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The Food & Wine of Navarra, La Rioja and the Basque country

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The following translations are offered to help you understand some the words you will encounter on menus in Spain:

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | Y | Z


Note: Red wine is typically the drink of choice for both lunch and dinner, but Rosado, especially an excellent rosé from Navarra, served chilled, is often preferred at lunch, or for dinner during the warm summer months. Txakoli, the fresh white wine from the Basque Country is usually reserved for fish dishes and is also served chilled.

Beer is not usually consumed during a meal since it can overwhelm the flavor of fine food.  A cold glass of beer, a Caña or Corto, before you sit down to lunch is normal and quite refreshing in the heat of the day.  It is also a great treat in the morning after surviving an encierro, the running with the bulls.

See our Restaurant Reviews: Paris - Madrid - La Rioja - Navarra - Pais Vasco - Pays Basque




A punto - medium well-done (meats)

Ajillo - olive and garlic sauce

Arandanos - cranberries

Aceite de oliva - olive oil

Ajoarriero - salted cod cooked in oil

Arenque - herring (smoked or in marinade)

Aceitunas - olives

Alas de pollo - chicken wing

Arroz - rice

Acelga - Swiss chard

Albondigas - meatballs

Asado - roasted

Achicoria - chicory

Alcachofa - artichoke

Asador - roasting house/tavern

Adobo - marinade

Alcaparras - capers

Atun blanco - fresh tuna

Agua - water

Almeja - clam

Avellana - hazelnut

Agua del grifo - house or tap water

Almendra - almond

Aves - poultry

Agua mineral - mineral water

Almibar - syrup

Azafran - saffron

Agua mineral con gas - sparkling water

Alubias - beans

Azucar - sugar

Aguacate - avocado

Anchoa - anchovy (antxoa in Basque)

Ajo - garlic

Añejo - aged




Bacalao - salted cod soaked in water

Berza - cabbage

Bombones - sweets, chocolates

Bacalao al pil-pil - cod cooked in olive oil and garlic

Bien hecho - well done

Bonito del norte - albacore tuna

Barra de pan - baguette

Blanco y negro - coffee with ice cream

Boqueron - small, pickled anchovy

Bebidas - drinks

Berza - cabbage

Brocheta - skewer of grilled meat or seafood

Béchamel - white cream sauce

Bocadillo - baguette sandwich

Brocoli - broccoli

Berberechos - tiny clams

Bogavante - lobster

Buey - beef

Besugo - sea bream, porgy

Bollo - sweet roll




Caballa - mackerel

Cava - Spanish champagne

Cigalas - prawns

Caballo - Horsemeat

Cebolla - onion

Ciruela - plum

Cabeza - head

Cebolleta - chive

Clarete - rosé wine (also rosado)

Cabrito asado - roasted goat or kid

Cerdo - pork

Cocido - stew w/legumes, cabbage & meat sausage

Cacahuete - peanut

Cereales - cereals

Codorniz - quail

Café - coffee

Cerveza - bottled beer

Cogollo - lettuce hearts

Calamar - squid

Chacina - pork sausages

Conejo - rabbit

Calamares - squid rings

Champiñones - mushrooms

Copa (de vino) - goblet (of wine)

Caldereta - stew

Changurro or txangurro - spider crab

Copa de helado - ice cream Sundae

Caldo or caldico - broth

Chinchon - anis based liquor

Coquinas - baby clams

Callos - tripe, intestines

Chipirones - squid, usually served in its own ink

Cordero - lamb

Canutillos - light pastry cone filled with cream

Chistorra - small Navarran chorizo

Cortado - espresso coffee with a dash of milk

Capon - capon, chicken

Chorizo - sausage

Criadillas - typically bull testicles (sweet breads)

Carajillo - coffee with brandy

Choto - baby goat

Croquetas de jamon - ham croquettes

Caramelos - candies

Chuleta - veal t-bone chop, normally grilled

Crudo - raw

Cardo - cardoon (like turnip greens)

Chuletilla - small rib chops, typically from lamb

Cucuruchos - ice cream cones

Carne - meat

Chuleton - large T-bone steak

Cuchara - spoon

Carne picada - minced meat

Churrasco - grilled ribs, beef or pork

Cubata - mixed drink

Casero - homemade

Churreria - churros shop

Cucharilla - teaspoon

Castaño - chestnut

Churros - fired crullers popular for breakfast

Coliflor - cauliflower

Ciervo - venison




Descafeinado - decaffeinated coffee, with hot milk

Dorada - sea bream baked encased in salt




Empanada de atun - tuna turnover

Ensalada de tomate - tomato salad

Espinacas - spinach

Empanada de carne - meat turnover

Ensaladilla rusa - Russian salad

Esqueixada - cold cod salad (Catalunya)

Empanada de Bacalao - cod turnover

Entrecot - sirloin steak

Escabeche - marinade, pickled with oil

Empanadilla - pasties

Entremeses - Hors d'oeuvre, hot or cold

Escalope - fillet of steak covered with breadcrumbs

Encebollado - dish prepared with fired onion

Escabeche - marinade, pickled with oil

Escalfado - poached

Ensalada - salad

Escalope - fillet of steak covered with breadcrumbs

Escarola - endive

Ensalada mixta - Large mixed salad

Escalfado - poached

Ensalada verde - green lettuce

Esparragos - asparagus, green or white




Fabada - dish of white beans and chorizo

Foie gras - goose liver paté

Fruto seco - nuts & dried fruits

Fabes con alemuas - Asturain white beans with clams

Fresco - fresh

Fuego - fire or flame

Faves - broad beans

Frambuesa - raspberry

Fuet - cured sausage of Catalunya

Filet - small steak

Fresa - strawberry

Fabada - dish of white beans and chorizo

Fino - pale, dry sherry

Frito - fried

Faisan - pheasant

Flan - caramel custard (or crema catalana)

Fruta - fruit




Galletas - biscuits or crackers

Garbanzos - Chickpeas

Gratinado - gratin

Gallina - hen

Gaseosa - seltzer water

Grelo - turnip tops/greens

Gallo - popular white fish

Gazpacho - cold tomato soup

Guindilla - small pickled green pepper

Gambas - shrimp

Girasol - sunflower

Guisantes - peas




Habas - green broad bean

Higado - liver

Huevos - eggs

Hamburguesa - hamburger

Higo - fig

Huevos cocidos - boiled eggs

Harina - flour

Hojaldre - puff pastry

Huevos con jamon - ham & eggs

Heladeria - ice cream parlor

Horno - oven, al horno - baked

Huevos Revueltos or revoltillo - scrambled eggs

Helado - ice cream

Hortalizas - vegetables

Hierbas - herbs

Huevas - fish eggs, roe




Jabali - wild boar

Jamon Serrano - cured ham

Judias - green beans

Jamon - ham

Jamon iberico - the best (priciest) cured ham

Judiones - white broad beans

Jamon york - boiled ham

Jerez - sherry




Kokotxas - hake cheeks (a Basque delicacy)




Langosta - spiny lobster

Lechecillas de Ternera - calf's sweetbreads

Limonada - lemonade

Langostinos - prawns

Lengua - tongue

Lomo - pork loin

Leche - milk

Lentejas - lentils

Lubina - sea bass

Leche frita - creamy custard with hard crust

Liebre - hare




Macedonia - fruit salad

Medallon - beef medallions

Mermelada - jam or jelly or marmalade

Magdalena - small cake

Medio - half

Mero - grouper

Magret de pato - duck breasts

Mejillones - mussels

Meson - simple, local restaurant or tavern

Mandarina - mandarin orange

Melocoton - peach

Miel - honey

Manitas de cerdo - pig's trotters

Membrillo - quince

Migas de pan - breadcrumbs

Mantecada - square sponge cake

Menestra - vegetable stew

Mora - blackberry

Mantequilla - butter

Menta - mint

Morcilla - black pudding/sausage made from pig's blood

Manzana - apple

Menu del dia - fixed price meal

Moscatel - sweet wine

Manzanilla - camomile tea

Menu degustacion - chef's special tasting/gastronomic menu

Mostaza - mustard

Margarina - margarine

Merengue - meringue (egg whites and sugar)

Mosto - grape juice

Marisco - shellfish, seafood

Merluza - hake

Muslo - drumstick

Marmitako - tuna stew with potatoes and greens peppers (Basque)

Merluza a la vizcaina - hake in oil w/ garlic & asparagus

Mayonesa - mayonnaise

Merluza a la sidra - hake w/garlic & parsley in cider




Napolitana - chocolate croissant (pan au chocolat)

Natillas - custard

Niscalos - wild mushrooms

Naranja - orange

Nabo - turnip

Nueces - nuts

Nata - cream

Nécora - spider crab




Oca - goose

Oreja de cerdo - pig's ear

Oveja - sheep, ewe

Olla - stew

Orujo - very potent liqueur (white lightning) made of grape skins

Oporto - port wine

Ostras - oysters




Paella - rice dish from Valencia

Pechuga de pollo - chicken breast

Pintas - small red bean

Palmeras - Elephant ears, a pastr

Pera - pear

Pipas - dried sunflower seeds

Paloma - pigeon

Perdiz - partridge

Platano - banana

Palomitas de maiz - popcorn

Perejil - parsley

Plato - plate

Pan - bread

Pernil - pork shoulder

Primer plato - first course

Pan tostado - toast

Pescadilla - small fried fish (whiting)

Plato principal - main course

Panceta - bacon, often smoked

Pescado - fish

Pochas - white beans from Navarra

Panecillos - small loaves or rolls

Pez espada - swordfish

Pollo - chicken

Pastel - cak

Picante - spicy/hot

Pollo asado - roast chicken

Pastel Vasco - dry sweet cake from the Basque country

Pichon - small pigeon

Pomelo - grapefruit

Patatas - potatoes

Pimienta - white or black pepper

Postre - dessert

Patatas bravas - spicy, fried potato cubes

Pimiento verde - green pepper

Potaje - thick soup

Patatas firtas - French-fries

Pimientos de Padron - fried baby green peppers from Galicia

Puerros - leeks

Pato - duck

Piña - pineappl

Pulpo - octopus

Patxaran - Navarran liquor made from anis and sloe berries

Pintxos - Basque tapas

Pavo - turkey

Pincho moruno - Shish Kabob




Queso - cheese




Rabano - radish

Res - beef (as in "carne de res")

Romero - rosemary

Rabo - ox tail

Revueltos - scrambled eggs

Rosado - rosé wine

Rape - Anglerfish or monkfish

Riñones al Jerez - kidneys cooked in sherry

Rosbif - roast beef, served cold

Rebozado - coated with breadcrumbs and fried

Rodaballo - turbot

Roscon - circular cake w/aniseed and sugar

Relleno - stuffed (peppers, tomatos, etc.)

Rollito - roll of meat, cheese, etc.

Rosquillas - sweet bun




Sal - salt

Salsa - sauce

Sifon - soda water, seltzer

Sal gorda - sea salt

Salteados - lightly fried

Sobaos - small Asturian sponge cakes

Salazon - cured

Sandwich mixto - grilled ham and cheese

Sobrasada - sausage made from pork, salt & paprika

Salchicha - sausage for frying (hot dogs)

Sangria - a red wine drink

Solomillo - filet mignon

Salchichon - cold, cured sausage

Sardina - sardine

Sopa - soup

Salmon - salmon

Servilleta - napkin

Suizo - breakfast roll topped with sugar

Salmonete - red mullet

Sidra - hard cider




Tallarines - noodles

Tinto - red wine

Trucha - trout

Tarta - cake, tart

Tinto de verano - red wine with lemon/orange soda

Trufa - truffle

Taza - cup

Tocino - pork fat

Turron - candy made from almonds

- tea

Tomate - tomato

Txakoli - white wine, Basque

Tenedor - fork

Tortilla española (de patatas) - egg & potato omelette

Ternera - veal

Tostada - toast




Urta - sea bream

Uvas - grapes

Uvas pasas - raisins




Vaso - a glass

Vieiras - scallops

Vino rosado - rosé wine

Ventresca - Loin of Albacore tuna

Vinagre - vinegar

Vino tinto - red wine

Verduras - green vegetables

Vino blanco - white wine

Vinoteca - specialty wine shop




Yogur - yogurt




Zanahorias - carrots

Zarzuela - spicy, seafood stew

Zumo de Naranja - orange juice





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