rallado
/raˈʝado/
The English word "shredded" is translated into Spanish as rallado.
rallado is used to describe something that has been cut or torn into narrow strips or small pieces. For a more colloquial way to say something has been torn apart or shredded, you can use the phrase hecho/a trizas.
Meaning: cut or torn into narrow strips or small pieces (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
rallado is the past participle of the verb rallar, which means to grate or to shred.
Which one should you use?
While rallado is used for food like cheese or carrots, it is not typically used for paper or fabric. For those, troceado (cut into pieces) or deshilachado (frayed/shredded) would be more appropriate.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender with the noun it modifies, so use the feminine form rallada for feminine nouns like lechuga (lettuce). The adjective must agree in number with the noun it modifies, so use the masculine plural form rallados for masculine plural nouns like quesos (cheeses).
How do you pronounce it?
/raˈʝado/
Did you know?
- If you use the homophone rayado (scratched) to describe a person, it becomes a slang term in some Spanish-speaking countries meaning that the person is 'crazy' or has a 'screw loose'.
- The word rallado is a homophone of rayado, which means 'scratched' or 'striped'. Using the wrong spelling in writing can change your 'shredded cheese' into 'scratched cheese'.
- The phrase hecho trizas is used not only for shredded objects but also to describe a person who is utterly exhausted or emotionally broken.
Examples in context
- ¿Quieres algo de trigo rallado?Do you want some shredded wheat?This sentence is useful for asking if someone wants shredded wheat using the form rallado.Tatoeba #5976030 by albrusgher, translation #5954954 by Hybrid
- Tom puso una bolsa de queso rallado en su carrito de la compra.Tom put a bag of shredded cheese into his shopping cart.This sentence shows how to describe a bag of shredded cheese using the form rallado.Tatoeba #5976033 by albrusgher, translation #2537258 by CK
- La camiseta está deshilachadaThe shirt is shredded
- El papel quedó hecho trizasThe paper got shredded.
- La ensalada contiene pollo desmenuzado.The salad contains shredded chicken.
- La camisa quedó deshilachada después del incidente.The shirt got shredded after the incident.
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are preparing dinner in their kitchen.
- Lucía¿Tienes el repollo rallado para la ensalada?Do you have the shredded cabbage for the salad?
- JavierSí, lo acabo de rallar.Yes, I just shredded it.
- LucíaPerfecto, gracias por ayudarme.Perfect, thanks for helping me.
- JavierDe nada, Lucía.You're welcome, Lucía.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shredded” translations and entries rallado, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
