Essential Tapas Vocabulary

Gazpacho con pan | GranadaSpain

¿Hay tapitas? Is there tapas? Below you will find a useful guide to the vocabulary and phrases that you might need in the bars and restaurants of Granada. Grab the bull by the horns and go for it!

First off, let’s start with the drinks.

Bebidas-drinks

Carne-meat

Pescados-fish

Vegetariano-vegetarian

Useful phrases

Alhambra beer | GranadaSpain

Bebidas - Drinks

Agua con gas/natural
Sparkling water/still water

Agua del grifo
Tap water

Con hielo/sin hielo
With ice/without ice

Cerveza – caña, tubo, quinto, tercio
Beer – small glass, medium glass, small bottle 20/25 ml., medium bottle 33 cl. The local beer is Alhambra.

Clara
Beer and lemonade – essentially the Spanish equivalent to shandy and a great option on a hot day.

Mosto
Local non-alcoholic wine

Tinto de Verano
A refreshing summer drink of red wine and lemonade. Similar strength to beer. Can be made in house or bought in so it varies from bar to bar.

Vino tinto/blanco/rosado
Red wine/white wine/rosé

Una copa/una botella de vino
A glass/a bottle of wine

Zumo de naranja (natural)/piña/manzana/pera/melocotón
Juice, orange (freshly squeezed)/pinapple/apple/pear/peach

Carne - Meat

Albóndigas
Meatballs

Caracoles
Snails

Carne picada
Minced meat

Cerdo
Pork

Conejo
Rabbit

Cordero – paletilla or pierna
Lamb – shoulder or leg

Croquetas
Potato croquettes often made with jamón

Embutidos
Sausage selections

Habas con jámon
Broad beans and cured ham

Hamburguesa
Hamburger

Jamón Serrano (curado)/York (cocido)
Ham, cured/cooked

Lomo de cerdo
Pork loin

Morcilla
Black pudding/sausage (pictured above)

Pinchos/brochetas
Meat (or veg) on skewers

Pollo
Chicken

Salmorejo
Cold tomato soup with cured ham and boiled egg

Ternera
Veal

Morcilla | Jonathan Picas

Pescados y mariscos - Fish & seafood

Anchoas
Salted achovies

Almejas
Clams

Atún
Tuna

Bacalao
Cod

Boquerones
Anchovies in sweet vinegar or small fried fish

Calamares frito/a la plancha
Squid, fried/grilled

Cangrejo
Crab

Chanquetes
Whitebait

Ensaladilla (rusa)
Russian salad of vegetables, potato, tuna and mayonnaise

Gambas
Prawns (large)

Huevas
Fish roe

Mejillones
Mussels

Paella
The famous Spanish rice dish which will often include meat and seafood

Pulpo
Octopus

Tapas vegetarianas y verduras - Vegetarian tapas & vegetables

Aceite de oliva
Olive oil

Aceitunas
Olives

Ajo
Garlic

Ali oli
Garlic dip

Arroz
Rice

Berenjenas con miel
Scrumptiously thin sliced and fried aubergine drizzled with molasses

Champiñónes
Mushrooms

Ensalada
Salad

Espárrago
Asparagus

Espinacas
Spinach

Gazpacho
Cold tomato soup. Very refreshing in the summer.

Huevos revueltos/fritos
Eggs scrambled/fried

Migas (pictured above)
Flour or breadcrumbs lightly fried with garlic – may be served with chorizo or boquerones

Patatas a lo pobre
Poor man’s potatoes – a delicious andalucían dish of potatoes fried with peppers and onions in lashings of olive oil

Patatas asadas
Roast potatoes

Patatas bravas
Potatoes in spicy tomato sauce

Queso/curado
Cheese/cured

Tortilla
Spanish omelette (with potatoes)

Tortilla Francesa
Plain omelette

Verduras
Vegetables

Una cerveza con migas | Juanjo R

Other useful words & phrases

**Asado(a)
Roasted/baked in oven

A la plancha
Grilled/griddled

Ahumado(a)
Smoked

Barbacoa
BBQ

Bocadillo
Sandwich

Caliente
Hot

Camarero(a)
Waiter, waitress

Cubiertos – cuchillo, tenedor, cuchara
Cutlery – knife, fork, spoon

La cuenta
The bill/cheque

Frío(a)
Cold

Frito
Fried

Pan
Bread

Picante
Spicy

Plato, platito
Plate, little plate

¡Ponme una caña!**
Get me a beer!

Sal y pimienta
Salt and pepper

Salsa
Sauce

¡Traeme la cuenta!
Bring me the bill

Notes on the language

*Copa not Vaso. Vaso is the word for glass, but when asking for a glass of wine it is more correct to say “una copa de vino tinto”

** ¡Ponme! ¡Traeme! It is perfectly acceptable, when you order in Spanish bars, to simply say “get me a beer” or “bring me the bill”.

Spanish is a very direct language in this sense. In England it might seem rude, but here in Spain it would be considered a little strange if you were to constantly use the ultra polite form I would like… “Me gustaría una copa de vino blanco” when ordering.

Good luck with this one. It is quite liberating when you get into your stride.