carnicero
/kaɾniˈθeɾo/masculine
The English phrase 'butcher' in Spanish is translated as carnicero. Wiktionary also lists matarife.
Meaning: person who prepares and sells meat (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| carnicero | /kaɾniˈθeɾo/ /kaɾniˈseɾo/ |
masculine |
| matarife | /mataˈɾife/ | masculine |
The term refers to a person who prepares and sells meat.
Which one should you use?
Use carnicero for a person who sells meat in a shop or market, whereas matarife typically refers to someone working in a slaughterhouse.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of carnicero is carnicera to refer to a female butcher.
How do you pronounce it?
/kaɾniˈθeɾo/
Did you know?
- The term matarife originally comes from the Arabic word muqrif, meaning 'filthy'.
- In some Spanish-speaking contexts, if you call someone a carnicero, it can be a harsh insult implying they are a person who acts with extreme cruelty or 'butchers' people's feelings.
- The word carnicero can also be used as a slang term in certain regions to describe a person who is quite 'rough' or lacks refinement.
Examples in context
- Tom es carnicero.Tom is a butcher.This sentence is useful for identifying someone's profession using carnicero.Tatoeba #10124759 by manufrutos, translation #4724930 by CK
- Le pedí al carnicero que sacara toda la grasa de la carne.I asked the butcher to trim all the fat off of the meat.This sentence is useful for describing a request made to a carnicero.Tatoeba #5814740 by albrusgher, translation #628093 by darinmex
- El carnicero está pesando la carne.The butcher is weighing the meat.This sentence is useful for describing an action being performed by a carnicero.Tatoeba #10128970 by Teiruzu, translation #2961479 by meerkat
- Necesito hablar con el carnicero.I need to speak with the butcher.
- Voy a comprar carne al carnicero.I'm going to buy meat from the butcher.
- ¿Dónde puedo encontrar al que vende carne?Where can I find the one who sells meat?
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are discussing their shopping list at home.
- ElenaNecesitamos comprar carne de buena calidad.We need to buy good quality meat.
- Alejandro¿Sabes si el carnicero de la esquina está abierto?Do you know if the butcher on the corner is open?
- ElenaSí, el carnicero suele trabajar hasta las seis.Yes, the butcher usually works until six.
- AlejandroPerfecto, iré yo a comprarla ahora.Perfect, I will go buy it now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “butcher” translations and entries carnicero, matarife, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries carnicero, matarife, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
