olla
/OY-yah/
pot
Una olla is a deep cooking vessel used for making soups and stews.
olla(noun)
pot
?a deep cooking vessel
saucepan
?cooking container
,vessel
?general container for liquids
📝 In Action
Pon la olla en el fuego para hervir el agua.
A1Put the pot on the stove to boil the water.
Necesito una olla más grande para la sopa.
A1I need a bigger pot for the soup.
💡 Grammar Points
Feminine Noun
Even though it ends in 'a', just remember to always use 'la' before it: 'la olla'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Olla vs. Sartén
Mistake: "Using 'olla' for frying an egg."
Correction: Use 'olla' for boiling or making soups, and 'sartén' for frying or making omelets.
⭐ Usage Tips
Pressure Cookers
In many Spanish-speaking homes, an 'olla exprés' (pressure cooker) is the most important tool in the kitchen!
In slang, 'olla' can refer to a person's head or mind.
📝 In Action
¡Se te ha ido la olla por completo!
B2You have completely lost your mind!
No me comas la olla con tus problemas.
C1Don't get in my head with your problems.
💡 Grammar Points
Slang Usage
When used this way, 'olla' is always figurative. It treats the head like a container that holds your sanity.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Formal Contexts
Mistake: "Using 'se me fue la olla' in a job interview."
Correction: This is very informal. Use 'me distraje' (I got distracted) or 'perdí el hilo' (I lost my thread) instead.
⭐ Usage Tips
Spain Specific
This 'head' meaning is most popular in Spain. In other countries, they might use 'coco' or 'cabezota'.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: olla
Question 1 of 2
If someone says 'Se me ha ido la olla,' what happened?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'olla' the same as 'puchero'?
Not exactly. 'Olla' is the container, while 'puchero' often refers specifically to the clay pot or the heavy meat stew cooked inside it.
How do I pronounce the 'll' in 'olla'?
In most parts of the world, it sounds like the 'y' in 'yes'. In Argentina or Uruguay, it might sound like 'sh' or 'zh'.