Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| almidón | /almiˈdon/ | masculine |
| fécula | /ˈfekula/ | feminine |
The term refers to carbohydrates in the form of starch. You can use the verb almidonar to describe the act of applying laundry starch to items like clothing, and the adjective almidonado describes something that has been starched.
Which one should you use?
almidón is the most common term for starch used in both general and scientific contexts. In contrast, fécula is a term often used in technical or culinary settings when referring to starch extracted from a specific source, such as fécula de patata (potato starch).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Canary Islands, the term Gofio is used to refer to a toasted cereal flour.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
almidón is a masculine noun and requires masculine articles such as el or un. The form fécula is a feminine noun and requires feminine articles such as la or una.
How do you pronounce it?
/almiˈdon/
Did you know?
- Spanish shares a deep linguistic root for starch with Hebrew, as the word amilan in Hebrew is a cognate of the Spanish almidón.
- Historically, the act of almidonar clothing served as a social status symbol because stiff collars and cuffs indicated wealth and formality.
- In Spanish, fécula is specifically used to distinguish starches derived from tubers or roots from those derived from cereal grains.
Examples in context
- La degradación de almidón está ligada a un reloj Circadiano.Starch degradation is linked to a circadian clock.This sentence illustrates the scientific context of almidón regarding degradation.Tatoeba #1172819 by marcelostockle, translation #1172818 by marcelostockle
- El almidón de maíz le da consistencia a la salsa blanca.Corn starch gives the white sauce its consistency.This sentence shows how to use almidón to describe the consistency provided by corn starch.Tatoeba #944276 by hayastan, translation #10457072 by AlanF_US
- ¿Cómo se cocina arroz sin almidón?How does one cook rice without starch?This sentence uses almidón in a question about cooking rice.Tatoeba #687827 by lukaszpp, translation #3654152 by AlanF_US
- En esta receta, necesitas añadir dos cucharadas de almidón para espesar la salsa.In this recipe, you need to add two tablespoons of starch to thicken the sauce.
- Voy a usar fécula de maíz para hacer el relleno de la tarta.I'm going to use cornstarch to make the pie filling.
- Voy a agregar maicena a la salsa para espesarla.I'm going to add cornstarch to the sauce to thicken it.
- Por favor, no olvides comprar almidón de maíz para la receta.Please don't forget to buy cornstarch for the recipe.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are discussing a new recipe in the kitchen.
- AlejandroEste ingrediente tiene mucho almidón.This ingredient has a lot of starch.
- MaríaSí, por eso la salsa es tan espesa.Yes, that is why the sauce is so thick.
- Alejandro¿Crees que el almidón de la papa es mejor?Do you think the potato starch is better?
- MaríaNo estoy segura de si es más saludable.I am not sure if it is healthier.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “starch” translations and entries almidón, fécula, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries almidón, fécula, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
