col rizada
/ˌkol riˈθada/feminine
Kale is translated into Spanish as col rizada. Wiktionary also lists kale (keil) and repollo crespo.
Meaning: edible plant: Brassica oleracea acephala (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| col rizada | /ˌkol riˈθada/ /ˌkol riˈsada/ |
feminine |
| kale (keil) | masculine | |
| repollo crespo | /repoʝo kɾespo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| berza rizosa | /beɾθa ɾiθosa/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /beɾsa ɾisosa/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
feminine |
The term refers to the edible plant Brassica oleracea acephala.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase col rizada is a literal description: col means cabbage and rizada means curly.
Which one should you use?
Col rizada is the most common descriptive name used in many Spanish-speaking regions. In contrast, kale is an anglicism often used in health-food contexts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Col rizada is used in Mexico, Central America and parts of South America.
How does it change in a sentence?
Col rizada is a feminine phrase, so any accompanying adjectives must also be feminine. Conversely, repollo crespo is masculine, so any accompanying adjectives must be masculine.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌkol riˈθada/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the word col is a homonym, as it can either mean 'cabbage' or be a contraction of con el meaning 'with the'.
- The adjective crespo used in repollo crespo is a direct descendant of the Latin crispus, which is the ancestor of the English word 'crispy'.
Examples in context
- Me gustaría agregar col rizada a mi lista de compras.I would like to add kale to my shopping list.
- ¿Dónde puedo encontrar berza en el supermercado?Where can I find kale in the supermarket?
- La col rizada es muy nutritiva.Kale is very nutritious.
- Compré un poco de col rizada fresca.I bought some fresh kale.
- ¿Te gusta la col rizada en la ensalada?Do you like kale in the salad?
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are shopping for groceries in a supermarket.
- DanielLucía, ¿podemos llevar esta col rizada?Lucía, can we take this kale?
- LucíaSí, la col rizada se ve muy buena.Yes, the kale looks very good.
- DanielEs perfecta para la cena de hoy.It is perfect for tonight's dinner.
- LucíaDe acuerdo, la pondré en el carrito.Okay, I will put it in the cart.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “kale” translations and entries col rizada, 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 berza, col, crespo, repollo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
