mantequilla
everyday
Butter in Mexico is mantequilla. The word manteca is different, because in Mexico it means lard or cooking fat.
Meaning: a dairy spread (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mexican | Note |
|---|---|
| mantequilla | everyday |
| manteca | lard or fat |
You spread mantequilla on bread and use it in baking. A butter knife is a cuchillo para mantequilla. Peanut butter is crema de cacahuate in Mexico.
Which one should you use?
In Mexican cooking, tamales are traditionally made with manteca, not mantequilla, which affects the taste.
How does it change in a sentence?
It is a feminine noun, so you say la mantequilla.
Did you know?
- The word mantequilla is a diminutive of manteca, so the two words are related.
Examples in context
- Unta mantequilla en el pan.Spread butter on the bread.
- La receta lleva dos cucharadas de mantequilla.The recipe calls for two spoonfuls of butter.
- Los tamales llevan manteca.Tamales are made with lard.
Example conversation
Rosario and her daughter Camila bake a cake.
- RosarioCamila, pásame la mantequilla.Camila, pass me the butter.
- CamilaAquí está. ¿Cuánta uso?Here it is. How much do I use?
- RosarioCien gramos.A hundred grams.
