Breakdown of Mezclo la harina con agua y luego añado la levadura.
Questions & Answers about Mezclo la harina con agua y luego añado la levadura.
In Spanish (including Spain), recipes and instructions are often written in the present tense to describe a sequence of actions as if the speaker is doing them: Mezclo… luego añado… = I mix… then I add….
You can absolutely use the imperative too, especially when directly telling someone what to do: Mezcla la harina con agua y luego añade la levadura. Both are natural; the present tense can feel more “recipe-narration” style.
Both are 1st person singular (yo) in the present tense:
- mezclar → (yo) mezclo
- añadir → (yo) añado
Full present (useful for reference):
- mezclar: mezclo, mezclas, mezcla, mezclamos, mezcláis, mezclan
- añadir: añado, añades, añade, añadimos, añadís, añaden
Spanish normally drops subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows the subject. Mezclo already means (I) mix, so yo is usually unnecessary.
You might add yo for emphasis or contrast (e.g., Yo mezclo la harina y tú añades la levadura).
In Spanish, it’s very common to use the definite article with ingredients when talking about them in a specific step of a recipe: la harina, la levadura. It often sounds more natural than leaving the article out.
You can omit the article in some contexts (more like a general category), but in recipe instructions, la + ingredient is extremely typical.
With liquids/ingredients used as a substance, Spanish often uses no article: con agua = with water (some water).
con el agua would usually refer to specific water already identified in the situation (e.g., with the water from that bowl / the water we measured earlier). In recipes, con agua is the default.
Agua is feminine (el agua fría, un agua mineral) but it takes el/un in the singular to avoid the awkward double a sound (la a…).
In this sentence, there’s no article, so you don’t see that rule. If you did add one, it would be con el agua (but again, that would sound like a specific water).
Luego means then / afterwards and signals the next step. It’s flexible:
- …y luego añado la levadura. (very common)
- …y añado luego la levadura. (possible, slightly different rhythm)
- Luego, añado la levadura. (often with a comma if placed first)
Usually no: …con agua y luego añado… is fine without a comma.
You might see a comma if there’s a stronger pause or if luego starts a new clause more clearly: …con agua, y luego añado… (less common) or Luego, añado… (more common).
Ñ is a separate Spanish letter, pronounced like ny in canyon (roughly).
- añado ≈ ah-NYA-do (stress on ÑA)
Also, note that the verb añadir keeps ñ in all forms: añado, añades, añade…
They’re related but not identical:
- mezclar = to mix (general, very common in recipes)
- revolver = to stir (often with a spoon, circular motion)
- batir = to beat/whisk (more energetic, often to incorporate air)
So Mezclo la harina con agua is neutral. If you’re whisking hard, Bato… could fit better.
Both can work, but they emphasize different structures:
- Mezclo la harina con agua highlights flour as the main thing you’re working on, and water as what you combine it with.
- Mezclo harina y agua treats them more like an equal pair in a list (I mix flour and water).
In recipes, X con Y is extremely common for “combine X with Y.”
Yes. If the ingredient is already known, you can replace it with a pronoun:
- La mezclo con agua y luego añado la levadura. = I mix it (the flour) with water and then I add the yeast.
This is common in connected instructions once the ingredient has been introduced.