cucharada colmada
/kut͡ʃaɾada kolmada/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'heaping tablespoon' is translated into Spanish as cucharada colmada.
Use this phrase in cooking or recipes to describe a tablespoon of an ingredient that is piled high above the rim of the spoon.
What does it mean word for word?
The term is composed of cucharada, which means 'tablespoon' and colmada, meaning 'heaping' or 'filled to the brim'.
Which one should you use?
While cucharada colmada refers to a heaping measurement, you should use cucharada rasa if you want to express a 'level' or 'flat' tablespoon.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both the noun and the adjective must agree in gender and number. If you are referring to multiple heaping tablespoons, use the plural form cucharadas colmadas.
Did you know?
- The word cucharada comes from the Latin cochlea, which originally referred to a snail shell. This is because early spoons were often crafted from the curved shells of sea snails.
- Beyond cooking, the verb colmar is used in common idioms to describe emotional exhaustion, such as estar colmado, which means to be 'fed up' or 'at one's wit's end'.
- The phrase cucharada colmada relies on the suffix -ada, which can turn almost any object into a measurement, such as tazada for a cupful.
Examples in context
- Cucharada colmada de azúcarA heaping tablespoon of sugar
- Añade una cucharada abundante de mantequillaAdd a heaping tablespoon of butter
- Pon una cucharada generosa de aceite de olivaPut a heaping tablespoon of olive oil
- Para hacer el aderezo, añade una cucharada colmada de mostaza.To make the dressing, add a heaping tablespoon of mustard.
- Agrega una cucharada generosa de ajo picado a la salsa.Add a heaping tablespoon of minced garlic to the sauce.
- Añada una cucharada colmada de azúcar.Add one heaping tablespoon of sugar.
- Necesito una cucharada colmada de sal.I need one heaping tablespoon of salt.
- Pon una cucharada colmada de harina en el bol.Put one heaping tablespoon of flour in the bowl.
Example conversation
A man and a woman are following a recipe in the kitchen.
- María¿Cuánta levadura lleva la masa, Daniel?How much yeast does the dough need, Daniel?
- DanielSolo necesita una cucharada colmada.It only needs one heaping tablespoon.
- MaríaEntendido, ya la estoy preparando.Understood, I am preparing it now.
- DanielPerfecto, María, vas muy bien.Perfect, María, you are doing great.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cucharada, CC BY-SA 4.0.
