machaca
/maˈt͡ʃaka/
In Spanish, machaca refers to the English phrase machaca.
In a culinary context, machaca refers to a dish of dried, shredded and seasoned meat, often beef.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is derived from the verb machacar, which means to crush, pound or muddle. The noun machaca itself conveys the idea of something being crushed or pounded.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Machaca is a traditional dish particularly common in Northern Mexico and the Southwestern United States.
How do you pronounce it?
/maˈtʃaka/
Did you know?
- While machaca is a food, the verb machacar is used in modern Spanish slang to mean 'to study intensely' or 'to cram' for an exam.
- Because machaca is dried meat, it historically served as a vital portable protein for vaqueros in the arid regions of Northern Mexico where refrigeration was impossible.
- The word shares a linguistic root with the English word 'macerate', which describes softening a substance by soaking it.
Examples in context
- La machaca tiene mucho sabor.The machaca is very flavorful.
- Quiero comer machaca con huevos.I want to eat machaca with eggs.
- ¿Preparaste la machaca para el desayuno?Did you prepare the machaca for breakfast?
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are having breakfast at home.
- LucíaJavier, ¿hiciste machaca hoy?Javier, did you make machaca today?
- JavierSí, la machaca está en la mesa.Yes, the machaca is on the table.
- Lucía¡Qué buena pinta tiene!It looks delicious!
- JavierPruébala y dime qué te parece.Try it and tell me what you think.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry machaca, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
