What is the difference between "hortaliza" and "verduras"
I was told that "la hortaliza" translates as "vegetable" and that "vendura" translates as "vegetable". Is there a difference between these two words? Which word is used most often in speaking about being healthy and eating your fruits and vegetables? I was just wondering the difference between these two words and when you would use each.
2 Answers
You are over-analysing and making your life too complicated. "Hortaliza" comes from "huerto" (kitchen garden), while "verdura" comes from "verde" (green). Your attempts at matching the English as if it were perfect are a waste of time, because all languages (English included) use a subjective classification, not a scientific one. Surely not all "hortalizas" (kitchen garden vegetables) are grown in your "kitchen", and not all "verduras" (green) are green, but the general idea remains. Translating between two cultures with completely different approaches to cultivating and eating will never help you understand the other language.
You misspelled verdura in your description.
This reminds me of the threads that we have had contrasting huerto, huerta, and jardín.
Notice one definition below uses huertas, while the other uses huerto. Here we go again.
hortaliza.
(De hortal).
f. Planta comestible que se cultiva en las huertas. U. m. en pl.
f. Cuba. huerto.
Real Academia Española © Todos los derechos reservados
