dorado
/doˈɾado/
The English phrase mahi mahi is translated into Spanish as dorado.
In Spanish-speaking culinary and fishing contexts, the fish is almost exclusively called dorado rather than the Hawaiian name used by English speakers. While it is commonly used to refer to the species Coryphaena hippurus, the term itself literally means 'golden', which refers to the bright coloration of the fish.
What does it mean word for word?
The word dorado means 'golden'.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because dorado is an adjective used as a noun, it must agree in gender with the noun it modifies. For example, you should use dorada if you are referring to la pieza (the piece) or la carne (the meat).
How do you pronounce it?
/doˈɾado/
Did you know?
- In a culinary context, if a chef says a dish is dorado, they are not talking about the fish but describing the food as 'browned' or 'seared'.
- In Spanish, dorada can refer to both the 'mahi mahi' and a completely different species of fish known in English as the 'gilthead seabream'.
- The term dorado shares an ancestral connection with the English word 'gild', as both describe the process of applying a golden layer to a surface.
Examples in context
- Me gustaría ordenar el dorado, por favor.I would like to order the mahi mahi, please.
- El dorado es muy fresco hoy.The mahi mahi is very fresh today.
- ¿Preparan el dorado a la plancha?Do you prepare the mahi mahi grilled?
Example conversation
At a seaside restaurant.
- Elena¿Qué pescado recomiendas hoy?What fish do you recommend today?
- MateoEl dorado es la especialidad de la casa.The mahi mahi is the house specialty.
- ElenaPerfecto, quiero un plato de dorado.Perfect, I want a mahi mahi dish.
- MateoMuy buena elección, Elena.Very good choice, Elena.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry dorado, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dorado, CC BY-SA 4.0.
