masa
/ˈmasa/
In Spanish, batter is masa.
The word masa refers to a beaten mixture of flour and liquid. It is the standard term for any mixture of flour and liquid, regardless of whether it is pourable or thick enough to knead. The word masa is used for both thin batters (like pancakes) and thick doughs (like bread or cookies).
Meaning: beaten mixture of flour and liquid (noun)
Which one should you use?
While 'masa' can mean both 'batter' and 'dough', it is the standard term for any mixture of flour and liquid, regardless of whether it is pourable or thick enough to knead.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈmasa/
Did you know?
- In Mexico and Central America, masa specifically refers to the nixtamalized corn dough used for tortillas and tamales, which is culturally distinct from wheat-based 'batter'.
- In a political or social context, masa refers to 'the masses' or the general population, as in cultura de masas for 'mass culture'.
- Outside of cooking, masa is the standard Spanish word for 'mass' in a scientific context, such as the physical property of matter.
Examples in context
- ¿Has tamizado la harina antes de hacer la masa para las galletas?Did you sift the flour before you made the cookie batter?This sentence is useful for learning how to use masa when discussing the preparation of cookie batter.Tatoeba #6478068 by mervert1, translation #5023576 by AlanF_US
- masa para pastelesCake batter
- hacer la mezcla para los panquequesMaking pancake batter
- La masa para los panqueques está lista.The pancake batter is ready.
- Necesitas batir la masa con cuidado.You need to beat the batter carefully.
Example conversation
In a kitchen while making breakfast.
- Daniel¿Está lista la masa para los waffles?Is the waffle batter ready?
- SofíaSí, la masa ya está en el tazón.Yes, the batter is already in the bowl.
- DanielPerfecto, voy a calentar la sartén.Perfect, I'm going to heat the pan.
- SofíaYo te ayudo con el resto.I will help you with the rest.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry masa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
