cuchillo
/kuˈt͡ʃiʝo/masculine
The Spanish word for knife is cuchillo.
cuchillo is a masculine noun used to refer to a utensil or tool designed for cutting.
Meaning: utensil or tool designed for cutting (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
cuchillo is used in Spain, Mexico, Central America and most of South America. In Argentina, Uruguay and some parts of Peru and Bolivia, cuchilla is commonly used. In Colombia and Venezuela, puñal is often used to refer specifically to a dagger or a more dangerous type of knife.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of cuchillo is cuchillos. Because cuchillo is a masculine noun, its plural form uses the masculine plural article los, as in los cuchillos. The related verb acuchillar means to use a knife to injure or kill.
How do you pronounce it?
/kuˈtʃiʝo/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, it is considered bad luck to put a cuchillo on a bed or to pass one directly from person to person.
- The English word 'cutlass', a type of short sword, shares the same ancestral lineage as the Spanish cuchillo.
- In some Spanish-speaking contexts, a cuchilla might refer to a razor blade rather than a large dining knife, demonstrating how size and function change the noun.
Examples in context
- Ése no es tu cuchillo.That is not your knife.This sentence shows how to use the word to indicate possession.Tatoeba #460997 by Shishir, translation #42814 by CC
- Mi cuchillo está roto.My knife is broken.This sentence demonstrates how to describe a knife that is broken.Tatoeba #594453 by Shishir, translation #428787 by Archibald
- El cuchillo está romo.The knife is dull.This sentence shows how to describe a knife that is dull.Tatoeba #4997976 by cueyayotl, translation #1487659 by marshmallowcat
- 190 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
In the kitchen while preparing dinner.
- MaríaAlejandro, ¿puedes pasarme el cuchillo?Alejandro, can you pass me the knife?
- AlejandroClaro, María, aquí tienes el cuchillo.Sure, Maria, here is the knife.
- MaríaGracias, es un cuchillo muy bueno.Thanks, it is a very good knife.
- AlejandroSí, lo compré ayer para la cena.Yes, I bought it yesterday for dinner.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “knife” translations and entries cuchillo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cuchillo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
