Inklingo

How to Say "juice" in Spanish

English → Spanish

jugo

HOO-go/ˈxu.ɣo/

nounA1general
Use 'jugo' for the liquid extracted from fruits or vegetables, like orange or apple juice.
A clear glass filled with vibrant orange juice, sitting next to two whole oranges on a simple background.

Examples

¿Quieres un vaso de jugo de naranja?

Do you want a glass of orange juice?

Este jugo verde es muy saludable para empezar el día.

This green juice is very healthy to start the day.

Prefiero el jugo natural al embotellado.

I prefer fresh juice to bottled juice.

Always Masculine

Even though 'jugo' ends in 'o', remember it is always a masculine noun, meaning you use 'el' or 'un' before it: 'el jugo'.

zumo

/THOO-moh//ˈθumo/

nounA1general
Use 'zumo' specifically for freshly squeezed fruit or vegetable liquid, often implying higher quality or a more artisanal product.
A glass of bright orange juice next to a sliced orange.

Examples

Quiero un zumo de naranja recién exprimido.

I want a freshly squeezed orange juice.

¿Prefieres zumo de manzana o de piña?

Do you prefer apple or pineapple juice?

Beber mucho zumo natural es muy saludable.

Drinking a lot of natural juice is very healthy.

Masculine Noun Pattern

Since this word ends in '-o', it is masculine. Always use it with 'el' or 'un'.

Zumo vs. Jugo

Mistake: “Using 'zumo' in Mexico or Argentina.”

Correction: In most of Latin America, use 'jugo'. If you say 'zumo' there, people will know you learned Spanish from Spain!

sustancia

/soos-TAHN-syah//susˈtansja/

nounB1culinary
Use 'sustancia' to describe the rich, flavorful liquid extracted from cooking meat or vegetables, often in broths or stocks.
A bowl of thick vegetable soup with colorful steam rising from it.

Examples

Este caldo tiene mucha sustancia.

This broth is very rich and nutritious.

Jugo vs. Zumo

The most common confusion is between 'jugo' and 'zumo'. While both mean fruit/vegetable juice, 'zumo' often implies freshly squeezed or a premium product, whereas 'jugo' is the more general and widely used term across Spanish-speaking regions.

Related Translations

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