Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| barbacoa | /baɾbaˈkoa/ | feminine |
| parrillada | /pariˈʝada/ | feminine |
| asado | /aˈsado/ | masculine |
All three terms refer to a barbecue, but they describe different aspects of the meal, the food or the cooking method.
Which one should you use?
The word asado is used to describe the social event or the meal itself. In contrast, parrillada often refers specifically to an assortment of different meats that have been cooked on a grill. The word barbacoa is used in many regions to refer to the physical wooden cooking structure or a specific traditional dish of slow-cooked meat, rather than the social gathering.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In many parts of South America, particularly Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, asado is the standard term for a barbecue meal or social gathering. In Argentina and Uruguay, parrilla is used to refer to both the grill and the barbecue. In many Spanish-speaking regions, barbacoa refers to the cooking structure or a specific traditional slow-cooked meat dish.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
asado is a masculine noun and must be preceded by masculine articles like el or un. Both barbacoa and parrillada are feminine nouns and must be preceded by feminine articles like la or una.
How do you pronounce it?
/baɾbaˈkoa/
Did you know?
- The word barbacoa actually shares a common ancestor with the English word 'barbecue'. It traces back to the Taíno word barbakoa, which originally described a wooden framework used for sleeping or curing meat.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, the person who manages the asado is called the asador, a role of high prestige and responsibility among friends.
- An asado often begins with achuras, a variety of offal and organ meats that are cooked and eaten before the main cuts of beef arrive.
Examples in context
- Tom está a cargo del asado.Tom is in charge of the barbecue.This sentence shows how to express that someone is in charge of the asado.Tatoeba #1690884 by marcelostockle, translation #1690877 by Spamster
- Tendremos un asado en la playa.We'll have a barbecue at the beach.This sentence illustrates how to say you will have an asado at the beach.Tatoeba #1318201 by hayastan, translation #22180 by CK
- Yo también quiero tener una barbacoa.I also want to have a barbecue.This sentence shows how to express a desire to have a barbacoa.Tatoeba #1223932 by wallebot, translation #933618 by Espi
- Vamos a hacer un asado este fin de semanaWe are going to have a barbecue this weekend
- Voy a organizar una parrillada para celebrar mi cumpleañosI am going to organize a barbecue to celebrate my birthday
- El chef preparó una deliciosa barbacoa para el eventoThe chef prepared a delicious barbecue for the event
- Tenemos que arreglar la parrilla para hacer un buen asadoWe need to fix the grill to have a good barbecue
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Mateo are planning a weekend gathering.
- Elena¿Quieres organizar una barbacoa el sábado?Do you want to organize a barbecue on Saturday?
- MateoSí, yo puedo preparar la barbacoa.Yes, I can prepare the barbecue.
- Elena¡Qué bien! Yo compraré la carne.Great! I will buy the meat.
- MateoPerfecto, será una gran barbacoa.Perfect, it will be a great barbecue.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “barbecue” translations and entries barbacoa, parrillada, asado, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries asado, barbacoa, parrillada, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
