fécula de maíz
/fekula de maiθ/from spelling rulesfeminine
The English phrase "cornstarch" is translated into Spanish as fécula de maíz. Wiktionary also lists almidón de maíz and fécula maicera.
Meaning: very fine starch powder (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| fécula de maíz | /fekula de maiθ/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /fekula de mais/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
feminine |
| almidón de maíz | /almidon de maiθ/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /almidon de mais/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
masculine |
| fécula maicera | /fekula maiθeɾa/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /fekula maiseɾa/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
feminine |
| almidón maicero | /almidon maiθeɾo/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /almidon maiseɾo/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
masculine |
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase fécula de maíz is composed of fécula (starch) and de maíz (of corn).
Which one should you use?
While fécula de maíz and almidón de maíz are often used interchangeably, fécula specifically refers to the starch extracted from a vegetable, whereas almidón is a more general term for starch.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form almidón de maíz is masculine, so it must be used with masculine adjectives, such as almidón de maíz fino. The form maicena is a feminine noun.
Did you know?
- The word maíz has an unexpected origin in the Caribbean, as it was borrowed from the Taíno language rather than being an ancient Romance or Indo-European word.
- The word fécula actually comes from a Latin word meaning 'dregs' or 'residue', referring to the particles left over after processing.
- In many Spanish-speaking households, the brand name Maizena is used as a generic noun for all cornstarch, regardless of the manufacturer.
Examples in context
- Por favor, necesito comprar maizena para preparar la salsa.Please, I need to buy cornstarch to prepare the sauce.
- Agrega la fécula de maíz poco a poco mientras revuelves la mezcla.Add the cornstarch slowly while stirring the mixture.
- ¿Tienes maicena para espesar la salsa?Do you have cornstarch to thicken the sauce?
- Para hacer la masa más suave, puedes añadir un poco de almidón de maíz.To make the dough smoother, you can add a bit of cornstarch.
- Necesito un poco de fécula de maíz.I need a little bit of cornstarch.
- La receta pide una cucharada de fécula de maíz.The recipe calls for a tablespoon of cornstarch.
- ¿Tienes fécula de maíz en la despensa?Do you have cornstarch in the pantry?
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are in the kitchen preparing a dessert.
- AlejandroLucía, ¿compraste la fécula de maíz?Lucía, did you buy the cornstarch?
- LucíaSí, la tengo aquí en la bolsa.Yes, I have it here in the bag.
- AlejandroPerfecto, vamos a empezar con el postre.Perfect, let's start with the dessert.
- LucíaMuy bien, yo preparo la mezcla.Very well, I will prepare the mixture.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cornstarch” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries almidón, de, fécula, maicero, maíz, CC BY-SA 4.0.
