espinaca
/espiˈnaka/feminine
The Spanish word for spinach is espinaca.
espinaca refers to the edible plant Spinacia oleracea.
Meaning: a particular edible plant, Spinacia oleracea (noun)
Which one should you use?
While the singular form is espinaca, it is very common to use the plural form espinacas when referring to the vegetable in a culinary context. When talking about spinach as a general food item or a specific dish, it is most natural to use the plural article las with the plural noun espinacas.
Is it said differently in some regions?
espinaca is the most commonly used word for spinach and is understood in all Spanish-speaking regions.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word is a feminine noun. In culinary contexts, the plural form espinacas is frequently used.
How do you pronounce it?
/espiˈnaka/
Did you know?
- The word espinaca has its roots in Arabic, specifically from the terms sabāniḵ or ʔisfānāḵ.
- In Spain, espinacas con garbanzos is a traditional dish from Andalusia that combines spinach with chickpeas.
- The word espinaca serves as a linguistic marker of the Middle Ages, when Arabic agricultural techniques and crops transformed Mediterranean diets.
Examples in context
- Me comí unas espinacas.I ate some spinach.This sentence shows how to use espinaca to describe eating some spinach.Tatoeba #4505691 by cueyayotl, translation #2184382 by Hybrid
- Tom odiaba las espinacas.Tom hated spinach.This sentence uses espinaca to show how someone might hate the vegetable.Tatoeba #9452858 by ignacio, translation #3360556 by CK
- ¿Te comiste tus espinacas?Did you eat your spinach?This sentence uses espinaca to ask if someone finished eating their spinach.Tatoeba #1831898 by Shishir, translation #1830633 by CK
- Me gusta la espinacaI like spinach
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are deciding what to cook for dinner.
- ElenaVoy a comprar espinaca para la cena.I am going to buy spinach for dinner.
- JavierMe parece bien, Javier quiere ensalada.That sounds good, Javier wants salad.
- Elena¿Prefieres la espinaca fresca o congelada?Do you prefer fresh or frozen spinach?
- JavierMejor compra la espinaca fresca.Better buy the fresh spinach.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “spinach” translations and entries espinaca, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries espinaca, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
