plátano
“plátano” means “banana” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
banana
Also: plantain
📝 In Action
Me gusta comer un plátano después de hacer ejercicio.
A1I like to eat a banana after exercising.
Necesitamos comprar un racimo de plátanos maduros.
A1We need to buy a bunch of ripe bananas.
En el Caribe, el plátano frito es un acompañamiento muy común.
B1In the Caribbean, fried plantain is a very common side dish.
plane tree
Also: sycamore
📝 In Action
Los plátanos de sombra bordean las avenidas principales de Madrid.
B2Plane trees line the main avenues of Madrid.
Vocabulary Collections
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: plátano
Question 1 of 3
If you are in Spain and ask for a 'plátano,' what will you likely receive?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'platanus,' which came from a Greek word meaning 'wide' or 'broad,' referring to the broad leaves of the plane tree.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'plátano' and 'banana' the same thing?
Technically, they are related, but usage varies. In Spain, 'plátano' is the sweet one. In much of Latin America, 'banana' is the sweet one and 'plátano' is the one you cook (the plantain).
Why is the tree called the same thing as the fruit?
The word originally referred to the tree because of its broad leaves. When the fruit was discovered, it was named similarly because of the broad leaves of the banana plant.
How do I say 'banana chips' in Spanish?
You can say 'platanitos' or 'chifles' depending on the country!