platos
“platos” means “plates” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
plates, dishes
📝 In Action
Por favor, pon los platos sucios en el fregadero.
A1Please put the dirty plates in the sink.
Compramos unos platos nuevos para la fiesta.
A2We bought some new dishes for the party.
dishes
Also: courses
📝 In Action
En este restaurante sirven platos muy originales.
A2In this restaurant, they serve very original dishes.
El menú tiene tres platos principales diferentes.
B1The menu has three different main courses.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: platos
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'platos' to mean the prepared food, not the objects?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word *plattus*, meaning 'flat' or 'broad.' This is why the objects used for eating are flat, and the term extended to mean the food served on them.
First recorded: 13th century (in similar forms)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'platos' ever mean 'platters'?
Yes, sometimes, especially in a restaurant context, 'platos' can refer to large serving dishes or platters, though 'fuente' is a more specific word for a large platter.
How do I say 'a stack of plates'?
You would say 'una pila de platos.' The verb 'apilar' means 'to stack.'