masa

/MAH-sah/

dough

Masa can mean 'dough', like the soft mixture used to bake bread or pizza.

masa(noun)

fA1

dough

for baking bread or pizza

batter

for pancakes or cakes

Also:

paste

thick mixture

mixture

uncooked ingredients

📝 In Action

Necesito amasar la masa del pan por diez minutos.

I need to knead the bread dough for ten minutes.

Esta masa de galletas lleva mucha mantequilla.

This cookie dough has a lot of butter in it.

La masa para los panqueques debe ser líquida.

The batter for the pancakes should be liquid.

Word Connections

Synonyms

pasta (paste/dough)
mezcla (mixture)

Common Collocations

masa madre – sourdough starter
amasar la masa – to knead the dough

💡 Grammar Points

Always Feminine

Remember that 'masa' is always feminine, so you must use 'la masa' or 'una masa', even though it refers to a substance, not a specific female person or thing.

⭐ Usage Tips

Dough vs. Pasta

Use 'masa' for baking (bread, cake, cookies). Use 'pasta' more often for things like toothpaste or sometimes specific types of food dough (like pasta noodles, though usually just 'pasta').

A gigantic, perfectly smooth, solid gray sphere sitting on a flat, white surface, illustrating density and physical mass.

Masa also translates to 'mass', referring to the physical property of matter.

masa(noun)

fB1

mass

physical property of matter

Also:

bulk

large quantity or volume

body

main part of something

📝 In Action

La masa de un objeto no cambia, sin importar dónde se encuentre.

The mass of an object does not change, regardless of where it is located.

Hay una gran masa de hielo flotando en el océano.

There is a large mass of ice floating in the ocean.

Word Connections

Synonyms

volumen (volume)
peso (weight)

Common Collocations

masa corporal – body mass
masa muscular – muscle mass

💡 Grammar Points

Masa vs. Peso

In science, 'masa' is the amount of matter in something, while 'peso' (weight) is the force of gravity pulling on that matter. In everyday Spanish, people often use 'peso' when they mean 'masa' (like asking '¿cuánto pesa?' instead of '¿cuál es su masa?').

A vast, tightly packed crowd composed of countless tiny, colorful, simplified human figures stretching into the background.

When used with the definite article, la masa refers to 'the masses' or the general public.

masa(noun)

fB2

the masses

the general public

Also:

crowd

large group of people

populace

people collectively

📝 In Action

La televisión tiene una gran influencia sobre la masa.

Television has a great influence over the masses (the public).

Se formó una masa de manifestantes frente al edificio del gobierno.

A crowd of protestors formed in front of the government building.

Word Connections

Synonyms

multitud (multitude/crowd)
pueblo (people/town)

Common Collocations

medios de masa – mass media
movimiento de masas – mass movement

💡 Grammar Points

Singular Noun, Plural Idea

When 'masa' means 'the masses' or 'the public,' it is treated as a singular noun, even though it refers to many people. Use singular verbs: 'La masa piensa...' (The masses think...).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: masa

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'masa' in its physical/scientific sense?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

masivo(massive) - adjective

amasar(to knead) - verb

masificar(to make widespread/massify) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'masa' the same as 'peso' (weight)?

Not exactly. While they are related, 'masa' refers to the amount of material in an object, which never changes. 'Peso' refers to how heavy that object feels due to gravity, which can change depending on where you are (e.g., on the moon, your 'masa' is the same, but your 'peso' is much lower).

How do I say 'dough' in Spanish if it's not for bread?

If you are talking about the dough for baking (cookies, cakes, pizza), 'masa' is correct. If you mean something like 'play-doh' or a thick paste, you might use 'pasta' or 'plastilina' (for play-doh).