cuscús
/kusˈkus/masculine
The English phrase "couscous" is translated into Spanish as cuscús. It is also spelled couscous or kuskús.
Meaning: pasta of North African origin (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cuscús | /kusˈkus/ | masculine |
| couscous | /kouskous/ (from spelling rules) | masculine, alternative form |
| kuskús | /kuskus/ (from spelling rules) | masculine, alternative form |
The word refers to the pasta of North African origin.
Which one should you use?
cuscús is the primary spelling. couscous and kuskús are alternative spellings of the same word.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/kusˈkus/
When do people say it?
In Spain, you might encounter the dish couscús con caldo de pescado, which is fish broth couscous.
Did you know?
- Despite its North African origin, the Spanish word cuscús arrived in the language during the late 19th century primarily via French influence.
- While cuscús is the standard Spanish form, the spelling couscous is often used in high-end menus in Spain to evoke a French culinary influence.
- The Spanish spelling cuscús is unique for including an accent mark on the final 'u' to ensure the stress falls on the last syllable.
Examples in context
- Me gusta el cuscús.I like couscous.This sentence is useful for expressing a preference for cuscús.Tatoeba #8023073 by Seael, translation #8023067 by Amastan
- Vamos a comer cuscús.We are going to eat couscous.This sentence is useful for stating an intention to eat cuscús.Tatoeba #11067421 by adaycito, translation #8029145 by Amastan
- Como cuscús con pescado.I eat couscous with fish.This sentence is useful for describing how you eat cuscús with fish.Tatoeba #13506868 by Seael, translation #8387596 by Amastan
- El cuscús de trigo es muy popular en el norte de ÁfricaWheat couscous is very popular in North Africa
- Me encanta el cuscús con verduras.I love couscous with vegetables.
- Vamos a cocinar sémola de cuscús para la cena.Let's cook couscous semolina for dinner.
- ¿Has probado el cus-cús marroquí? Es delicioso.Have you tried Moroccan couscous? It's delicious.
- Me gustaría pedir un plato de cuscús, por favorI would like to order a plate of couscous, please
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Javier are deciding what to cook for dinner.
- Sofía¿Quieres que prepare cuscús esta noche?Do you want me to prepare couscous tonight?
- JavierSí, el cuscús me encanta.Yes, I love couscous.
- SofíaAñadiré unas verduras frescas al cuscús.I will add some fresh vegetables to the couscous.
- JavierSuena muy bien, Sofía.That sounds very good, Sofía.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “couscous” translations and entries cuscús, couscous, kuskús, 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 couscous, cuscús, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
