How to Say "fork" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “fork” is “tenedor” — use this word when referring to the eating utensil with prongs used for picking up food..
tenedor
/te-ne-dor//teneˈðoɾ/
Examples
Necesito un tenedor para comer la carne.
I need a fork to eat the meat.
¿Puedes poner los cuchillos y los tenedores en la mesa?
Can you put the knives and forks on the table?
El tenedor de postre es más pequeño que el normal.
The dessert fork is smaller than the regular one.
Always Masculine
Even though many words for household items change, the word for 'fork' is always masculine (el tenedor), regardless of who is using it.
Pluralization
To make it plural, just add '-es' at the end: 'los tenedores'. This happens because the word ends in a consonant.
Confusing with spoon
Mistake: “Usar el tenedor para la sopa.”
Correction: Use 'cuchara' for soup. 'Tenedor' is only for things you poke or lift.
horca
/OR-kah//ˈoɾka/
Examples
El campesino usó la horca para mover la paja.
The farmer used the pitchfork to move the straw.
Compré una horca de ajos en el mercado local.
I bought a string of garlic at the local market.
Apoyó la horca contra la pared del establo.
He leaned the pitchfork against the stable wall.
A 'Forked' Root
The word comes from the Latin word for 'fork.' This helps explain why it's used for both the tool and the execution structure, as both have a 'forked' or 'branching' shape.
Tenedor vs. Horca
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