Knowing how to talk about meat is essential for anyone traveling or living in a Spanish-speaking country. Whether you're ordering tacos al pastor in Mexico, buying from a 'carnicería' for an Argentine 'asado' (barbecue), or simply navigating the supermarket, this vocabulary is key. You'll find that many words are straightforward, but there are important regional differences to be aware of. In Latin America, 'carne de res' is the common term for beef, whereas in Spain, you're more likely to hear 'carne de ternera'. Similarly, while 'cerdo' is universally understood for pork, 'puerco' is very common in countries like Mexico. This list focuses on the high-frequency terms you'll encounter most often in Latin America, helping you shop and dine with confidence. Learning these words will unlock a huge part of the culinary culture. Pay attention to the groups, starting with general terms and then moving to specific types of meat and popular cuts. This will help you build your vocabulary in a logical way, from the general concept of 'carne' to a specific 'pechuga de pollo'.
meat
No como mucha carne roja, prefiero el pollo. — I don't eat a lot of red meat, I prefer chicken.
butcher shop
Voy a la carnicería a comprar dos kilos de carne para el asado. — I'm going to the butcher shop to buy two kilos of meat for the barbecue.
butcher (male/female)
El carnicero me recomendó un buen corte para la parrilla. — The butcher recommended a good cut for the grill.
grilled (on a grate)
Me encanta el bistec a la parrilla con chimichurri. — I love grilled steak with chimichurri.
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roasted / grilled
El domingo vamos a comer pollo asado en casa de mi abuela. — On Sunday we're going to eat roasted chicken at my grandmother's house.
chicken
¿Podemos pedir pollo frito para la cena? — Can we order fried chicken for dinner?
beef
Estos tacos son de carne de res. En España es más común decir 'ternera'. — These tacos are beef. In Spain it's more common to say 'ternera' (veal/beef).
pork
Las chuletas de cerdo son mis favoritas. En México también se dice mucho 'puerco'. — Pork chops are my favorite. In Mexico they also say 'puerco' a lot.
fish (as food)
En la costa, comimos pescado fresco todos los días. — On the coast, we ate fresh fish every day.
lamb
El cordero es muy popular en la Patagonia para las fiestas. — Lamb is very popular in Patagonia for holidays.
turkey
Para Navidad, mi familia siempre prepara un pavo grande. — For Christmas, my family always prepares a big turkey.
steak
Quiero mi bistec término medio, por favor. — I want my steak medium, please.
ground meat (usually beef)
¿Me da medio kilo de carne molida para hacer hamburguesas? — Can you give me half a kilo of ground meat to make hamburgers?
ribs
Vamos a un restaurante que sirve unas costillas de cerdo deliciosas. — We're going to a restaurant that serves delicious pork ribs.
loin / tenderloin
El lomo saltado es un plato peruano famoso hecho con carne de res. — Lomo saltado is a famous Peruvian dish made with beef.
chop (usually pork)
Voy a cocinar unas chuletas de cerdo con puré de papas. — I'm going to cook some pork chops with mashed potatoes.
pork belly (sometimes bacon)
La panceta queda muy crujiente si la cocinas lentamente. — Pork belly gets very crispy if you cook it slowly.
chicken breast
Prefiero la pechuga de pollo porque tiene menos grasa. — I prefer chicken breast because it has less fat.
chicken thigh
El muslo de pollo es más jugoso que la pechuga. — The chicken thigh is juicier than the breast.
chicken wings
El viernes por la noche pedimos alitas picantes y cerveza. — On Friday night we order spicy wings and beer.
ham
Necesito jamón y queso para hacer un sándwich. — I need ham and cheese to make a sandwich.
bacon
Me gusta desayunar huevos con tocino. En algunos países como Venezuela le dicen 'tocineta'. — I like to have eggs with bacon for breakfast. In some countries like Venezuela they call it 'tocineta'.
sausage (hot dog style)
A los niños les encantan los perros calientes con muchas salchichas. — Kids love hot dogs with lots of sausages.
chorizo sausage
El chorizo en México es fresco y se usa para tacos, mientras que el español es curado y se come en rebanadas. — Chorizo in Mexico is fresh and used for tacos, while Spanish chorizo is cured and eaten in slices.
blood sausage
En Argentina, la morcilla es una parte clásica del asado. — In Argentina, blood sausage is a classic part of a barbecue.