yuca
/ˈʝuka/feminine
The English word yucca (the evergreen plant) is yuca in Spanish. Wiktionary also lists cashcamote.
Meaning: evergreen plant (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| yuca | /ˈʝuka/ | feminine |
| cashcamote | /kaskamote/ (from spelling rules) | Guatemala, masculine |
In culinary contexts, you may see the more specific phrase El tubérculo de yuca used to refer specifically to the edible tuberous root.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Guatemala, the masculine noun cashcamote is used to refer to this plant.
How does it change in a sentence?
yuca is a feminine noun, so it is used with feminine articles such as la.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʝuka/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the spelling yucca instead of the Spanish yuca.
Did you know?
- Because the root of the yuca contains cyanogenic glucosides, it must be peeled and boiled or processed to be safe for human consumption.
- The word yuca is a direct linguistic legacy from the Taíno people, who inhabited much of the Caribbean long before Spanish arrival.
- In the Caribbean, yuca is the primary ingredient for casabe, a flatbread that was so durable it could be stored for years without spoiling.
Examples in context
- La yuca es de color verde.The yucca is green in color.
- Esa yuca tiene hojas muy largas.That yucca has very long leaves.
- Plantamos una yuca en el jardín.We planted a yucca in the garden.
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel are looking at plants in a botanical garden.
- Elena¿Te gusta esa yuca?Do you like that yucca?
- DanielSí, la yuca es muy bonita.Yes, the yucca is very beautiful.
- ElenaDaniel, mira el tamaño de sus hojas.Daniel, look at the size of its leaves.
- DanielEs impresionante.It is impressive.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yucca” translations and entries yuca, cashcamote, 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 yuca, CC BY-SA 4.0.
