When you’re learning a new language, one of the first things you learn is food vocabulary. Studying Spanish in Spain, we all need a basic understanding of what menus and signs in supermarkets mean, especially in an authentic Spanish town like El Puerto de Santa Maria where the locals definitely dont much English, German or French. However, food can also be the area that leads to most misunderstandings!
This got me thinking about just how important it is to understand what a menu means, and to know what you’re ordering! Like all good language students, I like to learn from my mistakes. So, here’s my list of vocabulary and explanations for understanding the menu in a Spanish restaurant.
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Typical Spanish dishes:
| La paella | Spanish dish made of yellow rice, vegetables, peas and various types of seafood, typically including prawns/shrimp, mussels, cuttlefish. |
| La paella valenciana | Same as above but with meat (often chicken and chorizo) instead of seafood. |
| La paella mixta | Same as above, containing both seafood and meat. |
| El fideua | Similar to paella, but with noodles instead of rice |
| Las tapas (los pinxos) | A range of small dishes, typically containing seafood, meat or vegetable, often served with a drink. |
| El gazpacho | Spanish tomato soup, served cold. |
| Las patatas bravas | Fried potatoes, usually in cubes mixed with a sauce made of garlic, oil, mayonnaise, tomatoes and chilli peppers. |
| Un revuelto | Dish made of scrambled eggs, usually with another ingredient. |
| Una tortilla española | Spanish omelette – contains potatoes and onions. |
| El arroz negro | Black rice – rice cooked with squid and squid ink. |
| El chorizo | |
| Los churros | Long sticks of pastry, usually served with sugar and chocolate |
| Los pinchitos | Andalucían dish consisting of cubes of pork threaded onto skewers |
| El jamón serrano | Serrano ham – a type of ham usually served raw in very thin slices, often with bread or vegetables. |
Paella Valenciana (front) y Paella Mixta (back)
Reading a menu:
| La Entrada / El Primer Plato | Starter |
| El Plato Principal | Main Course |
| Platos Fríos | Cold Dishes |
| Platos Calientes | Hot Dishes |
| La ensalada | Salad |
| El postre | Dessert |
| A la parrilla | Grilled |
| Frito (Frita/Fritos/Fritas) | Fried |
| Al horno | Oven-baked |
| A la brasa | Barbecued |
| A la plancha | Cooked on a metal plate |
| Asado | Roast |
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Meat and poultry:
| La carne | Meat |
| El pollo | Chicken |
| Una chuleta (de cerdo) | A (pork) chop |
| El cordero | Lamb |
| Un biftec | Steak |
| Una hamburguesa | Hamburger |
| El jamón | Ham |
| La ternera | Beef / veal |
| La carne de caballo | Horsemeat |
Pollo asado – Roast Chicken
Seafood:
| Los mariscos | Seafood |
| El pescado | Fish |
| Las gambas | Prawns |
| La caballa | Mackerel |
| El cangrejo | Crab |
| Los camarones | Shrimp |
| Los mejillones | Mussels |
| El choco | Cuttlefish |
| El bacalao | Cod |
| El salmón | Salmon |
| Los anchoas | Anchovies |
| La langosta | Lobster |
| El langostino | Crayfish |
| El pulpo | Octopus |
| Los ostiones | Oysters |
Vegetables:
| La lechuga | Lettuce |
| La zanahoria | Carrot |
| La cebolla | Onion |
| El maíz | Corn |
| La col | Cabbage |
| Los pimientos (rojo/verde/amarillo) | Pepper (Red/Green/Yellow) |
| El tomate | Tomato |
| La alcachofa | Artichoke |
| Las judías | Green beans |
| Las habichuelas | Beans |
| El espárrago | Asparagus |
| El apio | Celery |
| El pepino | Cucumber |
| El ajo | Garlic |
| El champiñon | Mushroom |
| El aceituna | Olive |
| Los guisantes | Peas |
| La calabaza | Squash/Pumpkin |
Carrots – Las Zanahorias
Cheese:
| El queso | Cheese |
| El manchego | Cheese from La Mancha, made from sheep’s milk |
| El provolone | Cheese from Provolone in Italy |
| Parmesano | Parmesan |
| El queso feta | Feta cheese |
| El queso de bola | Edam cheese |
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Really great list, however I feel the need to point out that ternera is not just beef, it is veal.
Thanks Leigh, we’ve updated it. Have a sparky day 🙂
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