carne
/KAR-neh/
meat
The most common meaning of carne is meat from an animal used as food.
📝 In Action
No como carne, soy vegetariano.
A1I don't eat meat, I'm a vegetarian.
Voy a comprar un kilo de carne molida para las hamburguesas.
A2I'm going to buy a kilo of ground meat for the hamburgers.
Este restaurante es famoso por sus carnes a la parrilla.
B1This restaurant is famous for its grilled meats.
💡 Grammar Points
It's a Feminine Noun
Even though it doesn't end in '-a', 'carne' is a feminine word. This means you always say 'la carne' (the meat) or 'una carne muy tierna' (a very tender meat).
❌ Common Pitfalls
General 'Meat' vs. Specific 'Beef'
Mistake: "Using 'carne' when you specifically want to say 'beef'."
Correction: 'Carne' is the general word for all meat. While some places might understand 'carne' as beef by default, it's always clearer to say 'carne de res' for beef.
In descriptive or medical contexts, carne refers to the flesh or soft tissue of a human or animal body.
📝 In Action
El médico dijo que la herida solo afectó la carne, no el hueso.
B2The doctor said the wound only affected the flesh, not the bone.
Por fin conocí en carne y hueso al autor de mi libro favorito.
B1I finally met the author of my favorite book in the flesh.
⭐ Usage Tips
Emphasizing Reality
The phrase 'de carne y hueso' is a great way to talk about a real, living person with feelings and flaws, as opposed to an idea, a character, or a celebrity you only see on screen.
Carne can also describe the soft, edible flesh or pulp of a fruit or vegetable, like an avocado.
📝 In Action
La carne de este aguacate está perfectamente madura.
B1The flesh of this avocado is perfectly ripe.
Separa la carne de la sandía de la cáscara y las semillas.
B2Separate the flesh of the watermelon from the rind and the seeds.
⭐ Usage Tips
Distinguishing Parts of Fruit
This is a useful word to know when you need to be specific. While 'fruta' is the whole thing, 'carne' or 'pulpa' refers just to the soft part you eat.
In religious or philosophical contexts, la carne refers to 'the flesh,' representing physical or sensual desires.
carne(Noun)
the flesh
?physical or sensual desires, as opposed to the spirit
worldliness
?material existence
📝 In Action
La lucha entre el espíritu y la carne es un tema central en su obra.
C1The struggle between the spirit and the flesh is a central theme in his work.
Ceder a las tentaciones de la carne.
C1To give in to the temptations of the flesh.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: carne
Question 1 of 2
If a friend says they are 'uña y carne' with someone, what do they mean?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'carne' feminine if it ends in '-e'?
Spanish has many nouns that don't follow the typical '-o for masculine, -a for feminine' rule. 'Carne' is one of them. You just have to learn it as a set phrase: 'la carne'. This often happens with words that came from feminine Latin nouns, like 'la noche' (night) or 'la gente' (people).
What's the difference between 'carne' and 'bistec'?
'Carne' is the general word for 'meat'. 'Bistec' is a much more specific word that means 'steak', which is a particular cut of meat, usually beef. So, a 'bistec' is a type of 'carne'.