azúcar
/aˈθukaɾ/feminine, masculine
The English word "sugar" is translated into Spanish as azúcar. If unsure, use azúcar. Wiktionary also lists sacarosa and mishqui.
Meaning: sucrose from sugar cane or sugar beet used to sweeten food and drink (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| azúcar | /aˈθukaɾ/ /aˈsukaɾ/ |
feminine, masculine |
| sacarosa | /sakaˈɾosa/ | feminine |
| mishqui | /ˈmiʃki/ | Peru, feminine, masculine |
azúcar is the most common and widely understood term for the sucrose used to sweeten food and drinks.
Which one should you use?
While azúcar refers to common table sugar, sacarosa is a technical term used to refer specifically to the chemical compound sucrose.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain Andean regions of Peru, the word mishqui is used to refer to sugar or sweetness. In Colombia and Venezuela, the term panela refers specifically to unrefined cane sugar. In Mexico, azúcar mascabado is used to describe brown sugar.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word azúcar can be treated as either masculine or feminine. However, in standard usage, it is most commonly used with masculine articles, such as el azúcar.
How do you pronounce it?
/aˈθukaɾ/
Did you know?
- The Spanish word azúcar actually shares an ancient ancestor with the word for 'gravel' or 'small stones'.
- The spelling of azúcar changed over centuries from the Old Spanish form açúcar, which used a cedilla under the 'c'.
- The word mishqui does not just mean sugar, but can refer to anything that is sweet, such as honey.
Examples in context
- Esto no es azúcar.This isn't sugar.This sentence is useful for identifying that a substance is not azúcar.Tatoeba #2914814 by marcelostockle, translation #2233761 by CK
- Aquí no hay azúcar.There is no sugar here.This sentence is useful for stating the absence of azúcar in a location.Tatoeba #907272 by Shishir, translation #882541 by Zifre
- El azúcar es dulce.Sugar is sweet.This sentence is useful for describing the property of azúcar being sweet.Tatoeba #1591594 by Shishir, translation #1588811 by CM
- Me gusta añadir azúcar a mi café.I like to add sugar to my coffee.
- El azúcar moreno hace que las galletas tengan un sabor especial.Brown sugar makes the cookies have a special flavor.
- 199 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are in the kitchen making coffee.
- Alejandro¿Tienes azúcar para el café, Lucía?Do you have sugar for the coffee, Lucía?
- LucíaSí, Alejandro, está en el armario.Yes, Alejandro, it is in the cupboard.
- AlejandroGracias, ¿puedes pasarme el azúcar?Thanks, can you pass me the sugar?
- LucíaClaro, aquí tienes.Sure, here you go.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sugar” translations and entries azúcar, sacarosa, mishqui, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries azúcar, mishqui, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
