Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

Clam in Spanish: How to Say Almeja

Almeja · noun (feminine) · ahl-MEH-hah

Clam in Spanish is almeja, a feminine noun (la almeja). The plural almejas is what you'll usually see on a seafood menu.

Almeja is ahl-MEH-hah, with the j as a breathy h.

Pedimos almejas a la marinera de entrada.

We ordered clams in marinara sauce as a starter.

Clam in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for clam, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

SpanishEnglishPronunciationRegion / Register
almejaclamahl-MEH-hahDefault, widely understood
almejasclamclams (plural, as on a menu)

How Native Speakers Use Almeja

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

On a menu

Pedimos almejas a la marinera de entrada.

We ordered clams in marinara sauce as a starter.

Almejas a la marinera is a classic dish.

Cooking

Las almejas se abren cuando están cocidas.

Clams open up when they're cooked.

A cooking observation.

Gathering

Recogimos almejas en la playa con marea baja.

We gathered clams on the beach at low tide.

Foraging clams at low tide.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Almeja

Confusing almeja with mejillón

Incorrect: Calling a mussel an almeja.

Correct: A mussel is mejillón; a clam is almeja.

Almejas have rounded, light shells while mejillones (mussels) have dark elongated ones, so menus distinguish them.

Wrong gender

Incorrect: el almeja

Correct: la almeja

Almeja is feminine, so it takes la and una, since the stress falls on the e rather than the first a.

Lock in Clam Vocabulary with the Parrot Method

Why word lists alone don't stick

Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.

See Almeja used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using almeja in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Pedimos almejas a la marinera de entrada. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.

Save, review, repeat, stay consistent

Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.

Common Questions About Clam in Spanish

How do you say clam in Spanish?
Clam in Spanish is almeja (ahl-MEH-hah), a feminine noun, and the plural almejas is what you'll usually see on a seafood menu.
Is almeja the same as a cockle?
They're related but distinct, since a cockle is often called berberecho in Spain while almeja is the broader clam.
How are clams usually served in Spanish cuisine?
Popular dishes include almejas a la marinera in a garlic-wine-tomato sauce and almejas al vapor (steamed), staples of coastal cooking.