bien cocido
/bjen koθido/from spelling rules
The English phrase "cooked well done" is translated into Spanish as bien cocido.
Use bien cocido to describe meat that has been cooked thoroughly throughout.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of bien (well) and cocido (cooked).
Which one should you use?
While bien cocido refers to meat that is well done, if you wish to request meat cooked to a medium or medium-rare level, you should use término medio.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase 'pechugas de pollo bien cocidas' is the feminine and plural form used to say chicken breasts are well done.
Did you know?
- In Spain, a cocido is a famous traditional stew made with chickpeas, cabbage and various meats. Here, the word for 'cooked' transforms into a noun for a specific dish.
- The word bien is an unexpected linguistic relative of the English word 'bonus', as both descend from the Latin 'bonus' meaning 'good'.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, asking for meat bien cocido can be seen as a preference for safety or hygiene rather than a culinary choice.
Examples in context
- ¿Qué término prefieres para tu bistec?What doneness do you prefer for your steak?
- Prefiero mi bistec bien cocido.I prefer my steak well done.
- Prefiero el filete bien cocido.I prefer the steak well done.
- El pollo debe estar bien cocido.The chicken must be well cooked.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bien, cocido, CC BY-SA 4.0.
