crosta
/ˈkɾos.tɐ/
The Portuguese word for crust is crosta.
crosta refers to a hard, textured outer layer or a geological crust, such as the Earth's crust. In a casual dining context, however, people often use borda to refer specifically to the edge or crust of a pizza.
Meaning: bread foundation of pizza (noun)
Which one should you use?
Use crosta when you are talking about a geological crust or a hard outer layer. If you are referring specifically to the edge of the dough on a pizza, use borda instead.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables. The stress is on the first syllable: /ˈkɾos.tɐ/.
Did you know?
- In medical Portuguese, crosta is the standard term for a scab on a wound, linking the concept of a pizza crust to biological healing.
- The root of crosta is linked to the concept of freezing, via the Proto-Indo-European root for 'forming a crust'.
- The word borda is much more versatile than crosta, as it can also mean 'rim' or 'edge' for objects like glasses or plates.
Examples in context
- Não comi o pão porque havia bolor na crosta.I didn't eat the bread because there was mold on the crust.This sentence shows how to use crosta when discussing mold on a bread crust.Tatoeba #12382987 by piterkeo, translation #12382324 by CK
- É de fato o 11º entre os elementos mais comuns da crosta terrestre.It's the 11th most common element in the Earth's crust in fact.This sentence uses crosta in a geological context regarding the Earth's crust.Tatoeba #3204696 by carlosalberto, translation #3204694 by carlosalberto
- A massa de alumínio na crosta terrestre corresponde a 8,13% de sua massa total.The weight of aluminium in the Earth's crust corresponds to 8.13% of the total weight.Tatoeba #2176023 by alexmarcelo, translation #2886442 by mervert1
- Certifique-se de preparar uma crosta dourada e crocante para a torta.Make sure to prepare a golden and crispy crust for the pie.
- A casca do pão está particularmente crocante hoje.The bread crust is particularly crispy today.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rodrigo and Mariana are ordering a pizza at a restaurant.
- RodrigoVocê gosta de recheio na crosta?Do you like stuffing in the crust?
- MarianaSim, eu adoro crosta recheada de queijo.Yes, I love cheese-stuffed crust.
- RodrigoEntão vamos pedir a pizza com crosta.Then let's order the pizza with the crust.
- MarianaCombinado, Mariana concorda!Agreed, Mariana agrees!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry crosta, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries crosta, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
