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manteca

man-TEH-kah/manˈteka/

lard

Also: shortening, fat
NounfA2
Spain & Mexico
A white ceramic bowl filled with smooth, white rendered lard next to a wooden spoon.

📝 In Action

Para hacer tamales tradicionales, necesitas manteca de cerdo.

A2

To make traditional tamales, you need pork lard.

La receta pide media taza de manteca vegetal.

B1

The recipe calls for half a cup of vegetable shortening.

Lávate las manos, que tienes manteca.

B2

Wash your hands, they are greasy (covered in fat).

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • grasa (fat/grease)
  • sebo (tallow/suet)

Antonyms

  • magro (lean (meat))

Common Collocations

  • manteca de cerdo – pork lard
  • manteca vegetal – vegetable shortening
  • manteca de cacao – cocoa butter

Idioms & Expressions

  • estar en su manteca – to be in one's element or very comfortable

butter

NounfA1
Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay
A solid block of yellow butter resting on a small white plate.

📝 In Action

Quiero una tostada con manteca y mermelada.

A1

I want a piece of toast with butter and jam.

¿Podés comprar un pan de manteca en el súper?

A2

Can you buy a stick of butter at the supermarket?

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • manteca pomada – softened butter (room temperature)
  • pan con manteca – bread and butter

dough / money

NounfC1slang
Argentina
A thick stack of green banknotes tied with a simple rubber band.

📝 In Action

Ese tipo tiene mucha manteca.

C1

That guy has a lot of dough (money).

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • guita (cash (slang))
  • dinero (money)

Idioms & Expressions

  • tirar manteca al techo – to waste money or live opulently

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: manteca

Question 1 of 3

In Mexico, if you are making tamales and the recipe calls for 'manteca', what should you buy?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
mantequilla(butter) — Noun
mantecoso(buttery/greasy) — Adjective
mantecado(shortbread cookie / lard cake) — Noun
mantequero(butter dish) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Of uncertain origin, likely from a pre-Roman Iberian root. It is related to the idea of a fatty or thick substance.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: manteiga

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'manteca' masculine or feminine?

It is feminine: 'la manteca'.

What is 'manteca de cacao'?

It is 'cocoa butter,' the fat extracted from cocoa beans, used in chocolate and lip balms.

Can I use 'manteca' to mean butter in Spain?

No, if you ask for 'manteca' in Spain, they will give you white pork fat. Ask for 'mantequilla' instead.