carne poco hecha
/kaɾne poko et͡ʃa/from spelling rules
The English phrase "rare cooked meat" is translated into Spanish as carne poco hecha.
This phrase is used to describe meat that has been cooked for a short time so that the center remains red and juicy. The specific term Poco hecha carries the meaning of "rare cooked".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "meat little made", where poco means little or not much and hecha is the past participle of the verb hacer, meaning to make or do.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, you might hear carne sangrante to describe a very rare steak, which literally translates to 'bleeding meat'.
- While carne poco hecha is the literal translation for rare, asking for meat al punto means you want it 'at the point', which usually indicates a perfect medium cook.
- The word carne shares the same ancient roots as the English word 'carnal', which is why both languages use them to refer to 'flesh'.
Examples in context
- Quisiera la carne poco hecha, por favor.I would like the meat cooked rare, please.
- Quiero la carne poco hecha, por favor.I want the meat cooked rare, please.
- Prefiero la carne poco hecha.I prefer rare cooked meat.
- ¿Quieres la carne poco hecha o bien cocida?Do you want the meat rare or well done?
Example conversation
Sofía and Javier are ordering dinner at a restaurant.
- SofíaJavier, ¿cómo quieres tu carne?Javier, how do you want your meat?
- JavierLa quiero carne poco hecha, por favor.I want it rare, please.
- SofíaYo prefiero la carne muy hecha.I prefer the meat well done.
- JavierA cada quien su gusto.To each their own.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries carne, poco, CC BY-SA 4.0.
