Core Ingredients with Gender
Master the gender of every ingredient - click cards to flip
You can't order supplies if you don't know genders. "Dame uno" doesn't work - it's "dame UNA cebolla" or "dame UN tomate."
Vegetables - Las Verduras
la
cebolla
onion
↻
"Dos cebollas grandes"
Always feminine!
el
tomate
tomato
↻
"Tomates maduros"
-e ending = masculine
la
papa
potato
↻
"Papas fritas"
Spain only: "patata"
el
ajo
garlic
↻
"Un diente de ajo"
Clove of garlic
la
zanahoria
carrot
↻
"Zanahoria rallada"
Grated carrot
el
pimiento
bell pepper
↻
"Pimiento rojo"
ARG: "morrón"
el
maíz
corn
↻
"Maíz dulce"
ARG/Chile: "choclo"
la
lechuga
lettuce
↻
"Lechuga fresca"
Universal term
el
pepino
cucumber
↻
"Pepino en rodajas"
Sliced cucumber
Proteins & Basics
la
carne
meat/beef
↻
"Carne asada"
Always feminine
el
pollo
chicken
↻
"Pollo al horno"
Baked chicken
el
pescado
fish
↻
"Pescado fresco"
Fresh fish
los
huevos
eggs
↻
"Huevos revueltos"
Scrambled eggs
el
cerdo
pork
↻
"Cerdo asado"
Roast pork
el
jamón
ham
↻
"Jamón cocido"
Cooked ham
los
camarones
shrimp
↻
"Camarones al ajillo"
ESP: "gambas"
el
queso
cheese
↻
"Queso rallado"
Grated cheese
Carmen's Gender Rules
Stop guessing - learn the patterns
Rule #1: The Traitors (El agua, el hambre)
Feminine words using 'el' in singular because 'la agua' sounds terrible. Plural? Back to normal - 'las aguas'. These are actually feminine nouns!
✓ el agua fría (adjective is feminine)
✗ la agua fría
✓ las aguas frías
✗ los aguas frías
Rule #2: Kitchen Liquids = Mostly Masculine
El aceite, el vinagre, el vino, el agua - most liquids are masculine. Exceptions: la leche, la salsa, la sopa.
✓ el aceite de oliva
✓ el vinagre blanco
✓ la leche entera
✗ la aceite
Rule #3: Endings Tell the Story
Masculine: -o (el huevo, el queso), accented vowels (el café, el maíz), most consonants. Feminine: -a (la cebolla, la papa), -ción/-sión (la preparación), -dad/-tad (la cantidad).
✓ el tomate (ends in -e)
✓ la sal (exception!)
✓ la mano (exception!)
✗ el mano
Quick Tip:
Words ending in -ción, -sión, -dad are ALWAYS feminine. No exceptions. La estación, la decisión, la calidad.
Kitchen Commands & Temperature
Essential verbs and heat control
Essential Cooking Verbs
cortar
to cut
↻
ARG: "Cortá"
MEX: "Corta"
picar
to chop
↻
"Picar fino"
Chop finely
hervir
to boil
↻
"Agua hirviendo"
Boiling water
freír
to fry
↻
"Aceite caliente"
Hot oil first!
mezclar
to mix
↻
"Mezclar bien"
Mix well
probar
to taste
↻
"Probá la sal"
Check seasoning
pelar
to peel
↻
ARG: "Pelá"
Remove skin
rallar
to grate
↻
"Rallá el queso"
Grate the cheese
hornear
to bake
↻
"Hornear 30 minutos"
Bake 30 minutes
Argentine Voseo Commands
Poné
Put/Place
↻
"Poné la olla"
Drop -r, add accent
Sacá
Take out
↻
"Sacá del horno"
No irregulars!
Agregá
Add
↻
"Agregá sal"
Universal pattern
Lavá
Wash
↻
"Lavá las verduras"
Simple rule
Heat & Temperature Control
fuego alto
high heat
↻
"Para sellar"
For searing
fuego medio
medium heat
↻
"Cocción normal"
Regular cooking
fuego lento
low heat
↻
"Para guisos"
For stews
a fuego mínimo
simmer
↻
"Dejar reducir"
Let it reduce
Argentine Commands:
We say "cortá, poné, sacá" (vos form). Mexico uses "corta, pon, saca" (tú form). Both understood everywhere. The rule is simple: drop -r, add accent on last vowel.
Kitchen Tools
Essential equipment with genders
In a rush, I need "el cuchillo" not "la cuchillo." Wrong gender = confusion = burnt food. Learn these cold.
Basic Equipment
el
cuchillo
knife
↻
"Cuchillo afilado"
Sharp knife
la
tabla
cutting board
↻
"Tabla de picar"
Always feminine
la
olla
pot
↻
"Olla grande"
Large pot
la
sartén
pan
↻
"Sartén caliente"
Some say "el sartén"
el
horno
oven
↻
"Horno precalentado"
Preheated oven
la
cuchara
spoon
↻
"Cuchara de madera"
Wooden spoon
el
plato
plate
↻
"Plato hondo"
Deep plate/bowl
el
vaso
glass
↻
"Vaso de agua"
Water glass
Measurements & Quantities
una cucharada
tablespoon
↻
"15ml approx"
Cuchara grande
una cucharadita
teaspoon
↻
"5ml approx"
Cuchara chica
una taza
cup
↻
"250ml approx"
Standard measure
un kilo
kilogram
↻
"2.2 pounds"
Standard weight
medio kilo
half kilo
↻
"500 gramos"
Common portion
un litro
liter
↻
"1000ml"
Liquid measure
Common Foods & Dishes
Essential food vocabulary with regional variations
Everyday Foods
el
pan
bread
↻
"Pan francés"
French bread
la
torta
cake (ARG)
↻
MEX: sandwich!
Critical difference!
la
pizza
pizza
↻
"Una porción"
One slice
el
bife
steak (ARG)
↻
MEX: "bistec"
ESP: "filete"
la
manteca
butter (ARG)
↻
Elsewhere: lard!
Use "mantequilla"
el
jugo
juice
↻
ESP: "zumo"
LatAm: "jugo"
las
papas fritas
french fries
↻
ESP: "patatas"
Chips in some places
el
café
coffee
↻
"Cortado" = with milk
Universal term
Regional Alert:
"Torta" = cake in Argentina, but sandwich in Mexico! "Manteca" = butter in Argentina, lard everywhere else. "Mantequilla" is safest for butter. Always check context.
Extended Food Vocabulary
Build your kitchen Spanish
Fruits - Las Frutas
la
manzana
apple
↻
"Manzana verde"
Green apple
el
plátano
banana
↻
ARG: "banana"
Both work
la
fresa
strawberry
↻
ARG: "frutilla"
Regional difference
el
limón
lemon
↻
Green = "lima"
Yellow = "limón"
el
aguacate
avocado
↻
South America: "palta"
Major regional split
la
sandía
watermelon
↻
"Sandía fría"
Cold watermelon
la
naranja
orange
↻
"Jugo de naranja"
Orange juice
el
durazno
peach
↻
ESP: "melocotón"
Regional variation
Regional Variations - Beans & Corn
frijoles
beans (MEX)
↻
ARG: "porotos"
Caribbean: "habichuelas"
elote
corn on cob (MEX)
↻
ARG: "choclo"
ESP: "mazorca"
judías verdes
green beans (ESP)
↻
MEX: "ejotes"
ARG: "chauchas"
cacahuate
peanut (MEX)
↻
S.America: "maní"
ESP: "cacahuete"
Cooking Methods
al vapor
steamed
↻
"Verduras al vapor"
Healthy option
a la plancha
grilled
↻
"Pollo a la plancha"
On flat grill
al horno
baked
↻
"Pizza al horno"
Oven-baked
frito
fried
↻
"Huevo frito"
Fried egg
Kitchen Emergencies
¡Se quema!
It's burning!
↻
Emergency!
Act fast!
¡Apagá el fuego!
Turn off the heat!
↻
MEX: "¡Apaga!"
NOW!
Está crudo
It's raw
↻
Undercooked
More time needed
Está pasado
It's overcooked
↻
Too late
Learn for next time
Le falta sal
Needs salt
↻
Under-seasoned
Easy fix
Está perfecto
It's perfect
↻
Finally!
Good job!
Carmen's Final Word:
Master the universal terms first. Regional variations are important - especially torta and manteca confusion - but context usually helps. Never say "el sal" anywhere!
Ready to Master Kitchen Spanish?
"You've got the vocabulary, che. Now practice under pressure!" - Carmen 🔥