All EOS blogs All Spain blogs  Start your own blog Start your own blog 

IAN & SPAIN

WELCOME TO MY BLOG. HAVING LIVED IN SPAIN FOR OVER TWENTY YEARS I HAVE TRULY MANAGED TO IMMERSE MYSELF IN THE LOCAL CULTURE AND FEEL TOTALLY INTEGRATED. I WILL BE WRITING ABOUT MY PASSION FOR SPANISH FOOD AND DRINK AS WELL AS ITS CULTURE, PEOPLE AND PLACES OF SPECIAL INTEREST. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO LEAVE A COMMENT.

What's That Fish Called?
Friday, January 31, 2014 @ 6:09 PM

I’ve been in Spain for quite some time now and there has always been an area of language that has always caused me problems and still does today, and that is fish. I have real difficulty sometimes translating the names of fish. The funny thing is my knowledge of fish and seafood before I came to Spain was already pretty limited and when I say limited I mean at most I had eaten Cod, Haddock, Lemon Sole, Trout and Plaice maybe a few others and my seafood was limited to Scampi, Mussels and Prawn, so my fish vocab was not extensive.  We were never big fish eaters in my family so when I came to Spain it wasn’t really high on the agenda of things to learn. However over the years I have come to love many varieties of seafood and fish, the majority of which I have discovered here in Spain and consequently learnt the Spanish name first, it wasn’t until a relative came to visit and asked what we were eating that I even thought about the English translation and that happened so rarely that the English names never really sunk in and I still get confused to this day with a few.  Now, I’m not sure if this is something unique to me but just in case other readers are having difficulty with fish and seafood names, I finally decided to put together a list of the most common varieties you will come across in Spain along with their English equivalent, hope you find it useful!  smiley

I could have done with it a long time a go!! 

 

                         FISH   

 

Anchoa/Boquerón

Anchov

Anguila Eel
Arenque Herring
Atun Tuna
Bacalao Cod
Bonito Bonito
Caballa Mackerel
Calamar Squid
Carpa Carp
Caviar Caviar
Dorada Gilt Head Bream
Eglefino Haddock
Fletan Halibut
Galupe / Mujol Mullet
Lenguado Sole
Merluza Hake
Mero Grouper
Perca Perch
Pez Espada Marlin/Swordfish
Platija Flounder
Solla Plaice
Pulpo Octopus
Rape Monkfish
Raya Ray / Skate
Rodaballo Turbot
Salmon Salmon
Salmonete Red Mullet
Sardina Sardine
Sepia Cuttlefish
Lubina Sea Bass
Trucha Trout

 

 

                    SEAFOOD

Almejas Clam
Berberechos Cockle
Bogavante Lobster
Buey de Mar Edible / Brown Crab
Cangrejo de Rio Crawfish
Carabineros Scarlet Prawn
Centollo Spider Crab
Cigalas Scampi
Erizos de Mar Sea Urchin
Gambas Prawn 
Langosta Spiny Lobster
Langostinos Prawn (large)
Mejillones Mussels
Navajas Razor Clam
Nécoras Small crab
Ostras Oysters
Percebes Gooseneck Barnacles
Pulpo Octopus
Tellinas/ Coquinas Bean Clams
Vieiras Scallop


Like 3




28 Comments


royscot said:
Saturday, February 1, 2014 @ 7:59 AM

Don't forget Brill - rodaballo


eos_ian said:
Saturday, February 1, 2014 @ 8:06 AM

Hi royscot

I put rodaballo in the list but I believe it is Turbot in English and undertood that Brill was Rombo in Spanish...however I may be wrong this fish business gets really confusing sometimes :-) They are similar but not the same...


carole broom said:
Saturday, February 1, 2014 @ 9:06 AM

my friend only likes haddock, so what is haddock in spanish, please.


carole broom said:
Saturday, February 1, 2014 @ 9:09 AM

what is haddock? thanks


Peter said:
Saturday, February 1, 2014 @ 9:34 AM

Awesome list, thanks.
Now the question; Rock Salmon, Huss, Gurnet. Three English names for the same fish, anyone know if it has a Spanish name, and what it is please.


eos_ian said:
Saturday, February 1, 2014 @ 9:46 AM

Haddock is Eglefino. I will add it to the list!!


Lesley said:
Saturday, February 1, 2014 @ 10:20 AM

Hi isn't Sea bass in the wrong list?


eos_ian said:
Saturday, February 1, 2014 @ 10:41 AM

Sea bass is a fish not seafood so it is in the right list.


bilbo.s said:
Saturday, February 1, 2014 @ 11:15 AM

Rock salmon is cazón.



bilbo.s said:
Saturday, February 1, 2014 @ 11:18 AM

It's just that sea bass is in the Spanish column and lubina in the English.


bilbo.s said:
Saturday, February 1, 2014 @ 11:36 AM

There is a lot of confusion with the naming of fish and seafood. This will never be resolved as different areas, even in UK, have their own names for species.

Ian, you are wrong to equate langostino, which in Spain means a kind of jumbo prawn, with langoustine, which is Dublin Bay prawn, Norwegian lobster, commonly known as scampi, although the latter name can mean just about anything when battered and frozen. The proper scampi is a member of the lobster family, distinguished by its long pincers( cigala in Spanish).


eos_ian said:
Saturday, February 1, 2014 @ 11:53 AM

Bilbo well observed!! I'll change it! :-)


eos_ian said:
Saturday, February 1, 2014 @ 11:57 AM

I did put scampi for cigala. You're right the mistake is to equate the word Langoustine.large prawn would suffice I suppose. I will modify it.


eos_ian said:
Saturday, February 1, 2014 @ 11:58 AM

This fish vocab gets confusing doesn't it? !!!:-)


bilbo.s said:
Saturday, February 1, 2014 @ 12:22 PM

Even worse in US, where everything resembling a prawn is "shrimp". BTW a friend of mine back in Aberdeenshire was a former trawlerman, and I never knew what he was on about. He called dogfish "cats".
Maybe we should all revert to the Latin names -aarrrggghhh!


carole said:
Sunday, February 2, 2014 @ 9:19 AM

gurnet in spanish is - cazon


David said:
Sunday, February 2, 2014 @ 9:57 AM

Anyone know whar rosada is in English?


St0ker said:
Sunday, February 2, 2014 @ 10:05 AM

My wife orders rosada quite often i think it might be some sort of eel!


bilbo.s said:
Sunday, February 2, 2014 @ 11:30 AM

Re:- Rosada.

http://puebloman.com/2011/07/14/what-is-rosada/


John said:
Sunday, February 2, 2014 @ 12:26 PM

I went through your 'fish list' thoroughly seeking the English equivalent for 'Rosada'! I noticed that right at the end of the blog that someone else is also wondering what fish this is?

Cheers,

John


bilbo.s said:
Sunday, February 2, 2014 @ 2:38 PM

John, Read my post and link immediately above yours.


St0ker said:
Sunday, February 2, 2014 @ 7:55 PM

Many thanks for the link bilbo. That's a fairly comprehensive answer.


tedabel said:
Tuesday, February 4, 2014 @ 11:00 AM

Rosada is a fish I know from South Africa as Kingklip. I dont think we have an english name for it. I am living close to the Algarve and if you think the Spanish names are a problem you ought to try buying fish in P{ortugal


Peter said:
Tuesday, February 4, 2014 @ 3:03 PM

Hi, bilbo.s
Thanks for the reply


Zara said:
Wednesday, January 18, 2017 @ 2:02 PM

Excellent list thank you. I just moved to Spain with a little knowledge of Spanish! I was looking for Rosada fish as it looks like kingfish in Dubai , I guess that's more less the same?


kyle said:
Tuesday, February 21, 2017 @ 9:59 PM

tedabel I was looking for a definition of Rosada and your comment made the most sense to me :D


Jacques said:
Saturday, March 4, 2017 @ 2:26 PM

Just picked up some Rosada, anybody knows the English name ?


bilbo.s said:
Sunday, March 5, 2017 @ 10:38 AM

Rosada was fully discussed if you scroll back to 2014!


Leave a comment

You don't have to be registered to leave a comment but it's quicker and easier if you are (and you also can get notified by email when others comment on the post). Please Sign In or Register now.

Name *
Spam protection: 
 
Your comment * (HTML not allowed)

(Items marked * are required)



 

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse you are agreeing to our use of cookies. More information here. x