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pan

pahn/pan/

“pan” means “bread” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

bread

Also: loaf, roll
NounmA1
MexicoSpain
A golden-brown, rustic loaf of bread sitting on a light wooden cutting board.

📝 In Action

¿Podemos comprar un poco de pan fresco para la cena?

A1

Can we buy some fresh bread for dinner?

Me encanta el pan tostado con mantequilla.

A1

I love toast with butter.

En la panadería venden muchos tipos de panes diferentes.

A2

They sell many different types of bread at the bakery.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • hogaza (large loaf)

Common Collocations

  • barra de pan – baguette/loaf of bread
  • pan integral – whole wheat bread
  • panadería – bakery (place where bread is made/sold)

livelihood

Also: sustenance, living
NounmB2
A simple woven wicker basket filled generously and overflowing with fresh harvest items like apples, carrots, and a small loaf of bread, symbolizing sustenance.

📝 In Action

Trabaja duro para ganarse el pan de cada día.

B2

He works hard to earn his daily bread (to earn a living).

No pudieron quitarle el pan de la boca a la familia.

C1

They couldn't take the food out of the family's mouth (take away their means of survival).

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • sustento (sustenance)
  • ingreso (income)

Idioms & Expressions

  • Ganarse el pan – To earn a living; to work for money to survive.
  • Al pan, pan, y al vino, vino – To speak clearly and plainly; to call a spade a spade.

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "pan" in Spanish:

bread→livelihood→living→loaf→roll→sustenance→

🗣️ Practice in a Tongue Twister

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: pan

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'pan' to mean basic income or livelihood, rather than the food itself?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
panadería(bakery) — Noun
panadero(baker) — Noun
empanar(to coat in breadcrumbs) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The word comes directly from the Latin word *panis*, which also meant 'bread' and 'food' generally. This ancient root shows why 'pan' is still used today to refer both to the food item and to sustenance itself.

First recorded: Before the 10th century (Common in Old Spanish documents)

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: paneFrench: painPortuguese: pão

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is 'pan' masculine (el pan) when many common foods are feminine (la fruta, la leche)?

The gender of 'pan' comes directly from its Latin root, *panis*, which was a masculine word. In Spanish, many basic nouns inherited the gender of their Latin ancestors, regardless of how other food words evolved.

If I want to talk about different types of bread (e.g., rye, sourdough), what is the correct plural?

The correct plural is 'los panes.' You would say 'Me gustan todos los panes de esta tienda' (I like all the breads/types of bread from this store).