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How to Say "barbecue" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “barbecue” is “asado” — use 'asado' to refer to the social gathering or party where meat is grilled, often outdoors..

English → Spanish

asado

ah-SAH-doh/aˈsaðo/

nounA2social event
Use 'asado' to refer to the social gathering or party where meat is grilled, often outdoors.
A backyard scene with a grill cooking various meats and a small group of friends laughing together.

Examples

Este domingo vamos a hacer un asado en casa.

This Sunday we are going to have a barbecue at home.

El asado es la comida más popular de Argentina.

Barbecue is the most popular food in Argentina.

A Person, Place, and Thing

As a noun, 'un asado' refers to the whole experience: the fire, the meat, the friends, and the meal itself.

barbacoa

/bar-bah-KOH-ah//baɾβaˈkoa/

nounA1cooking equipment
Use 'barbacoa' to refer to the actual grill or cooking apparatus used for barbecuing.
A black metal charcoal grill with smoke rising from the grates.

Examples

Limpiamos la barbacoa antes de cocinar las hamburguesas.

We cleaned the barbecue before cooking the burgers.

Compramos una barbacoa de carbón muy grande.

We bought a very large charcoal grill.

Gender check

This word is feminine, so you should always use it with 'la' or 'una'.

Event vs. Equipment

The most common mistake is using 'barbacoa' when you mean the social event. Remember, 'asado' is for the party or get-together, while 'barbacoa' is the grill itself.

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