Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| chamuscar | /t͡ʃamusˈkaɾ/ |
| socarrar | /sokaˈraɾ/ |
| abrasar | /abɾaˈsaɾ/ |
The English verb 'to sear' can be translated in several ways depending on whether you are talking about light singeing, culinary crusting or intense burning. In a cooking context, searing is often achieved by the technique Freír a fuego alto, which means to fry over high heat.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on the intensity and the object being heated. chamuscar is typically used for singeing or lightly scorching a surface, such as hair or fabric. socarrar is the preferred term in cooking when referring to searing food or creating a toasted crust, such as the socarrat in paella. abrasar implies a much more intense heat or a complete burning, often used to describe more severe damage or extreme heat.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/tʃamusˈkaɾ/
Did you know?
- The verb abrasar is often confused with abrazar, which means 'to hug'. They sound nearly identical but one involves intense heat and the other involves affection.
- While socarrar is used in Spanish, it actually originates from the Basque words su for 'fire' and gar for 'blaze'.
- The word abrasar is used in common idioms to describe extreme heat, such as me abraso, which means 'I'm roasting' or 'I'm burning up' in the sun.
Examples in context
- Mezcla bien los ingredientes y después dora la carne.Mix the ingredients well and then sear the meat.
- Primero, fríe la carne a fuego alto para sellar los jugos y luego cocina a fuego lento.First, sear the meat over high heat to seal in the juices, and then cook on low heat.
- Marca bien los langostinos en la sartén antes de añadirlos a la salsa.Sear the prawns well in the pan before adding them to the sauce.
- El chef usó el soplete para chamuscar el queso.The chef used the torch to sear the cheese.
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are cooking dinner together in the kitchen.
- DanielSofía, ¿estás usando el fuego muy alto?Sofía, are you using the heat too high?
- SofíaSí, quiero chamuscar un poco el filete.Yes, I want to sear the steak a bit.
- DanielNo lo quemes demasiado, por favor.Please don't burn it too much.
- SofíaNo te preocupes, Daniel, lo tengo controlado.Don't worry, Daniel, I have it under control.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sear” translations and entries chamuscar, socarrar, abrasar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries abrasar, chamuscar, socarrar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
