Spanish Conversation · Level 46
75 words
Spanish word
patera
Pronunciation
IPA/paˈteɾa/
Meaning
- feminine noundinghy
Example
La patera estaba llena de gente.
The dinghy was full of people.
More examples
Las organizaciones humanitarias asistieron a los migrantes de una patera.
Humanitarian organizations assisted the migrants aboard a dinghy.
Core concept
Flat, shallow inflatable boat used for short coastal crossings.
Common phrases
rescate de la patera
rescue of the dinghy
migrantes en patera
migrants aboard a dinghy
embarque en patera
embarkation onto a dinghy
Similar words
bote: Small hand-operated boat for short trips or simple tasks.
lancha: Small powered boat equipped with an engine for coastal use.
barco: Boat for carrying people or goods on rivers or at sea.
embarcación: Any kind of vessel used to transport people or cargo on water.
Definition in Spanish
Bote o embarcación muy pequeña y sin equipamiento, que suele ser inflable y sirve para viajes cortos por mar.
Word origin
Ultimately from Latin patera 'shallow dish', Spanish applied the word to shallow craft by shape and later to small rubber or inflatable boats.
Usage tips
- In many Spanish-speaking areas, speakers prefer bote, lancha, or bote inflable for leisure craft, while patera frequently appears in news and migration contexts.