platos
/plah-tohs/
plates
Platos (plates) are common eating vessels.
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Masculine Plural
Since the singular form 'plato' ends in 'o', it is a masculine word. When plural, it keeps the masculine gender marker (los platos).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the wrong article
Mistake: "Las platos"
Correction: Los platos. Remember, 'plato' is masculine, so use 'los' for the plural.
⭐ Usage Tips
Dishes vs. Tableware
While 'platos' often means 'plates,' in context of cleaning, 'lavar los platos' means 'to wash the dishes' (all the serving items).
Platos (dishes) can refer to a specific prepared food or meal.
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Referring to Food
When talking about the food itself (the recipe or meal), you use 'platos.' The singular 'plato' works for one specific food item, like 'Mi plato favorito es la paella' (My favorite dish is paella).
⭐ Usage Tips
Ordering Food
When you are in a restaurant, you will often hear '¿Qué platos van a pedir?' (Which dishes are you going to order?).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: platos
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'platos' to mean the prepared food, not the objects?
📚 More Resources
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.'