cubiertos
“cubiertos” means “cutlery” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
cutlery
Also: silverware, place setting
📝 In Action
Por favor, pon los cubiertos en la mesa.
A1Please, put the cutlery on the table.
¿Me puede traer un juego de cubiertos limpio?
A2Can you bring me a set of clean silverware?
covered
Also: overcast, shrouded
📝 In Action
Los coches están cubiertos de nieve.
A2The cars are covered in snow.
Hoy los cielos estarán cubiertos.
B1Today the skies will be overcast.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: cubiertos
Question 1 of 2
If you are setting the table and need forks, spoons, and knives, you are looking for the...
📚 More Resources
📚 Etymology▼
From the verb 'cubrir', which comes from the Latin 'cooperire'. The noun meaning 'cutlery' comes from a 16th-century custom where a guest's utensils were 'covered' with a napkin to show they were clean and safe from poison.
First recorded: 13th century (general meaning); 16th century (cutlery meaning)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'cubiertos' include the napkin?
Technically no. It refers to the metal utensils (fork, knife, spoon). However, in a restaurant context, 'un cubierto' might include the whole place setting.
Why is the word for 'covered' and 'forks' the same?
It dates back to the Royal Courts. Utensils were brought to the table 'covered' (cubiertos) to guarantee that no one had touched them or poisoned them before the King ate.