alcachofa
/alkaˈt͡ʃofa/feminine
The Spanish word for artichoke is alcachofa. Wiktionary also lists alcaucil and alcachofera.
Meaning: vegetable (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| alcachofa | /alkaˈt͡ʃofa/ | feminine |
| alcaucil | /alkauˈθil/ /alkauˈsil/ |
Argentina, Southern Spain, masculine |
| alcachofera | /alkat͡ʃoˈfeɾa/ | feminine |
| arcacil | /aɾkaθil/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /aɾkasil/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
masculine |
alcachofa refers to the edible vegetable known as an artichoke.
Which one should you use?
The feminine noun alcachofa is the standard term used in most Spanish-speaking countries, whereas alcaucil is regional.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The masculine form alcaucil is used in Argentina and Southern Spain.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of the standard feminine noun alcachofa is alcachofas.
How do you pronounce it?
/alkaˈtʃofa/
Did you know?
- The regional term alcaucil shares an unexpected ancestor with the English word 'head', via the Latin 'caput'.
- The phrase alcachofa is an example of a Spanish word that preserves the Arabic definite article al- as part of the noun itself.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, the alcachofa is symbolic of the 'heart' because of its edible center.
Examples in context
- Es fácil masticar alcachofa.Artichoke is easy to chew.This sentence is useful for describing the texture of an alcachofa.Tatoeba #12155720 by JSKabylie15, translation #12243883 by Miktsoanit
- Tomás dice que nunca comió una alcachofa.Tom says that he has never eaten an artichoke.This sentence is useful for expressing that someone has never eaten an alcachofa.Tatoeba #5027760 by don_ramon, translation #1847729 by CK
- Me encanta la alcachofa rellena. ¿Sabes cómo prepararla?I love stuffed artichoke. Do you know how to prepare it?
- La alcachofa es mi verdura favorita.The artichoke is my favorite vegetable.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are deciding what to cook for dinner.
- AlejandroElena, ¿cocinamos una alcachofa hoy?Elena, shall we cook an artichoke today?
- ElenaSí, me gusta mucho la alcachofa.Yes, I like artichoke very much.
- AlejandroLa prepararé con un poco de limón.I will prepare it with a bit of lemon.
- ElenaPerfecto, Alejandro, suena muy bien.Perfect, Alejandro, that sounds great.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “artichoke” translations and entries alcachofa, alcaucil, alcachofera, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alcachofa, alcaucil, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
