taco suave
/tako swabe/from spelling rules
The English phrase "soft taco" is translated into Spanish as taco suave.
A taco suave refers to a taco made with a flexible flour or corn tortilla instead of a fried, crunchy shell.
Which one should you use?
Use taco suave specifically when you want to distinguish a taco with a flexible tortilla from a taco duro (hard taco).
Did you know?
- One theory suggests the word taco comes from the tacos de minero, which were rolled explosive charges used in silver mines. The rolled shape of early tacos resembled these gunpowder plugs.
- While taco suave is used for clarity, most native speakers in Mexico simply say taco because the traditional version is naturally soft. The concept of a 'hard' taco is largely a Tex-Mex invention.
- In Spanish, the word taco also means a 'plug' or a 'wad' used to fill a hole. This versatile meaning is likely why the word was applied to the food filling.
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are ordering food at a restaurant.
- ElenaJavier, ¿qué vas a pedir hoy?Javier, what are you going to order today?
- JavierVoy a pedir un taco suave de carne.I am going to order a soft beef taco.
- ElenaBuena elección, yo pediré lo mismo.Good choice, I will order the same.
- JavierPerfecto, pidamos dos entonces.Perfect, let's order two then.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries suave, taco, CC BY-SA 4.0.
