hierba culinaria
/jeɾba kulinaɾja/from spelling rulesfeminine
The English word "herb" is translated into Spanish as hierba culinaria.
Hierba culinaria is used to refer to a plant used to flavour food.
Meaning: plant used to flavour food (noun)
Which one should you use?
While hierba culinaria refers to cooking herbs, the word hierba alone is more commonly used to refer to grass or weeds.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Canary Islands, hierba can be replaced with yerba.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of hierba is hierbas.
How do you pronounce it?
/jeɾba kulinaɾja/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, hierba is used as a common slang term for marijuana.
- The phrase hierba mala nunca muere is a popular Spanish proverb meaning 'a bad weed never dies', used to describe stubborn or unpleasant people.
- In some Latin American regions, yerba specifically refers to the dried leaves used to make the traditional drink called mate.
Examples in context
- Me he comprado algunas hierbas medicinales para mejorar mi salud.I have bought some medicinal herbs to improve my health.
- En la farmacia, te pueden aconsejar sobre diferentes plantas medicinales.At the pharmacy, they can advise you on various medicinal herbs.
- Hoy planté algunas matas de albahaca en mi jardín.Today, I planted some basil herbs in my garden.
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are cooking dinner together.
- MateoElena, ¿qué hierba culinaria usamos para la sopa?Elena, what culinary herb do we use for the soup?
- ElenaCreo que el perejil es la mejor opción.I think parsley is the best option.
- MateoTienes razón, el sabor es muy bueno.You're right, the flavor is very good.
- ElenaSí, Mateo, es mi hierba culinaria preferida.Yes, Mateo, it is my favorite culinary herb.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “herb” 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.
