Spanish · Food & Drink
"Garlic" in Spanish: ajo
el ajo
Garlic is el ajo (AH-hoh). It is masculine: el ajo, los ajos. One clove is un diente de ajo; a whole head is una cabeza de ajo.
Following a recipe
Añade dos dientes de ajo.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce ajo
Say it
AH-hoh
/ˈa.xo/
AH-hoh. Stress AH. Soft Spanish j is a raspy h. Do not say English "j" or hard g.
"Garlic" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| el ajo | garlic The bulb or garlic as an ingredient. | The bulb or garlic as an ingredient. |
| un diente de ajo | a clove of garlic Recipe measurement. | Recipe measurement. |
| una cabeza de ajo | a head of garlic Whole bulb at the market. | Whole bulb at the market. |
| el ajo picado | minced garlic Prep note in recipes. | Prep note in recipes. |
How to use ajo in real life
- 1Following a recipe
Añade dos dientes de ajo.
Add two cloves of garlic.
Diente de ajo is the clove unit.
- 2At the market
¿Me da una cabeza de ajo?
Could I have a head of garlic?
Buy the whole bulb this way.
- 3Cooking sofrito
El ajo no debe quemarse.
The garlic should not burn.
Burnt ajo turns bitter fast.
Mistakes English speakers make with ajo
Incorrect: La ajo está fresco.
Correct: El ajo está fresco.
Ajo is masculine. Use el ajo and fresco.
Incorrect: Eché dos ajos enteros sin pelar (meaning two cloves).
Correct: Eché dos dientes de ajo.
Un ajo can mean a whole bulb. For cloves, say dientes de ajo.
Good to know
Ajo starts countless Latin American sofritos with onion and oil. Recipes almost always count dientes de ajo, not whole bulbs. Spain also says ajo—no papa/patata-style split.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Starting a stew
ChatPal
¿Cuántos dientes de ajo pongo?
How many garlic cloves should I add?
You
Tres dientes de ajo, por favor.
Three garlic cloves, please.
ChatPal
Pico el ajo bien chico.
I'll mince the garlic nice and small.
You
Oro. Huele rico.
Gold. It smells great.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Garlic" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Garlic" in Spanish
Is ajo masculine or feminine?
Masculine: el ajo, ajo fresco, los ajos.
How do you say one clove?
Un diente de ajo. A whole bulb is una cabeza de ajo.
How do you pronounce ajo?
AH-hoh. Stress AH. Soft j in ajo.
Can ajo mean the whole bulb?
Yes. In shopping talk un ajo or una cabeza de ajo is the bulb; recipes usually say dientes.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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