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How to Say "beef" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “beef” is “carne” — use 'carne' when referring to beef as a general type of meat, especially in regions like Argentina, or when speaking about meat consumption in a broad sense..

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carne

/KAR-neh//ˈkaɾne/

NounA1General
Use 'carne' when referring to beef as a general type of meat, especially in regions like Argentina, or when speaking about meat consumption in a broad sense.
A thick, raw cut of red beef steak resting on a simple wooden cutting board, ready to be cooked.

Examples

No como carne, soy vegetariano.

I don't eat meat, I'm a vegetarian.

Voy a comprar un kilo de carne molida para las hamburguesas.

I'm going to buy a kilo of ground meat for the hamburgers.

Este restaurante es famoso por sus carnes a la parrilla.

This restaurant is famous for its grilled meats.

It's a Feminine Noun

Even though it doesn't end in '-a', 'carne' is a feminine word. This means you always say 'la carne' (the meat) or 'una carne muy tierna' (a very tender meat).

General 'Meat' vs. Specific 'Beef'

Mistake: “Using 'carne' when you specifically want to say 'beef'.”

Correction: 'Carne' is the general word for all meat. While some places might understand 'carne' as beef by default, it's always clearer to say 'carne de res' for beef.

vaca

/BAH-kah//ˈbaka/

NounA1General
Use 'vaca' to specifically refer to the meat that comes from a cow, though this is less common than 'carne de res' for beef.
A friendly, cartoon-style black and white spotted cow standing in a grassy meadow under a bright blue sky.

Examples

La vaca da leche fresca todas las mañanas.

The cow gives fresh milk every morning.

En la granja vimos un toro y muchas vacas pastando.

On the farm, we saw a bull and many cows grazing.

Gender Rule

Since 'vaca' refers to a female animal, it is a feminine noun and always uses the article 'la' or 'una'.

General Meat vs. Cow Meat

Learners often confuse 'carne' and 'vaca' by assuming 'vaca' is the primary word for beef. Remember that 'carne' is the broader term for meat (which includes beef), and 'vaca' specifically means 'cow', often used for the animal itself rather than its meat, unless context is very clear.

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