Inklingo
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Crispy, wavy strips of cooked bacon on a white plate.

tocino

toh-SEE-noh

nounmA1
bacon?fried strips of pork meat
Also:pork fat?the fatty part of the pig used in cooking,salt pork?cured pork fat used for flavoring stews

📝 In Action

Me gusta comer huevos con tocino en el desayuno.

A1

I like to eat eggs and bacon for breakfast.

El tocino debe estar muy crujiente.

A1

The bacon should be very crispy.

Añade un poco de tocino a las lentejas para darles sabor.

A2

Add a bit of pork fat to the lentils to give them flavor.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • beicon (bacon (Anglicism used in Spain))
  • tocineta (bacon (common in Caribbean/LatAm))
  • grasa (fat)

Antonyms

  • magro (lean meat (meat without fat))

Common Collocations

  • tocino ahumado – smoked bacon
  • tocino entreverado – streaky bacon (meat mixed with fat)
  • freír tocino – to fry bacon

Idioms & Expressions

  • tocino de cielo – A very popular traditional Spanish dessert made of egg yolks and sugar.
  • confundir la velocidad con el tocino – To compare two things that have nothing to do with each other.

💡 Grammar Points

Using 'the' with tocino

Since 'tocino' is a masculine word, always use 'el' (the) or 'un' (a). For example: 'el tocino es rico'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Bacon vs. Ham

Mistake: "Using 'jamón' when you want 'tocino'."

Correction: 'Jamón' is ham (cured leg meat), while 'tocino' is specifically the fatty cut used for bacon. They taste very different!

⭐ Usage Tips

Beicon vs. Tocino

In Spain, if you want thin, crispy strips like in American breakfast, you might see it called 'beicon'. 'Tocino' often refers to thicker, fattier pieces used in stews.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: tocino

Question 1 of 2

Which of these would you most likely do with 'tocino'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

tocinero(bacon seller/pork butcher) - noun
tocineta(bacon strips) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'tocino' the same as 'bacon'?

Yes, but with a nuance. In many Spanish-speaking countries, 'tocino' refers to any pork fat, while 'bacon' (or 'beicon') specifically refers to the thin, cured strips.

Is 'tocino' masculine or feminine?

It is masculine. You should always say 'el tocino' or 'mucho tocino'.