A high-quality illustration showing a stack of thin, round slices of light pink cooked ham resting on a wooden board.

york

/york/

NounmA2

cooked ham?a type of processed pink ham, often sliced for sandwiches

Also:York ham?specifically referring to the style of ham,deli ham?as in sliced cold cuts

📝 In Action

Quiero un sándwich de york y queso.

I want a cooked ham and cheese sandwich.

¿Me pone doscientos gramos de york en lonchas finas, por favor?

Could you give me two hundred grams of thinly sliced cooked ham, please?

Para la cena, vamos a comer una ensalada con trocitos de york.

For dinner, we're going to have a salad with little pieces of cooked ham.

Word Connections

Synonyms

jamón cocido (cooked ham)
jamón dulce (sweet ham)

Antonyms

jamón serrano (cured ham (Serrano))
jamón ibérico (Iberian ham)

Common Collocations

sándwich de york – cooked ham sandwich
york y queso – ham and cheese
loncha de york – slice of cooked ham

💡 Grammar Points

It's a Masculine Noun

Even though it doesn't end in -o, 'york' is a masculine word. Always use 'el' or 'un' with it. For example, 'Pásame el york' (Pass me the ham).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Not the Same as 'Jamón'

Mistake: "Asking for 'un sándwich de jamón' when you want the soft, pink ham."

Correction: In Spain, if you just say 'jamón', people might think you mean 'jamón serrano' (cured ham). To be clear you want sandwich ham, ask for 'york' or 'jamón cocido'.

⭐ Usage Tips

A Common Shortcut

People often say 'york' as a shortcut for the full name, 'jamón de York'. It's very common and natural to use the short version, especially when ordering food.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: york

Question 1 of 1

You're at a Spanish deli and want the pink, soft ham for a sandwich. What is the most common and specific thing to ask for?

📚 More Resources

Word Origin

This word is a direct borrowing from English. It comes from 'York ham', a specific style of mild-cured cooked ham that originated in the county of Yorkshire, England.

First recorded: 20th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: York

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'york' the same as 'jamón'?

Not quite. 'York' is a *type* of 'jamón' (ham). It specifically means cooked ham. If you just ask for 'jamón' in Spain, you might get 'jamón serrano', which is the famous dry-cured ham. To be clear you want sandwich ham, it's best to say 'york' or 'jamón cocido'.

Why is it called 'york' in Spanish?

It's named after the city of York in England, which is famous for a particular style of preparing this kind of ham. Spanish borrowed the name directly from 'York ham'.