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cucharada

koo-chah-rah-dah/kut͡ʃaˈɾaða/

“cucharada” means “spoonful” in Spanish (the amount held by a spoon).

spoonful, tablespoon

Also: scoop
NounfA1
General
A wooden spoon filled with a small heap of white sugar.

📝 In Action

Solo quiero una cucharada de helado, por favor.

A1

I only want one spoonful of ice cream, please.

La receta dice que necesitas dos cucharadas de aceite de oliva.

A2

The recipe says you need two tablespoons of olive oil.

Toma una cucharada de este jarabe cada ocho horas.

B1

Take one spoonful of this syrup every eight hours.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • porción (portion)

Antonyms

  • pizca (pinch (a tiny amount))

Common Collocations

  • cucharada sopera – tablespoon (literally: soup spoonful)
  • cucharada colmada – heaping spoonful
  • cucharada rasa – level spoonful

Idioms & Expressions

  • probar una cucharada de su propia medicina – to get a taste of one's own medicine

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "cucharada" in Spanish:

scoop→spoonful→tablespoon→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: cucharada

Question 1 of 3

If you are following a recipe and need a tablespoon of salt, what do you ask for?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
cuchara(spoon) — Noun
cucharadita(teaspoon) — Noun
cucharón(ladle) — Noun
cucharear(to spoon or scoop) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Spanish word 'cuchara' (spoon), which originates from the Latin word 'cochleare', used to describe a tool for eating snails.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: colherada

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between cucharada and cucharadita?

A 'cucharada' is a large spoonful or tablespoon. A 'cucharadita' is a small spoonful or teaspoon. Think of the '-ita' ending as making things 'little'.

Is 'cucharada' masculine or feminine?

It is always feminine: 'la cucharada' or 'una cucharada'.

Can 'cucharada' refer to a scoop of ice cream?

While 'bola' (ball) is more common for a 'scoop' of ice cream, you can use 'cucharada' if you are talking about eating it with a spoon.