Spanish · Food & Drink
"Oil" in Spanish: aceite
el aceite
Cooking oil is el aceite (ah-SAY-teh). It is masculine: el aceite, un poco de aceite. Olive oil is el aceite de oliva.
Cooking
Calienta un poco de aceite.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce aceite
Say it
ah-SAY-teh
/aˈsej.te/
ah-SAY-teh. Stress SAY. Soft s. Final teh is a short eh. Do not say English "oil" vowels.
"Oil" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| el aceite | oil (cooking) Default kitchen oil. | Default kitchen oil. |
| el aceite de oliva | olive oil Salad and finishing oil. | Salad and finishing oil. |
| el aceite vegetal | vegetable oil Neutral frying oil. | Neutral frying oil. |
| el aceite de cocina | cooking oil General supermarket label. | General supermarket label. |
How to use aceite in real life
- 1Cooking
Calienta un poco de aceite.
Heat a little oil.
First step for sofrito.
- 2Dressing a salad
Pon aceite de oliva en la ensalada.
Put olive oil on the salad.
De oliva names the kind.
- 3At the store
¿Dónde está el aceite vegetal?
Where is the vegetable oil?
Supermarket aisle question.
Mistakes English speakers make with aceite
Incorrect: La aceite está cara.
Correct: El aceite está caro.
Aceite is masculine. Use el aceite and caro.
Incorrect: Compré aceituna para freír (meaning oil).
Correct: Compré aceite para freír.
Aceituna is an olive (the fruit). Cooking oil is aceite.
Good to know
Latin American kitchens switch between aceite vegetal for frying and aceite de oliva for salads. Spain is famous for olive oil, but the noun aceite is shared everywhere. Do not mix it up with aceituna, the olive you eat.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Starting a sofrito
ChatPal
¿Echamos aceite en la sartén?
Shall we put oil in the pan?
You
Sí. Un chorrito de aceite.
Yes. A splash of oil.
ChatPal
El aceite ya está caliente.
The oil is already hot.
You
Entonces va la cebolla.
Then in goes the onion.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Oil" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Oil" in Spanish
Is aceite masculine or feminine?
Masculine: el aceite, aceite de oliva, poco aceite.
What is the difference between aceite and aceituna?
Aceite is oil. Aceituna is an olive you eat.
How do you pronounce aceite?
ah-SAY-teh with stress on SAY.
How do I say olive oil?
Aceite de oliva. Extra virgin is aceite de oliva extra virgen.
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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