Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| remover | /remoˈbeɾ/ | |
| revolver | /rebolˈbeɾ/ | |
| bullir | /buˈʝiɾ/ | |
| mecer | /meˈθeɾ/ /meˈseɾ/ |
|
| mejer | /mexeɾ/ (from spelling rules) | |
| ebullir | /ebuˈʝiɾ/ | alternative form |
| escrucar | /eskɾukaɾ/ (from spelling rules) |
remover is commonly used in a culinary context to mean stirring a liquid or a mixture. revolver is used when you are stirring or mixing things up. If you want to say 'stir continuously', you can use revolver continuamente and if you want to say 'stir gently', you can use agitar ligeramente. For the sense of stirring caused by the natural agitation of a liquid that is boiling or bubbling, use bullir.
Which one should you use?
While remover is used for stirring a liquid or a pot, revolver often implies a more vigorous or messy mixing/shuffling of contents. bullir is used when the stirring is caused by the natural agitation of boiling liquid rather than a spoon. The form ebullir is an alternative spelling of bullir.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/remoˈbeɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful with the word remover. English speakers often mistake remover for 'to remove' (to take away), but in many contexts, it means 'to stir' or 'to move/disturb'.
Did you know?
- The Spanish word mecer shares a common ancestor with the Latin 'miscēre', which is the root of the English word 'mix'.
- The word bullir is used to describe the stirring motion of boiling liquids and is also used metaphorically to describe a place buzzing with excitement or activity.
Examples in context
- No olvides revolver el estofado.Don't forget to stir the stew.This sentence shows how to use revolver in a culinary instruction.Tatoeba #2320289 by marcelostockle, translation #2288932 by CK
- «¡No puedes remover tu caldero con la escoba, eso no es higiénico!» dijo la joven bruja."You can't stir your pot with your broom. That's not sanitary!" said the young witch.This sentence demonstrates the use of remover when discussing a pot.Tatoeba #5584837 by Shishir, translation #2588713 by Hybrid
- José, por favor, remueva la salsa con la cuchara.Jose, please stir the sauce with the spoon.
- Señora García, le sugiero que agite el contenido del frasco antes de usarlo.Mrs. Garcia, I suggest you stir/shake the contents of the jar before using it.
- Chicos, alguien tiene que revolver la sopa antes de servirla.Guys, someone has to stir the soup before serving it.
- Debes batir los huevos antes de agregarlos a la mezcla.You should stir/whisk the eggs before adding them to the mixture.
- Mezcla bien la salsa antes de servirla.Mix/stir the sauce well before serving.
- Voy a remover el té con la cuchara.I am going to stir the tea with the spoon.
- Ayúdame a agitar el frasco de pintura antes de abrirlo.Help me shake/stir the paint can before opening it.
- Debes remover la sopa con una cuchara de madera.You should stir the soup with a wooden spoon.
Example conversation
María and Javier are cooking dinner together in the kitchen.
- MaríaJavier, ¿puedes remover la salsa un momento?Javier, can you stir the sauce for a moment?
- JavierClaro, María. ¿Está muy espesa la salsa?Sure, María. Is the sauce very thick?
- MaríaUn poco, por eso hay que removerla.A little, that's why it needs to be stirred.
- JavierEntendido, ya la estoy removiendo.Understood, I am stirring it now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “stir” translations and entries remover, revolver, bullir, mecer, ebullir, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bullir, mecer, remover, revolver, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
