pasta
/PAHS-tah/
pasta
As a food item, like spaghetti or lasagna, the Spanish word is pasta.
📝 In Action
Para la cena, vamos a cocinar pasta con salsa de tomate.
A1For dinner, we are going to cook pasta with tomato sauce.
¿Prefieres la pasta larga o la corta?
A2Do you prefer long pasta or short pasta?
💡 Grammar Points
Always Feminine
Remember that 'pasta' is a feminine noun, so you always use feminine articles: 'la pasta' or 'unas pastas'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using it as Plural
Mistake: "Comimos muchas pastas."
Correction: Comimos mucha pasta. (Like English 'rice' or 'water,' the food 'pasta' is usually treated as an uncountable mass noun in Spanish.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Regional Sweet Treats
In some regions, especially Spain, 'pastas' (in plural) can refer to small cookies or pastries.
In Spanish slang, pasta is a common word for money or cash.
pasta(noun)
money
?slang for cash or funds
,dough
?informal synonym for money
cash
?general term for currency
📝 In Action
Necesito más pasta para comprar ese coche.
B1I need more dough (money) to buy that car.
¿Tienes suficiente pasta para pagar la cena?
B2Do you have enough cash to pay for dinner?
💡 Grammar Points
Informal Context
Only use 'pasta' to mean money when speaking with friends or in relaxed, casual situations. Use 'dinero' in formal settings.
⭐ Usage Tips
Similar to English Slang
Thinking of 'pasta' as the Spanish equivalent of 'dough' or 'moolah' in English helps you remember this meaning is highly informal.
Pasta can refer to a thick, sticky mixture, or paste.
pasta(noun)
paste
?a sticky or thick mixture
,dough
?uncooked mixture for bread/baking
pulp
?material for paper or tooth filling
📝 In Action
La receta dice que hay que amasar la pasta por diez minutos.
A2The recipe says that you have to knead the dough for ten minutes.
Usa esta pasta de dientes para cepillarte.
A1Use this toothpaste to brush your teeth.
💡 Grammar Points
Context is Key
When talking about baking, 'pasta' is often interchangeable with 'masa' (dough), but 'pasta' is more common for thick, non-food pastes like glue or toothpaste.
When referring to a book, pasta means the hard cover or binding.
pasta(noun)
cover
?book covering
,binding
?the material used to bind a book
hardback
?hardcover book
📝 In Action
Este diccionario tiene una pasta muy dura y resistente.
B2This dictionary has a very hard and resistant cover.
El libro de texto está disponible en pasta blanda o dura.
C1The textbook is available in softcover or hardcover.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Regional Preference
Mistake: "Using 'pasta' for 'cover' outside of Spain."
Correction: In most of Latin America, use 'tapa' or 'cubierta' instead of 'pasta' for a book cover.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: pasta
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'pasta' in its most common slang meaning?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'pasta' countable or uncountable when referring to the food?
Generally, it is uncountable, like 'rice' or 'water.' You would say 'mucha pasta' (a lot of pasta). However, when referring to individual cookies or pastries, it becomes plural: 'unas pastas'.
Can I use 'pasta' instead of 'dinero' everywhere?
No. 'Pasta' is informal slang for money and should only be used with friends or in very casual settings. Use 'dinero' (money) or 'plata' (silver/money, common in Latin America) in formal situations.