C2 · 50 words
Taste and smell in Spanish
From « delicious » to a description that says something.
Practise this list
From these 50 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
Hardly any field is as poor in everyday words as this one: everything is « nice » or « odd ». Spanish separates cleanly between what happens on the tongue (astringente, untuoso), what happens in the nose (el aroma floral) and what is left afterwards (el sabor que queda). The word to carry away is picante, in picante ascendente, with its noun el picor in el picor residual. English uses one word, « hot », for two things this list keeps side by side: the temperature — el contraste de temperaturas stands a line above — and the burn of the chilli. Spanish has caliente for the first and picante for the second and never mixes them, which is why una sopa caliente y picante is not a repetition while « a hot soup » leaves the question open.
The words
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Adjective (7)
inodoroodourlessAdjectiveC2
El gas es inodoro y por eso se le añade un aditivo.The gas is odourless, which is why something is added to it.
sosoblandAdjectiveC2
El guiso quedó soso pese a la receta.The stew turned out bland in spite of the recipe.
astringenteastringentAdjectiveC2
El caqui verde resulta astringente.Unripe persimmon is astringent.
untuosounctuousAdjectiveC2
El caldo untuoso deja capa en la cuchara.The unctuous stock leaves a coat on the spoon.
fibrosostringyAdjectiveC2
La carne fibrosa necesita más tiempo.Stringy meat needs longer.
gelatinososetting to a jellyAdjectiveC2
El caldo gelatinoso cuaja en la nevera.The stock sets to a jelly in the fridge.
avinagradoturned to vinegarAdjectiveC2
La botella estaba avinagrada al abrirla.The bottle had turned to vinegar when it was opened.
Phrase (39)
el aroma floralthe floral aromaPhraseC2
El aroma floral aparece al remover la copa.The floral aroma appears when the glass is swirled.
el aroma tostadothe toasted aromaPhraseC2
El aroma tostado viene de la barrica.The toasted aroma comes from the barrel.
la nota herbáceathe grassy notePhraseC2
Una nota herbácea delata la aceituna verde.A grassy note gives away the green olive.
la nota terrosathe earthy notePhraseC2
La nota terrosa recuerda a la remolacha.The earthy note is a reminder of beetroot.
el matiz ahumadothe smoky hintPhraseC2
El matiz ahumado dura poco en la nariz.The smoky hint does not last long in the nose.
el olor ranciothe rancid smellPhraseC2
El olor rancio indica que el aceite se ha oxidado.A rancid smell means the oil has oxidised.
el olor a cerradothe musty smellPhraseC2
El olor a cerrado desaparece al ventilar.The musty smell goes away when the room is aired.
el olor penetrantethe sharp smellPhraseC2
El olor penetrante del amoníaco llena la sala.The sharp smell of ammonia fills the room.
el umbral olfativothe threshold of smellPhraseC2
El umbral olfativo cambia de una persona a otra.The threshold of smell differs from one person to another.
la fatiga olfativathe fatigue of the nosePhraseC2
La fatiga olfativa aparece tras diez minutos.The fatigue of the nose sets in after ten minutes.
el sabor umamithe savoury tastePhraseC2
El sabor umami del caldo viene del hueso.The savoury taste of the stock comes from the bone.
el punto amargothe bitter edgePhraseC2
El punto amargo de la endibia se suaviza con vinagre.The bitter edge of the endive is softened with vinegar.
la acidez marcadathe marked acidityPhraseC2
La acidez marcada equilibra el dulzor.The marked acidity balances the sweetness.
la sensación dulcethe sweet impressionPhraseC2
La sensación dulce natural basta sin añadir azúcar.The natural sweet impression is enough without adding sugar.
el punto de salthe right amount of saltPhraseC2
El punto de sal se ajusta al final.The right amount of salt is adjusted at the end.
el cuerpo en bocathe body in the mouthPhraseC2
El cuerpo en boca es mayor de lo que promete el color.The body in the mouth is greater than the colour promises.
el sabor que quedathe taste that staysPhraseC2
El sabor que queda es amargo y dura demasiado.The taste that stays is bitter and lasts too long.
la duración del saborthe length of the tastePhraseC2
La duración del sabor se cuenta en segundos.The length of the taste is counted in seconds.
el equilibrio de saboresthe balance of tastesPhraseC2
El equilibrio de sabores se rompe con una cucharada de más.The balance of tastes is broken by one spoonful too many.
el contraste de temperaturasthe contrast of temperaturesPhraseC2
El contraste de temperaturas es parte del plato.The contrast of temperatures is part of the dish.
picante ascendenteheat that buildsPhraseC2
Es un picante ascendente: al principio no se nota.The heat builds: at the beginning it is not noticed.
refrescante en bocacooling in the mouthPhraseC2
La hierbabuena resulta refrescante en boca.Mint is cooling in the mouth.
el picor residualthe heat that lingersPhraseC2
El picor residual no se quita con agua.The heat that lingers is not taken away by water.
el aroma de bocathe aroma that comes from the mouthPhraseC2
El aroma de boca aparece al tragar.The aroma that comes from the mouth appears on swallowing.
la textura crujientethe crisp texturePhraseC2
La textura crujiente se pierde en cinco minutos.The crisp texture is lost in five minutes.
la textura harinosathe floury texturePhraseC2
La textura harinosa señala una patata equivocada.The floury texture is the sign of the wrong potato.
la nota metálicathe metallic notePhraseC2
Una nota metálica delata la lata.A metallic note gives the tin away.
el defecto de corchothe cork taintPhraseC2
El defecto de corcho se reconoce enseguida.Cork taint is recognised at once.
la oxidación del aromathe oxidation of the aromaPhraseC2
La oxidación del aroma empieza al descorchar.The oxidation of the aroma begins when the cork comes out.
la prueba sin etiquetathe blind tastingPhraseC2
La prueba sin etiqueta evita el prejuicio de la marca.The blind tasting avoids the prejudice of the label.
el panel de catadoresthe panel of tastersPhraseC2
El panel de catadores puntúa por separado.The panel of tasters scores separately.
la ficha de catathe tasting sheetPhraseC2
La ficha de cata obliga a nombrar cada nota.The tasting sheet obliges the taster to name every note.
la rueda de aromasthe aroma wheelPhraseC2
La rueda de aromas ordena las notas por familias.The aroma wheel sorts the notes into families.
el remojo prolongadothe long soakingPhraseC2
El remojo prolongado en frío extrae menos amargor.Long soaking in cold water draws out less bitterness.
la infusión en fríothe cold brewPhraseC2
La infusión en frío tarda doce horas.The cold brew takes twelve hours.
el realce del saborthe lifting of the tastePhraseC2
El realce del sabor se consigue tostando la especia.The taste is lifted by toasting the spice.
el enmascaramiento del amargorthe masking of the bitternessPhraseC2
El enmascaramiento del amargor es cosa de la sal.The masking of the bitterness is a matter of salt.
la memoria olfativathe memory of smellsPhraseC2
La memoria olfativa es la más duradera de todas.The memory of smells is the most lasting of all.
la sinergia de aromasthe working together of aromasPhraseC2
La sinergia de aromas explica por qué juntos saben a otra cosa.The working together of aromas explains why together they taste of something else.
Noun (f) (2)
la astringenciathe astringencyNoun (f)C2
La astringencia se nota en las encías.The astringency is felt on the gums.
la untuosidadthe unctuousnessNoun (f)C2
La untuosidad del queso curado sorprende.The unctuousness of the mature cheese comes as a surprise.
Noun (m) (2)
el enranciamientothe going rancidNoun (m)C2
El enranciamiento se retrasa guardándolo en frío.The going rancid is put off by keeping it cold.
el descriptorthe descriptorNoun (m)C2
Cada descriptor tiene que ser reconocible por otro.Every descriptor has to be recognisable to somebody else.
This list belongs to Language and expression — 22 lists and 1 102 words that can also be practised as a whole.