matzá
/matθa/from spelling rules
To say matzah in Spanish, use matzá, the unleavened flatbread eaten during Passover.
matzá refers specifically to the unleavened bread used in Jewish religious contexts. A more general phrase is Pan ácimo, which means unleavened bread.
Which one should you use?
matzá names the Jewish flatbread itself. Pan ácimo is a broader, more formal description of any unleavened bread, as in Durante la Pascua Judía, comemos pan ácimo en lugar de pan con levadura, which means during Passover, we eat matzah instead of leavened bread. You may also hear pan sin levadura, bread without yeast, as in Mi abuela horneó pan sin levadura para celebrar la Pascua.
How do you pronounce it?
matzá is pronounced /matθa/ in Spain, with the stress on the last syllable.
When do people say it?
Passover is called la Pascua Judía in Spanish, the time when matzá is eaten instead of leavened bread.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, the term pan ácimo is used in Catholic contexts to describe the communion wafer, creating a linguistic link between the Jewish matzá and the Christian Eucharist.
- The term Pascua is used in Spanish for both the Jewish Passover and the Christian Easter, so adding the adjective Judía is essential to avoid confusion in a conversation about matzá.
- The word ácimo in the phrase pan ácimo is a rare adjective that is almost exclusively used in a religious or archaic context, making it a very specific choice for a menu or a grocery list.
Examples in context
- Compré matzá para la cena de Pésaj.I bought matzá for the Passover dinner.
- La matzá es muy crujiente.The matzá is very crunchy.
- ¿Quieres probar un poco de matzá?Do you want to try some matzá?
Example conversation
A kitchen during a holiday preparation.
- MateoMaría, ¿has traído la matzá?María, did you bring the matzá?
- MaríaSí, Mateo, la tengo en la bolsa.Yes, Mateo, I have it in the bag.
- MateoPerfecto, vamos a preparar la cena.Perfect, let's prepare the dinner.
- MaríaDe acuerdo, yo ayudo con la mesa.Okay, I will help with the table.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
