pecho de res
/pet͡ʃo de ɾes/from spelling rules
The English phrase "beef brisket" is translated into Spanish as pecho de res.
The term refers to the specific cut of meat taken from the breast or lower chest of a cow. When you are at a butcher shop and the context of beef has already been established, you can often shorten the phrase and simply say pecho to order this cut.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of pecho (chest/breast), de (of) and res (beef/cattle).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In many Spanish-speaking regions, pecho de vaca is used interchangeably with pecho de res to refer to the same cut of meat.
How do you pronounce it?
/petʃo de ɾes/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish contexts, pecho is used not just for meat but to describe someone's courage or bravery, as in the expression sacar pecho.
- The word res comes from the Latin rēs, which originally meant 'thing' or 'property' rather than 'animal'. It was used to describe cattle as a piece of property or an asset.
- The word pecho is a linguistic relative of the English word 'pectoral', as both derive from the same Proto-Indo-European root *peg-.
Examples in context
- Disculpe, ¿tiene pecho de res?Excuse me, do you have beef brisket?
- Sí, señor, tenemos pecho de res disponible.Yes, sir, we have beef brisket available.
- Hoy preparé falda de res a la parrilla. ¿Te gustaría probar?Today I grilled beef brisket. Would you like to try it?
- Compré un pecho de res para la cena.I bought a beef brisket for dinner.
- El pecho de res está muy suave.The beef brisket is very tender.
- ¿A qué precio venden el pecho de res?At what price do they sell the beef brisket?
Example conversation
Daniel and María are at a butcher shop.
- DanielHola, María. ¿Qué quieres comprar hoy?Hello, María. What do you want to buy today?
- MaríaBusco un buen corte de pecho de res.I am looking for a good cut of beef brisket.
- DanielEl carnicero tiene uno muy fresco aquí.The butcher has a very fresh one here.
- MaríaPerfecto, Daniel. Vamos a pedir ese.Perfect, Daniel. Let's order that one.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, pecho, res, CC BY-SA 4.0.
