sartén

sar-TEN/saɾˈten/

“sartén” means “frying pan” in Spanish (cooking utensil).

frying pan

Also: skillet

NounfA1

Latin AmericaSpain

A black frying pan with a long handle sitting on a light surface.

📝 In Action

Pongo la sartén en el fuego para freír un huevo.

I put the frying pan on the stove to fry an egg.

Necesitamos una sartén más grande para cocinar toda la carne.

We need a bigger frying pan to cook all the meat.

Esta sartén es antiadherente, así que no se pega nada.

This skillet is non-stick, so nothing sticks to it.

Word Connections

Synonyms

paila (shallow pan (used in some Latin American countries))

Antonyms

olla (pot (for boiling water, rather than frying))

Common Collocations

sartén antiadherente – non-stick frying pan
mango de la sartén – handle of the pan
echar a la sartén – to toss into the pan

Idioms & Expressions

Tener la sartén por el mango– To be in total control of a situation.
Saltar de la sartén para caer en las brasas – To go from a bad situation to a worse one (out of the frying pan into the fire).

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "sartén" in Spanish:

frying pan→skillet→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: sartén

Question 1 of 3

How do you say 'the frying pans' (plural) in Spanish?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼

sartenada(a panful / contents of a pan) — Noun

sartenazo(a blow with a frying pan) — Noun

🎵 Rhymes▼

tambiénreciénalmacén

📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'sartago', which also referred to a type of kettle or frying pan.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

French: sarté

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is it 'el' or 'la' sartén?

Both! In Spain, 'la sartén' is standard. In many Latin American countries, 'el sartén' is more common. If you are learning, 'la' is the safest choice for exams, but 'el' is perfectly fine in conversation.

What is the difference between 'sartén' and 'olla'?

A 'sartén' is shallow and used for frying or searing (like for eggs or steak). An 'olla' is deep and used for liquids (like for soup or boiling pasta).

Why does 'sartén' have an accent mark?

Because the stress is on the last syllable and the word ends in 'n'. In Spanish, words ending in 'n', 's', or a vowel need an accent if the last syllable is the strongest.