Everyone knows that Spain is heaven for foodies and lovers of great food. Learn over 50 easy Spanish cooking terms and explore Spanish cuisine properly!
Indulging in a new country’s cuisine is one of the most beautiful experiences you can have while traveling. Through food you can not only feel the new tastes and influences of a different cuisine, but also connect with locals that will have their day fulfilled if they see you, a foreigner, enjoying their food!
One of my best experiences as a traveler actually happened while traveling through Spain. I’ve already been traveling all around this beautiful country for a couple of weeks now, so a few dozen of tapas had already been through my digestive system. At this point, in a not-so-modest way, I considered myself a connoisseur of Spanish tapas, however, this would all change during my stop in the beautiful city of Valencia, the home of Paella.
In a lucky shot, I booked a guesthouse just outside the center that was run by a lovely Spanish woman called Lucía. I made the mistake of telling her that I was hambriento (hungry) so she invited me into her house where I shared a meal with her husband and her two children. In the middle of many tapas and Tinto de Verano, she shared with me all about Cocina Española (Spanish Cuisine) as I shared with her my last few weeks in Spain. Food brought us together and until this day, whenever I want to do a Paella for my girlfriend I always remember everything she taught me about how to cook this incredible dish.
Are you ready to embark on this gastronomical journey with me and learn all about Spanish cooking vocabulary? Vámonos!
First Step: How To Say Cooking In Spanish
To say “cooking” in Spanish you say cocinar. If you want to refer to the person that is cooking then you say cocinero as in “chef” or “cook”. Using this in a sentence you would say Me gusta cocinar (I like to cook) or El cocina muy bien (He cooks very well).
Spanish Cuisine And Culture
Spanish cuisine has been around for a long time and is one part of Spanish culture that is really hard not to fall in love with. This special cuisine is very diverse, unique and very complex mainly because Spain itself comes from the union of several different regions with their own traditions and cuisine. Furthermore, the Iberian Peninsula was several times occupied by several different cultures throughout the year, bringing in their own little details to the Spanish food.
The main secret of Spanish cuisine is using fresh and local ingredients to make dishes that have stayed the same for over 200 years. Two basic ingredients are the base for the entire cuisine: aceite de oliva (olive oil) and ajo (garlic). Besides these, you’ll often see jamón (ham) and queso (cheese) in many of the traditional dishes.
One of the biggest culture shocks I had in Spain, but one that I now use in my daily life is mealtimes. Spanish people have a very late small snack in the afternoon and then are super late dinners, eating at least after 9 pm!
Easy As Paella: Spanish Dishes To Look For
What would an article be, if I didn’t mention a few of the most famous traditional Spanish dishes that have conquered not only my heart but many people around the world? Don’t forget to try all these dishes and you’ll fall in love with Spanish food!
- Paella Valenciana
- Patatas Bravas
- Tortilla
- Churros
- Croquetas
- Leche fria
50+ Spanish Cooking Terms
Now that we’re familiar with the Spanish food and the culture around it, it’s time to explore some vocabulary that you can use when you start your lessons in Spanish cuisine. This is some key Spanish vocabulary that you can use not only in Spain but in all latin america.
A-G
H-R
S-Z
Spanish Vocabulary: Let’s Put It Into Practice
Further from learning some Spanish cooking vocabulary, it is important to put this into practice and see what is like to use them. Here are a few examples of these words being used in sentences.
Spanish For Everyone With Ling App!
I’m convinced! What about you? Already eager to learn more Spanish vocabulary for your next trip to Spain or Latin America? That’s the right mindset!
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Besides providing you with information about several topics, such as food, sports, and other vocabularies, Ling App teaches you everything you need to know about a new language through engaging and fun methods, like games, quizzes, and puzzles!
To practice Spanish, Ling App has an AI chatbox that is at your full disposal every time you want to use what you’ve learned in a real conversation!
Ling app offers more than 60 different languages for you to learn, including the Spanish language. With only 15 minutes a day, you’ll actually see a gradual improvement in your Spanish and see yourself getting more and more fluent with each day that passes!
So the only question is: have you downloaded it yet? Join Ling App and start speaking the Spanish language today!
