Spanish Conversation · Level 95
60 words
Spanish word
plátano
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈplatano/
Meaning
- masculine nounbanana, plantain
Example
Compré un plátano en el mercado.
I bought a banana at the market.
More examples
Ella añade plátano al yogur para el desayuno.
She adds a banana to yogurt for breakfast.
Core concept
Large starchy plantain for cooking.
Common phrases
plátano maduro
ripe banana
hacer puré de plátano
puree a banana
añadir plátano al yogur
add a banana to yogurt
Similar words
banana: Soft sweet fruit grown to be eaten raw, usually eaten fresh as a snack.
banano: Sweet banana common in South America, grown to be eaten raw.
plátano macho: Large firm fruit cultivated specifically for cooking.
plátano verde: Unripe, very starchy fruit eaten cooked to soften and develop flavor.
Definition in Spanish
Fruto alargado y más firme del género Musa, usado para cocinar en muchas regiones de América Latina; se distingue de la banana dulce por su textura.
Word origin
Originally from Greek platános 'plane tree' via Latin, the word in Spanish came to label the starchy Musa fruits used as a cooking staple in the Americas.
Usage tips
- In Spain 'plátano' often denotes the sweet banana, so context or qualifiers are required to indicate a cooking plantain.
Other meanings
- banana treenoun