aceite
/aˈθeite/masculine
The Spanish word for oil is aceite. Wiktionary also lists óleo and saín.
Meaning: liquid fat (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| aceite | /aˈθeite/ /aˈseite/ |
masculine |
| óleo | /ˈoleo/ | masculine |
| saín | /saˈin/ | derived, masculine |
The word refers to liquid fat. In a culinary context, the standard way to specify olive oil is aceite de oliva. Related verbs include aceitar to lubricate with oil and engrasar to grease with oil for cooking.
Which one should you use?
Use aceite for general purposes such as common cooking oils, motor oils and general liquid fats. Use óleo specifically when referring to oil paints or oil paintings.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/aˈθeite/
Did you know?
- The Spanish word aceite shares a common root with the Hebrew word for 'olive', záyit, because of the historical influence of Arabic in the Iberian Peninsula.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, the word aceite is used as a metaphor for something that makes a difficult social situation run smoothly.
Examples in context
- Como pan sin aceite.I eat bread without oil.This sentence is useful for expressing a preference for eating bread without the form aceite.Tatoeba #8618260 by cueyayotl, translation #7037816 by Goatstein
- Ponte aceite en la piel.Put oil on your skin.This sentence is useful for giving an instruction to apply the form aceite to the skin.Tatoeba #7739263 by arh, translation #8203361 by magnificentgoddess
- ¿Tienes aceite de oliva?Do you have olive oil?This sentence is useful for asking about the availability of the form aceite specifically for olives.Tatoeba #7739264 by arh, translation #10511610 by ddnktr
- Necesito aceite para cocinar.I need oil for cooking.
- La oleína de palma se utiliza en la industria alimentaria.Palm olein is used in the food industry.
- ¿Me pasas el aceite, por favor?Can you pass me the oil, please?
- Aceite de olivaOlive oil
- Aceite vegetalVegetable oil
- Aceite de girasolSunflower oil
- Aceite de motorMotor oil
- 82 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are preparing dinner in the kitchen.
- LucíaJavier, ¿dónde está el aceite?Javier, where is the oil?
- JavierEstá en la alacena, Lucía.It is in the cupboard, Lucía.
- LucíaNo veo ninguna botella de aceite.I don't see any bottle of oil.
- JavierBusca detrás de la sal.Look behind the salt.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “oil” translations and entries aceite, óleo, saín, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries aceite, saín, óleo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
