ajo

ah-ho

nounmA1

garlic?the vegetable/bulb used in cooking

Also:clove?referring to a single piece when used as 'diente de ajo'

📝 In Action

Necesito tres dientes de ajo para la salsa.

I need three cloves of garlic for the sauce.

El ajo es muy bueno para la salud.

Garlic is very good for your health.

No me gusta el olor a ajo en las manos.

I don't like the smell of garlic on my hands.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

diente de ajo – clove of garlic
cabeza de ajo – head/bulb of garlic
ajo tierno – spring garlic / green garlic
aceite de ajo – garlic oil

Idioms & Expressions

estar en el ajo – to be in on a secret or involved in a matter
revolver el ajo – to stir up trouble or a mess

💡 Grammar Points

Using 'Ajo' as a Countable Object

In Spanish, we usually count garlic by 'dientes' (teeth/cloves) or 'cabezas' (heads/bulbs) rather than saying 'one garlic' or 'two garlics'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Garlic vs. Garlic Clove

Mistake: "Dame un ajo."

Correction: Dame un diente de ajo.

⭐ Usage Tips

Kitchen Tip

Spanish recipes often start with 'un sofrito,' which almost always involves chopped garlic (ajo picado).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: ajo

Question 1 of 2

How do you say 'a clove of garlic' in Spanish?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

ajito(little garlic) - noun

ajado(worn out / withered) - adjective

ajero(garlic seller / container) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'ajo' ever used as a bad word?

In some countries like Spain, people say '¡Ajo!' as a polite way to start saying '¡Carajo!' (a swear word) but stopping themselves halfway. It's like saying 'Shoot!' instead of a stronger word.

What is the difference between 'ajo' and 'ajó'?

'Ajo' is garlic or 'I wear out'. 'Ajó' is the past tense form: 'he/she/it wore out'.