Spanish Conversation · Level 46
75 words
Spanish word
masa
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈmasa/
Meaning
- feminine noundough
Example
Voy a preparar masa para la pizza.
I am going to make dough for the pizza.
More examples
La masa de pan huele muy bien.
The bread dough smells very good.
Core concept
A soft, elastic dough ball used to make tortillas, bread, or pizza.
Common phrases
masa para pizza
pizza dough
masa de pan
bread dough
masa madre
sourdough starter
Similar words
pasta: Wheat dough mixed with water or eggs and formed into noodles or other pasta shapes.
masa de maíz: Dough made from ground corn and water, traditionally used for tortillas and tamales.
Definition in Spanish
Mezcla de harina y agua, a veces con levadura u otros ingredientes, amasada hasta obtener una masa homogénea que sirve de base para panes, pizzas y tortillas.
Word origin
Masa comes from Latin massa 'lump', reflecting a shift from a general lump to the specific idea of a kneaded dough.
Usage tips
- In English, masa often refers specifically to corn dough, but in Spanish masa can mean any kneaded dough, and speakers use masa de maíz for corn dough and masa de trigo for wheat dough.