fuego medio
/fweɡo medjo/from spelling rules
In Spanish, medium heat is fuego medio.
Fuego medio is the direct translation for "medium heat" and is commonly used in cooking recipes. You may also encounter fuego moderado to express "moderate heat", or temperatura media which literally means "medium temperature" to convey a desired level of heat. For more specific instructions, fuego medio alto means "medium-high heat" and fuego medio suave means "gentle medium heat".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of fuego (fire/heat) and medio (medium).
Which one should you use?
Fuego medio represents the middle ground between fuego lento (low heat) and fuego alto (high heat).
Is it said differently in some regions?
Fuego medio tirando a bajo is an informal way to say medium heat leaning towards low.
How does it change in a sentence?
In recipes, the phrase is often preceded by the preposition a to indicate the state of the cooking process (e.g., cocinar a fuego medio).
Did you know?
- The word medio was borrowed directly from Latin instead of evolving naturally. This happened because the natural evolution would have sounded too similar to the Spanish verb mear, meaning 'to piss'.
- While fuego medio describes stove heat, the word medio is also used in Spanish to describe a spiritual medium who speaks with the dead.
Examples in context
- Asar por ambos lados a fuego medio durante 4 – 5 minutos.Sear on each side over medium heat for 4 – 5 minutes.This sentence shows how to use fuego medio when giving instructions for searing food.Tatoeba #2694523 by migeels, translation #896000 by pauldhunt
- Cocine a fuego medio durante 10 minutosCook over medium heat for 10 minutes
- Mantenga una temperatura media en la sarténMaintain a medium temperature in the frying pan
- Cocine a fuego moderado hasta que esté doradoCook over moderate heat until golden
- Calienta la salsa a fuego medio tirando a bajoHeat the sauce over medium heat, leaning towards low
- Cuece a fuego regular hasta que se ablandenSimmer over medium heat until softened
- Cocina la sopa a fuego medio.Cook the soup over medium heat.
- Mantén el sartén a fuego medio.Keep the pan over medium heat.
Example conversation
María and Javier are cooking dinner together.
- MaríaJavier, ¿cómo pongo la estufa?Javier, how do I set the stove?
- JavierPonla a fuego medio, por favor.Set it to medium heat, please.
- MaríaEstá bien, ya lo hice.All right, I already did it.
- JavierGracias, María.Thank you, María.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fuego, medio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
