tres cuartos
/tɾes kwaɾtos/from spelling rules
The Spanish phrase for "medium well" is tres cuartos.
In a restaurant setting, tres cuartos is the standard way to request a steak cooked to medium-well.
Meaning: medium well (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "three quarters".
Which one should you use?
The term tres cuartos is used to distinguish a medium-well steak from one that is bien cocido (well done).
How do you pronounce it?
/tɾes kwaɾtos/
Did you know?
- The phrase tres cuartos is also used in music to describe a time signature of 3/4, the same rhythm used in a waltz.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, if you simply say 'medio' for 'medium', the chef might serve it much rarer than an English speaker's 'medium' would suggest.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, ordering a steak tres cuartos is seen as a compromise between the 'correct' way to eat beef, which is al punto (medium), and the 'overcooked' way, bien cocido.
Examples in context
- Quiero mi bistec tres cuartos, no bien cocido.I want my steak medium-well, not well-done.This sentence is useful for distinguishing between ordering a steak tres cuartos and ordering it bien cocido.Tatoeba #2507085 by BoriQa, translation #2507090 by BoriQa
- Quiero mi carne cocida pero jugosa, por favor.I want my meat cooked but juicy, please.
- Pide la carne tres cuartos, por favor.Ask for the meat medium well, please.
- Me gusta el filete tres cuartos.I like my steak medium well.
Example conversation
At a restaurant, Mateo is ordering steak for the table.
- MateoPara mí, un filete tres cuartos.For me, a medium well steak.
- Lucía¿Lo quieres muy cocido, Mateo?Do you want it well done, Mateo?
- MateoNo, solo tres cuartos.No, just medium well.
- LucíaPerfecto, yo pediré el mío término medio.Perfect, I will order mine medium.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
