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March 30, 2022 by Nicole Canún Spanish Vocabulary 0 comments

Vocabulary Guide to Seafood in Spanish

Are you going out to dinner with Spanish-speaking friends and wish to know the names of seafood in Spanish? 

Or are you looking for an excuse to learn Spanish and want to cook seafood dishes using Spanish recipes?

Mariscos (seafood) are an important part of Hispanic cuisine. Many of these traditions come from different parts of the globe and landed in Spain and Latin America. 

This vocabulary guide to seafood in Spanish is practical and easy to use. I divided it into sections based on the different types of sea animals. You’ll also find questions, cooking styles, and parts of the sea animals so you can practice your Spanish right away!

¡Aprendamos de los mariscos en español!
Let’s learn about seafood in Spanish!


Table of Contents:

  • Seafood Vocabulary
  • Cuts
  • Cooking Seafood in Spanish
  • Serving Seafood in Spanish
  • More Presentations of Seafood in Spanish
  • Example Sentences in Spanish
  • Learn More About Seafood in Spanish

Seafood Vocabulary

There are two ways to say fish in Spanish and they depend on whether it is dead (el pescado) or alive (el pez):

Compré un pez, y ya lo puse en la pecera.
I bought a fish, and I already put it in the fish tank.

Voy a pedir un filete de pescado.
I will order a fish filet. 

Here is a list with common types of fish and of seafood in Spanish-speaking countries. 

EnglishSpanish
bassel robalo
carp la carpa
catfish el bagre
cod el bacalao
grouper el mero
mackerel el pez sierra, la sierra
marlinmarlín
sardine la sardina
salmon el salmón
seabass la mojarra
tilapia la tilapia
trout la trucha
tuna el atún
Seafood in Spanish
Mojarra frita (Fried Sea Bass) Source

See also: Top 16 Latin American Sauces to Impress Your Friends

Crustaceans – Los Crustáceos

Crustaceans have a hard shell for protection, articulated legs, and antennae. They’re delicious and are ideal to eat in coastal cities where they’re served fresh. 

EnglishSpanish
crab el cangrejo, la jaiba
crawfish, crayfish, prawns los langostinos
lobster la langosta
shrimp el camarón

In Latin America, we use an idiom that goes like this: 

Camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente.
The shrimp that falls asleep gets carried away by the current. 

Meaning that if you don’t “wake up” you will have to deal with the consequences of your laziness or negligence. 

butter seared lobster tail
Cola de langosta a la mantequilla (Butter Seared Lobster Tail) Source
Seafood in Spanish
Jaibas rellenas (Stuffed crabs) Source

Mollusks – Los Moluscos

Mollusks have a tender, limp body inside a hard shell and breathe through branqui. Mollusks have no legs, and you can see the inside of their shell. 

EnglishSpanish
abalone el abulón
clam la almeja
mussel el mejillón
octopus el pulpo
oyster la ostra, el ostión
snail el caracol
scallops los callos de hacha, las vieiras
squid el calamar

Recommended reading: 52 Authentic Mexican Foods That Have Influenced Global Cuisine

Scallop Aguachile
Aguachile de callo de hacha (Scallop Aguachile) Sources
Seafood in Spanish
Caracoles a la provenzal (Provenzal Snails) Source

Parts of Seafood

This seafood in Spanish guide wouldn’t be complete without a list of animal body parts. Don’t forget to take the scales off and to avoid the pin bones!

EnglishSpanish
antennae las antenas
claws las tenazas
eyes los ojos
fin la aleta
fish mouth la boca de pescado
fish skeletonel esqueleto del pescado
pin bones las espinas
scales las escamas
shell el caparazón, la concha
tail la cola 

Cuts

Cutting fish in chunks is perfect when you make Peruvian ceviche or Mexican aguachile, while filets are better for the traditional breaded fish. 

EnglishSpanish
chunk trozo
cut cortado/a
filet el filete
slice rebanada
whole entero/a

Cooking Seafood in Spanish

Now that you know the names of so much seafood in Spanish, let’s cover how they can be prepared. 

EnglishSpanish
baked al horno
boiled hervido/a
canned enlatado/a
cocktail coctel
cooked cocido/a
fried frito/a
grilled a la plancha, a la parrilla
skewereden brocheta
pickled en escabeche
raw crudo/a
saucela salsa, el aderezo
smoked ahumado/a
soup la sopa, el consomé
steamed al vapor
stew el caldo
stewed estofado/a

Hand-picked for you: The Mexican Meat Market: Your Guide to the Spanish Butcher Shop

Serving Seafood in Spanish

Here are more preparations and garnishes you’re likely to find in Latin America and Spain. 

EnglishSpanish
as you like, to tasteal gusto
breaded empanizado/a
butter a la mantequilla
deviled fish a la diabla
garlic sauce al mojo de ajo, al ajillo
gratin gratinado/a
green sauce en salsa verde
in their own inken su tinta
mango sauce en salsa de mango
marinated marinado/a
red sauce en salsa roja
stuffed relleno/a
tamarindo sauce en salsa de tamarindo
Seafood in Spanish - breaded fish
Pescado empanizado (Breaded Fish) Source

Check out: 200+ Vocabulary Words: Herbs and Spices in Spanish

More Presentations of Seafood in Spanish

Check out these examples of other ways to eat seafood in Spanish-speaking countries.

Adobado

Adobado is a sauce whose main ingredients are butter, jitomate (red tomato), guajillo chili, chile de árbol, English sauce, and ajo (garlic). 

Seafood in Spanish
Camarones adobados Source

A la talla 

Pescado a la talla (char-broiled fish) is a dish made with guajillo chili and ancho chili. It is called a la talla (to the size) because it’s cooked on the grill and impaled on sticks of the same size.

Pescado a la talla
Pescado a la talla Source

Empapelado 

This is marinated fish, empapelado (wrapped) in aluminum and cooked over fire, in an oven or a comal (flat griddle).

Pescado empapelado
Pescado Empapelado Source

Galician style – A la gallega

One of the most famous dishes with seafood in Spanish-speaking countries is pulpos a la gallega (Galician-style octopuses), cooked with pimentón (paprika), salt, and olive oil. The preparation is simple and delicious. 

Seafood in Spanish
Pulpos a la gallega Source

Mexican Style – A la mexicana

This one has chili, onion, and red tomato, not only for the flavorful mix but also because they’re the colors of the Mexican flag. Almost any dish goes with this sauce. 

Seafood in Spanish - Mexican style
Camarones a la mexicana (Mexican Style Shrimp) Source

Roman Style – A la romana 

Calamares a la romana (Roman-style calamari) are a delicious Spanish dish. The calamari is bathed in a mix of egg, flour, milk, olive oil, salt, and turmeric—and fried.

Seafood in Spanish - Roman style
Calamares a la romana (Roman Style Squid) Source

Veracruz or Biscayan style – A la veracruzana o A la vizcaína 

The bacalao a la Vizcaína (Biscayan cod) is a traditional Christmas dish in Mexico. It is served with olive oil, onions, red tomatoes, garlic, chiles güeros, green olives, chambray potatoes, and parsley.

Seafood in Spanish
Bacalao a la Vizcaína (Biscayan Cod) Source

Zarandeado 

Pescado zarandeado is roasted fish in a wooden griddle called a zaranda. Enjoy it on the beautiful beaches of Nayarit, Mexico. 

Zarandeado
The art of Zarandeado (Four Seasons Magazine) Source

See also: 10 Spanish Dishes That Influenced Global Cuisine

Example Sentences in Spanish

¿Cuál es el mejor restaurante de mariscos por aquí?
What’s the best seafood restaurant around here?

¿Qué tan grande es la langosta rellena del menú?
How big is the stuffed lobster from the menu?

¡Amo abrir ostras!
I love to shuck oysters!

¿Eres alérgico a los mariscos?
Are you allergic to seafood?

Normalmente me como la cáscara cuando pido langostinos. 
I normally eat the shell when I have prawns.

¿Sabes cómo cocinar pulpo?
Do you know how to cook octopus?

¿Qué tipo de marisco te gusta más?
What kind of seafood do you like best?

No me gusta pelar camarones. 
I don’t like peeling shrimp.

Continue reading: For Here or to Go? How to Order Food in Spanish

Learn More About Seafood in Spanish

In our globalized, ever-evolving world, camarón que se duerme se lo lleva la corriente. If you fall asleep while everyone is learning and acquiring new tools, you’ll be at a disadvantage. 

Learning Spanish is a brilliant idea because it can help you get better-paying jobs, travel easier, connect with new people, and enhance your brain functions. That’s a lot of benefits by doing one activity!

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Ready to learn more Spanish vocabulary? Check these out!

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  • Author
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Nicole Canún
Nicole Canún
Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy
Blogger, content creator, and marketer. Proudly Mexican. Been to 30 countries. I love learning from different cultures and trying their cuisines. Obsessed with Asia. Fluent in Spanish and English, not so much in French.
Nicole Canún
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