient[s] |
| intenso | intense |
| invierno | winter |
| Irlandés | Irish |
| Italiana | Italian |
| jabugo[s] | a town and municipality located in the province of Huelva famous for quality Spanish cured ham |
| jalapeño | jalapeño |
| jamón | ham |
| jamón ibérico de bellota | premium acorn-fed Iberian ham from free range black hoofed Cerdo Ibérico pigs; sometimes just called ibérico[s] |
| jardín | garden |
| jarra | jug, pitcher |
| jengibre | ginger |
| jerez | sherry |
| jijas | minced pork to make sausages, cooked as tapa |
| judia verde | green beans |
| judías | beans, sometimes dry beans |
| judías verdes | French (green) beans |
| judío | Jewish |
| jueves | Thursday |
| jugo[s] | juice[s] |
| jugos{o|a}[s] | juicy |
| julio | July |
| junio | June |
| jurel | horse mackerel |
| kebap | kebab |
| kokotxa[s] | fleshy part of the jaw; gelatinous “cheeks” of hake, cod [really Basque, Castilian is cococha] |
| lacón | dried pork product |
| lagarto | lizard (cheap cut of meat) |
| láminas | slices |
| langosta | lobster; spiny-lobster; rock lobster |
| langostino[s] | large prawns; king prawn; jumbo shrimp, tiger shrimp; crayfish |
| lasaña | lasagna |
| lascas | slices (or chips) |
| lechal[es] | unweaned (or recently weaned) young animal[s] |
| lechazo[s] | (unweaned) baby lamb[s] |
| leche | milk |
| lechuga[s] | lettuce[s] |
| legumbre[s] | legume[s] |
| leña | firewood |
| lengua | tongue |
| lenguado | sole |
| lenteja[s] | lentil[s] |
| licor[es] | liqueur or liquor; spirits |
| liebre | hare |
| liger{o|a} | light, as in light (small) meal |
| lima | lime |
| limón | lemon |
| limonada | soda |
| liofilizada | lyophilized (aka freeze-dried) |
| lomito[s] | tenderloin[s], loin[s] |
| lomo[s] | loin[s] (and particular type of dried pork) |
| loncha[s] | slice[s] |
| lubina[s] | bass; sea bass; sea trout |
| lunes | Monday |
| macarrones | macaroni |
| macedonia de frutas | fruit salad |
| macerad{o|a}[s] | macerated |
| madurad{o|a} | matured |
| magdalena[s] | cupcake; muffin; sweet breakfast cupcake |
| mahón | from the island of Menorca (Balearic island) and is a mild semi-soft, cow’s-milk cheese with a unique taste-a little like a Gouda. |
| mahonesa | mayonnaise |
| maíz | corn |
| majuelo | young vine (aka hawthorn) |
| manchego | sheep’s cheese made only from the whole milk of Manchega sheep reared in the La Mancha region. This semifirm cheese has a rich yet mellow flavor, runs the range from semi-soft to hard and sharp, from a salty and smooth semi curado to a crystallized and spicy curado. |
| manillas | lit: handles/hands, but probably feet; trotters |
| manita[s] | trotter[s], i.e. feet, usually from pigs |
| manitas de cerdo | pork trotters |
| mano[s] | literally hand, but on animals foot, paw, forefoot; trotters |
| manteca | butter |
| mantequilla | butter |
| manzana[s] | apple |
| manzanilla | chamomile tea; also well known type of olive: are the queens for their excellence. They stand out for their good texture, adequate size and good detachment of flesh and bone |
| mar | sea, ocean |
| maracuyá | passion fruit |
| margarina | margarine |
| marinad{a|o}[s] | marinated |
| marisco[s] | seafood (generic, although often shellfish) |
| martes | Tuesday |
| marzo | March |
| masa | dough |
| masa madre | sourdough |
| mayo | May |
| mayonesa | mayonnaise |
| medallones | medallions |
| Mediterránea | Mediterranean |
| Mejicana | Mexican |
| mejillón | mussel |
| mejillones | mussels |
| mejor[es] | best; better |
| melocotón | peach |
| melón | melon |
| melos{o|a}[s] | sweet |
| membrillo | quince, quince jelly |
| menestra | vegetable stew; vegetable medley made mostly in the spring, originally from Navarra. It may also contain lamb or chicken. |
| menta | mint |
| menú del peregrino | pilgrim’s menu, found along the Camino de Santiago, usually a bargain meal similar in structure to menu del día |
| menú[s] | menu |
| mercado | market |
| merienda | snack (light meal, like British tea) |
| merluza | hake |
| mermelada[s] | jam[s] |
| mero | grouper |
| mero salvaje | wild grouper |
| mesa | table |
| meses | months |
| mezcla | mix |
| mezclum | mesclun |
| miel | honey |
| miércoles | Wednesday |
| miga[s] | fried bread crumb[s] with garlic, chopped panceta, tocino, red pepper. |
| migas del pastor | lit: shepherd’s crumbs (seasoned bread crumbs) |
| milhoja[s] | mille-feuille, aka napolean |
| mínimo | minimum |
| mitica | legendary |
| mixt{a|o} | mixed |
| módena | balsamic vinegar |
| mojado | wet |
| molino | mill |
| mollejas | gizzards; sweetbreads |
| mollete | a soft round white flatbread; muffin |
| molusco[s] | mollusk[s] |
| monastrell | (red) the typical grape of Murcia and the south of Valencia. It produces powerful wines with great structure and a strength somewhat higher than normal. |
| montaña | mountain |
| morado | purple |
| moras | blackberries |
| morcilla | a Spanish blood sausage [aka blood pudding] (made with paprika and rice) often used in stews and sliced and fried as an accompaniment to eggs or as an appetizer. Often combined with rice or onion. |
| moreno | brown |
| morro[s] | snout, lips, cheeks, nose |
| morrón | bell (green) pepper |
| morunos | lit: Moorish, kebab of marinated pork |
| mostaza[s] | mustard |
| mulo | mule |
| mundo | world |
| músculo | muscle |
| muslitos | nuggets |
| muslo | drumstick |
| naranja | orange |
| nata | cream |
| nata montada | whipped cream |
| natilla[s] | custards[s], cold custard[s]; cream custard[s]; vanilla cream[s] |
| navaja[s] | razor clam[s] |
| navarro | from Navarre; Navarrese |
| nécora[s] | blue crab[s]; velvet crab[s]; small crab[s] |
| nectarina | nectarine |
| negra[s] | black |
| ñora | a generic name for a variety of different peppers |
| novedad | novelty |
| noventa | 80, ninety |
| noviembre | November |
| nueces | nuts; walnuts |
| nuestr{o|a}[s] | our[s] |
| nuestras especialidades | our specialties |
| nueve | 9, nine |
| nuez | nut; walnut |
| número | size |
| oca | goose |
| ochenta | 80, eighty |
| ocho | 8, eight |
| octubre | October |
| ocupad{o|a} | taken |
| ofrecer | to offer, many conjugations seen on menus |
| ojo | eye |
| oliva | olive |
| once | 11, eleven |
| oporto | port or port sauce |
| orégano | oregano |
| oreja | ear |
| orejones | dried apricot |
| orujo | a potent Spanish liqueur used sparingly in cooking which is especially popular in Galicia. Similar to Italian grappa which has a lower alcohol content. |
| ostra[s] | oyster[s] |
| otoño | autumn |
| otr{o|a}[s] | other[s], another |
| oveja | sheep |
| padrón | small pepper, with an elongated, conic shape. The taste is mild, but some exemplars can be quite hot. Named for a municipality in Galicia where they are grown. |
| paella | a saffron & rice cassarole garnished with rabbit, chicken, mussels shell fish dish cooked in a flat shallow pan, also called a paella \ famous rice dish seasoned with saffron and usually made with seafood, meat, and vegetables |
| pagar | to pay |
| paladar[es] | palate[s] |
| Palentina | Palencia style |
| paleta[s] | shoulder[s] |
| paletilla | shoulder |
| pan | bread |
| pan artesano | artisan bread |
| pan de fabiola | type of bread from Palencia |
| pan integral | whole grain (or wheat) bread |
| panadería[s] | bakery[ies] |
| panceta | cured pork belly; fatty pork or streaky bacon |
| panecillo[s] | roll (of bread) |
| papada | chin; dewlap |
| para compartir | to share |
| para picar | to nibble |
| parmesano | parmesan cheese |
| parra | vine |
| parrilla | grill, broiler |
| parrillada | grilled (plate of); barbeque |
| pasas | currants or raisins |
| pastel[es] | cake[s] |
| pastelería | pastry shop |
| pata de mulo | mule leg (type of cheese in Leon) |
| pata[s] | leg |
| patata panadera | baking/baked potato |
| patata[s] | potato[es] |
| patatas fritas | french fries |
| pato[s] | duck[s] |
| pavo | turkey |
| pechuga[s] | breast |
| Pedro Ximenez | a sweet sherry with a raisin like flavor, made from grapes of that name Used in cooking and as an after dinner aperatif. |
| penecillo | roll |
| pepinillo[s] | pickle; gherkin |
| pepino | cucumber |
| pepitas | chips |
| pepito | meat filled sandwich |
| pequeñ{o|a}[s] | small |
| pera[s] | pear |
| percebe[s] | goose (gooseneck) barnacles scraped from the sheer granite cliffs of Galicia |
| perdices | partridges |
| perdiz | partridge |
| peregrin{o|a}[s] | pilgrim[s] |
| perejil | parsley |
| perfumado | perfumed |
| perrito [caliente] | hot dog |
| pescado[s] | fish |
| pez | fish (animal, pescado is processed ingredient) |
| pez espada | swordfish |
| picada[s] | minced, ground; pounded mixture of herbs, spices, garlic, bread, biscuits, etc., characteristic of Catalan cooking |
| picante | spicy |
| picar | to chop, mince; to nibble on (lit: peck at) |
| picatostes | croutons |
| pico[s] | small toasted bread sticks served with tapas |
| picoteo | nibbling or snacking |
| picual | olives small in size, but they certainly have a deep flavor and offer equal parts of bitter, sweet, and peppery notes (uncommon as table olives) |
| piel | skin |
| pierna[s] | leg[s] |
| pieza[s] | piece[s] |
| pimentón | paprika |
| pimienta | ground pepper, black pepper |
| pimiento[s] | pepper[s] (bell, green, sweet) |
| pimientos de temporada | seasonal peppers |
| pimientos del Piquillo | Piquillo peppers |
| pimientos verdes | green peppers |
| piña | pineapple |
| piña caramelizada | caramelized pineapple |
| pincho[s] | skewer[s] |
| piñones | pine nuts |
| pintxo[s] | the Basque word for tapas. The best come from towns along the coast stretching from Bilbao, Zarautz to San Sebastian |
| pipa de calabaza | pumpkin |
| piquillo[s] | a variety of chili having a sweet taste with no heat, typically roasted over embers, peeled and packed in olive oil |
| pistacho[s] | pistachio[s] |
| plancha | lit: iron – griddle (typically heat iron plate or “flattop” grill, perhaps just a skillet) |
| plátano | banana |
| plato fuerte | main entree |
| plato[s] | dish[es] (although also literally plates); course (of a menu) |
| pluma | lit: feather, a cut of pork in front of loin |
| pochada | poached |
| pochas | a type of Spanish string bean, originating in the regions of Rioja and Navarre which are served ripe, rather than dried and re-hydrated. |
| poleo de minta | peppermint tea |
| pollo | chicken |
| pollo frito | fried chicken |
| polvo | powder |
| pomelo | grapefruit |
| por encargo | on request |
| postre[s] | dessert[s] |
| potro | horse or colt |
| precio fijo | fixed price |
| precio[s] | price |
| prensado | pressed |
| presa | a flavorful shoulder cut |
| primavera | spring |
| primer | first (course) |
| primeros platos | first courses |
| propina | tip |
| proteinas | proteins |
| pudín | pudding |
| puerro[s] | leek[s] |
| pulguita[s] | small closed-baguette sandwich[es] |
| pulpo | octopus |
| puntillitas | battered and fried tiny squid |
| purés de patata | mashed potatoes |
| px | a sweet sherry with a raisin like flavor, made from grapes of that name Used in cooking and as an after dinner aperatif. |
| queso crema | cream cheese |
| queso cremoso | cream cheese |
| queso de cabra | goat cheese |
| queso de oveja | pecorino |
| queso parmesano | parmesan cheese |
| queso[s] | cheese[s] cheese |
| quince | 15, fifteen |
| quisquillas | prawn[s] |
| rábano[s] | radish |
| rabas | rings of squid |
| rabo | tail (oxtail) |
| rabo de buey | oxtail |
| ración | portion |
| raciones | portions |
| raíz | root |
| rallado | grated |
| rape | monkfish |
| raya | ray; skate |
| realized{o|a}[s] | fulfilled, carried out |
| rebozad{o|a}[s] | batter/battered; breaded |
| rebozar | to coat ingredients such as meat, fish, vegetables in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs before frying |
| receta[s] | recipe[s] |
| recetario[s] | recipe book, cookbook |
| recibo | receipt, bill |
| redondo | round (cut of beef) |
| reducción | reduction |
| referencias | references |
| refresco[s] | soft drink[s]; refreshment |
| régímen | diet |
| rellen{a|o}[s] | stuffed; filled |
| remolacha | beet |
| remolinos | swirls |
| repostería | bakery, pastry shop |
| requesón | a fresh cheese that is similar to ricotta or cottage cheese. |
| reserva[s] | reservation[s] |
| reserved{o|a} | reserved |
| revuelto[s] | scrambled egg dish (other ingredients than egg) |
| ribeiro | young white wine from Galicia |
| ribera | riverbank, riverside |
| rincón | corner, nook |
| riñon[es] | kidney[s] |
| río | river |
| riojan{o|a}[s] | of, from, in style of La Rioja |
| riquísim{o|a}[s] | very rich, delicious, very tasty |
| róbalo | sea bass; haddock |
| roble | oak |
| rodaballo[s] | turbot[s] |
| rodaja[s] | slice |
| roj{a|o}[s] | red |
| rollito | roll, as in smooth out pasty dough |
| romero | rosemary |
| romesco | a sauce made of pounded almonds, hazelnuts, garlic, tomato, olive oil typical of Tarragona; a red sauce for seafood from the Catalonian & Basque regions |
| ron | rum |
| roncal | smoky flavored ewe’s milk cheese from Navarra (Spanish Pyrenees) ivory in color, sharp, tangy flavor, is compact (very firm), has a thick rind, milder and smoother than Parmesan |
| rosa | pink |
| rosad{o|a} | róse |
| rosbif | roast beef |
| rosquilla[s] | doughnut |
| rot{o|a}[s] | broken (fried eggs with broken yolk) |
| rúcula | arugula (aka rocket) |
| rulo | roll |
| rusa | Russian |
| rústic{o|a}[s] | rustic |
| sábado[s] | Saturday[s] |
| sabor[es] | flavor[s] (also taste) |
| sabros{o|a}[s] | tasty |
| sal | salt |
| sala | hall, room |
| salami | salami, possibly pepperoni |
| salazón | salting |
| salchicha[s] | sausage[s] |
| salchichón | sausage (cured, not generic for sausage) |
| salida | exit |
| salmón | salmon |
| salmonete[s] | red mullet[s] |
| salmorejo | sometimes a sauce but usually a type of gazpacho thickened with bread made with bread, egg, pepper, tomato, garlic, salt and water, all shredded and beaten until a fine purée is obtained |
| salsa[s] | sauce[s] |
| saltead{a|o}[s] | sautéed, past participle of saltear (to sauté) |
| salvaje[s] | wild |
| salvia | sage |
| sandía | watermelon |
| sangre | blood |
| sardina[s] | sardine[s] |
| sarro | tartar |
| sartén | frying pan |
| seco[s] | dry, dried |
| segundo plato | second course |
| segundo[s] | second[s] (course) |
| seis | six |
| selección | selection |
| seleccionad{o|a}[s] | selected |
| selvática | wild |
| semana | week |
| semiseco | medium dry |
| sémola | semolina |
| sencill{o|a} | simple |
| sepia | cuttlefish |
| septiembre | September |
| servicio | restroom, service |
| servido | served |
| servilleta | napkin |
| sésamo | sesame |
| sesenta | 60, sixty |
| sesos | brains |
| seta[s] | mushroom[s]; wild mushroom[s] |
| setenta | 70, seventy |
| sidra | cider, most likely “hard”; principally made (and consumed) in the communities of Asturias, Cantabria, and the Basque country |
| sidrería | cider bar |
| siempre | usual (aka always) |
| siete | 7, seven |
| silvestre[s] | wild |
| sirope | syrup |
| soasad{o|a}[s] | lightly roasted |
| sobrasada | pork sausage from the Balearic Islands, of a spreading consistency, cured with large amounts of pimenton |
| socarrat | highly valued by connoisseurs of paella, the rice at the center of the pan’s base, which becomes caramelized or lightly burned during cooking |
| sofrito | sauce made of olive oil, onion and paprika, and often garlic, lightly fried |
| soja | soybeans or soy; also possibly soy sauce |
| solomillo | tenderloin, sirloin; fillet |
| sopa[s] | soup[s] |
| sorpresa | surprise |
| suave | soft |
| suplemento | surcharge |
| surtido | assorted, assortment |
| taberna | bar |
| tabla[s] | board (platter or plank); sometimes table |
| tallarines | noodles, roughtly equivalent to tagliatelle |
| tarrina | tub (small container in the shape of inverted truncated cone) |
| tarta de queso | cheesecake |
| tarta[s] | cake |
| tartaleta[s] | tartlet[s]; small cake[s] |
| taza | cup |
| té | tea |
| temperatura | temperature |
| templad{a|o}[s] | warm, tempered, lukewarm |
| temporada | season (time of year) |
| tempranillo | (red) the best known quality Red Wine Grape in Spain. It produces fresh and fruit young red wines but it shows its best when oak aged. |
| tenedor[es] | fork[s] |
| ternera | veal (sometimes beef) beef (usually veal) |
| terraza | terrace |
| terrina | terrine |
| tetilla | a cone-shaped cheese with hints of herb and lemon that is soft and creamy |
| tiempo | time |
| tienda | store |
| tiern{a|o}[s] | tender (also young); fresh |
| tierra[s] | land, earth, soil |
| tigre[s] | stuffed mussels; a dish with finely chopped mussels, mixed with onion, pepper, tomato sauce to form a delicious filling; then breaded and lightly fried. |
| tinta | ink |
| tinto | red as modifier of vino |
| típic{o|a}[s] | typical |
| tipo[s] | type[s] |
| tiras | strips |
| tocinillo de cielo | pudding made with egg yolk and syrup |
| tocino | bacon; pork fat |
| tomate[s] | tomato |
| tomillo | thyme |
| toque[s] | touch (as in small amount) |
| toro | bull |
| torrezno[s] | chunk of fried bacon |
| torrija[s] | French toast; bread fritters; sweet pastries |
| torta | cake |
| torta del casar | raw sheep’s milk cheese, is a very creamy cheese, with unique aroma |
| tortilla Española | Spanish thick fried potato omelette |
| tortilla Francesa | plain omelette |
| tortilla[s] | Spanish omelet, traditionally made with potato and onion and served as a tapa or light meal |
| tortitas | pancakes |
| tortuga | turtle |
| tostad{o|a}[s] | toast, toasted |
| tostas | toast |
| tradición | tradition |
| tradicional[es] | traditional, customary |
| tragòn | glutton |
| trece | 13, thirteen |
| treinta | 30, thirty |
| tres | three |
| trigo | wheat |
| triguero[s] | wheat; also wild as a modifier |
| trocitos | chips |
| tropezones | small piece |
| trozo[s] | piece[s] |
| trucha | trout |
| trufa[s] | truffle[s] |
| trufad{o|a}[s] | truffled |
| tudela | a common modifier (of origin) of various ingredients: a municipality in Spain of the autonomous community of Navarre, sited in the Ebro valley. |
| turcas | Turkish |
| turrón | almond nougat candy |
| txakoli | acidic white wine from Basque country, often served with tapas |
| txistorra | long thin sausage sold in coils, of Basque/Navarrese origin (chistorra in Castilian) |
| txuletón | A prime steak from a very old cow, primarily found in Basque Country |
| ud[s] | unit[s] (abbreviation of unidad[es]) |
| único[s] | unique; single in context of price |
| unidad[es] | unit[s] (as in number of pieces served) |
| untados | spread |
| uva[s] | grape[s] |
| uvas pasas | raisins (or just pasas) |
| vaca | cow (therefore beef) |
| vacuno | cattle (therefore beef) |
| vainilla | vanilla |
| vajilla | tableware |
| vapor | steam; steamer |
| variad{a|o}[s] | varied, assorted |
| variedad[es] | variety |
| vasc{o|a}[s] | Basque |
| vaso[s] | glass[es] |
| vegetal[es] | vegetable[s]; in some contexts, vegetarian |
| vegetarian{o|a}[s] | vegetarian[s] |
| veinte | 20, twenty |
| venado | venison |
| ventanilla | counter (window) |
| ventresca | lit: belly, usually tuna |
| verano | summer |
| verde | green |
| verdejo | (white) wines are aromatic (with a tropical character), with body. Some producers opt for oak aging, and the results have been very good. |
| verdial | olive with unusual bright green color, have a very firm flesh, a medium buttery texture, and a crisp, clean fruity taste. |
| verdura[s] | vegetable[s] |
| verduras de invierno | winter vegetable |
| verduritas | vegetables |
| vieira[s] | scallop[s] (typically a Gallego term) |
| viernes | Friday |
| vinagre[s] | vinegar[s], usually a white wine vinegar made of sherry |
| vinagreta | vinaigrette |
| vino tinto | red wine |
| vino[s] | wine |
| virgen | virgin |
| virgen extra | extra virgin |
| virutas | shavings |
| vísperas | eve |
| vizcaín{o|a}[s] | from or related to Bay of Biscay |
| vuelta y vuelta | over easy ; rare (as in how much cooked) |
| yema de huevo | egg yolk |
| yema[s] | yolk[s] (of eggs); buds or shoots (of plant) |
| yogur | yogurt |
| zamburiña[s] | variegated scallops; Pilgrim scallops |
| zamorano | a well cured sheep’s milk cheese from the Castilian province of Zamora, similar in taste to Manchego but with a richer flavor. |
| zanahoria[s] | carrot |
| zarzuela | casserole; seafood stew |
| zumo[s] | juice[s] |
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