rúcula
/ˈrukula/feminine
Arugula in Spanish is rúcula. Wiktionary also lists oruga and jaramago.
Meaning: herb (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| rúcula | /ˈrukula/ | feminine |
| oruga | /oˈɾuɡa/ | feminine |
| jaramago | /xaɾaˈmaɡo/ | masculine |
Which one should you use?
While rúcula is the standard term for the herb, oruga refers to a caterpillar and should not be used when talking about food.
Is it said differently in some regions?
rúcula is the most common way to refer to arugula in Spain and much of Latin America.
How does it change in a sentence?
rúcula is a feminine noun, so you should use it with feminine articles such as la (e.g., la rúcula).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈrukula/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not confuse the herb with the word oruga, which means caterpillar.
Did you know?
- The English word 'arugula' and the Spanish word oruga share the exact same distant ancestor, the Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to bristle'.
- The word rúcula is a direct loanword from the Italian rucola, showing the historical culinary influence of Italy on Spanish cuisine.
- The term jaramago is sometimes used to refer to similar wild greens, but it often implies a bitter or unwanted weed rather than a culinary herb.
Examples in context
- En la ensalada gourmet se incluye rúcula fresca.Fresh arugula is included in the gourmet salad.
- La rúcula es muy fresca.Arugula is very fresh.
- Añade un poco de rúcula a la ensalada.Add a little arugula to the salad.
- Me gusta el sabor de la rúcula.I like the taste of arugula.
Example conversation
María and Daniel are shopping for salad ingredients at a market.
- María¿Tienes rúcula fresca hoy?Do you have fresh arugula today?
- DanielSí, la rúcula está muy buena.Yes, the arugula is very good.
- MaríaPerfecto, dame un paquete de rúcula.Perfect, give me a package of arugula.
- DanielAquí tienes, María.Here you go, María.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “arugula” translations and entries rúcula, oruga, jaramago, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries oruga, rúcula, CC BY-SA 4.0.
