You’re standing in a bustling market in Madrid, or maybe a tiny carnicería in Mexico City, and you want some lamb. You probably reached for your phone to look up the spanish word for lamb and saw a few different options. It's confusing. Honestly, most translation apps give you a literal word but miss the soul of the language.
The word you’re looking for is cordero.
But here’s the thing: just saying "cordero" is barely scratching the surface of how Spanish speakers actually talk about this meat. It’s like saying "car" when you’re trying to distinguish between a vintage Porsche and a beat-up minivan. Context is everything.
Why Cordero is Just the Beginning
If you walk into a high-end restaurant in Castile-León and just ask for "lamb," the waiter might give you a look. Are you looking for a milk-fed baby lamb, or are you looking for something more mature?
The age of the animal changes the word entirely.
In Spain, the holy grail is the lechazo. This is a lamb that has never tasted grass—it has only ever had its mother's milk. The meat is pale, incredibly tender, and frankly, it ruins you for any other kind of lamb. Then you have the recental, which is slightly older, usually under four months, and has started to graze. If the animal gets past that stage, you’re looking at a pascual.
Most English speakers just think "lamb is lamb." Not in Spanish.
Actually, if you go to certain parts of South America, you might hear the word borrego. While cordero is the standard term used across the globe, borrego often refers to a lamb that's a bit older—what we might call "hogget" in some English-speaking regions. It’s a bit gamier, tougher, but holds up beautifully in slow-cooked barbacoa.
Regional Flavors and Linguistic Quirks
Language isn't static. It breathes.
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In Mexico, lamb is the undisputed king of the weekend breakfast. If you see a sign for "Barbacoa," they aren't talking about backyard grilling with sweet sauce. They are talking about sheep—usually the older borrego—wrapped in agave leaves and buried in a pit with hot coals for twelve hours.
You don’t just order "cordero" there. You order maciza (the lean meat) or espaldilla (the shoulder).
Compare that to the Chilean Patagonia. Down there, lamb is a way of life. The cordero al palo is a sight to behold. They butterfly the entire animal and splay it across a wooden cross over an open fire. It’s primal. It’s salty. It’s perfect. If you’re down there and you call it anything other than cordero, you’re going to stand out like a sore thumb.
Common Mistakes When Translating
People get tripped up on gender and number all the time. Spanish is picky.
- El cordero is the animal or the meat.
- La cordera is specifically a female lamb.
Unless you are a sheep farmer, you will almost always use the masculine version. Also, don't confuse it with carnero. A carnero is a ram—an adult male sheep. If you try to eat a carnero like you’d eat a cordero, you’re going to be chewing for a very long time. It’s tough. It’s meant for breeding or wool, not usually for a delicate dinner.
Another weird one? The word ovino. This is the technical, agricultural term for anything sheep-related. You’ll see it on labels in the supermarket or in livestock reports. You would never say, "I’d like a steak of ovino, please." That’s like asking a waiter for a "bovine slice" instead of a ribeye. Just stick to cordero.
How to Order Like a Local
If you want to sound like you actually know what you're doing, you need to know the cuts. The vocabulary of the spanish word for lamb extends deep into the anatomy of the animal.
- Chuletas de cordero: These are lamb chops. In Spain, these are often tiny, grilled over vine shoots (sarmientos), and eaten with your fingers. They are salty, fatty, and addictive.
- Paletilla: This is the shoulder. It's generally considered the best part for roasting because it has a higher fat content than the leg.
- Pierna: The leg. Classic.
- Mollejas: If you’re feeling adventurous, these are the sweetbreads (thymus gland). In Argentina or Spain, grilled mollejas de cordero are a delicacy that people fight over.
You’ve got to be specific. If you’re at a butcher shop in Buenos Aires, don't just ask for lamb. Ask for a costillar if you want the ribs.
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The Cultural Weight of the Word
Why does this matter? Because in the Spanish-speaking world, food is identity.
When a family in Segovia sits down for cordero asado, they aren't just eating protein. They are participating in a tradition that dates back centuries. The Roman influence, the Moorish history—it’s all baked into the clay ovens used to cook the meat.
The word cordero carries a certain prestige. It’s a celebratory meat. You see it at Christmas, at weddings, and at major Sunday feasts. It’s not an everyday meat like chicken or pork for most people, mostly because of the price and the labor involved in cooking it right.
I remember talking to a chef in Valladolid who told me that a true lechazo should only ever be seasoned with salt and water. "Anything else," he said, "is hiding the quality of the animal." That’s the level of respect we’re talking about here.
Technical Grammar Check
For those who care about the "why" behind the language: cordero comes from the Latin chordus, meaning "late-born."
Is it hard to pronounce? Not really.
- Cor- (like the beginning of "corner")
- -de- (like the "da" in "day")
- -ro (with a slight flick of the tongue on the R)
Keep it short. Keep it crisp.
Summary of Terms to Keep in Your Pocket
Instead of a boring list, think of these as your "levels" of lamb fluency.
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Level 1: The Basics
- Cordero: The standard, go-to word for lamb.
- Carne de cordero: Lamb meat.
Level 2: The Age Categories
- Lechazo: The baby, milk-fed lamb. Premium stuff.
- Recental: The "teenage" lamb. Great balance of flavor.
- Pascual: Older lamb. Stronger taste.
Level 3: The Cuts and Preparation
- Asado: Roasted. This is how you want your lamb 90% of the time.
- A la parrilla: Grilled.
- Guisado: Stewed. Think of caldereta de cordero, a rich shepherd's stew.
Actionable Tips for Using the Word Correctly
To wrap this up, if you're actually planning to use your Spanish, follow these steps to avoid the "Gringo" label.
First, check the menu for regional variations. If you see borrego in Mexico, order it. If you see lechazo in Northern Spain, pay the extra Euro; it’s worth it.
Second, pay attention to the adjective. Cordero lechal is the same as lechazo. If the menu says cordero lechal, you are getting the highest quality.
Third, don't be afraid to ask the waiter, "¿Es cordero de aquí?" (Is it local lamb?). This shows you care about the provenance, which is a big deal in Spanish culinary culture.
Fourth, learn your preferences. Do you like it crispy? Ask for it bien tostado. Do you like it tender? It should be tierno.
Finally, remember that cordero is more than just a translation. It's a gateway into a massive part of Hispanic culture. Whether you're eating it at a dusty roadside stand in Hidalgo or a white-tablecloth restaurant in Madrid, knowing the right word—and the nuance behind it—changes the entire experience.
Next time you're at the butcher, skip the translation app. Look them in the eye and ask for the paletilla de cordero. You’ll get a much better cut of meat that way.