How to Say "basket" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “basket” is “canasta” — use 'canasta' for a container made of woven material, like for picnics or shopping, or for a successful shot in basketball, often referring to the hoop itself..
canasta
/ka-NAHS-tah//kaˈnasta/
Examples
El jugador anotó una canasta de tres puntos.
The player scored a three-point basket.
Llevamos una canasta con frutas al campo.
We took a basket of fruit to the countryside.
Pon la ropa sucia en la canasta, por favor.
Put the dirty clothes in the basket, please.
Las canastas de mimbre son muy resistentes.
Wicker baskets are very sturdy.
Gender of Canasta
This word is feminine, so you always use 'la' or 'una'. To make it plural, just add an 's': 'las canastas'.
Action vs. Object
In sports, 'canasta' refers to both the physical equipment (the hoop) and the points scored.
Canasta vs. Canasto
Mistake: “Using 'el canasta'.”
Correction: Say 'la canasta'. Use 'el canasto' (masculine) only if you are referring to a much larger, typically deeper basket.
cesta
/SESS-tah//ˈθesta/
Examples
Pusimos los regalos en una cesta grande.
We put the gifts in a big basket.
Puse las manzanas en la cesta.
I put the apples in the basket.
Llevamos una cesta de mimbre para el picnic.
We took a wicker basket for the picnic.
La cesta de la ropa sucia está en el baño.
The laundry hamper is in the bathroom.
Gender Identification
This word is 'feminine,' which means you should always use it with 'la' or 'una' (la cesta, una cesta).
Talking about more than one
To talk about multiple baskets, just add an 's' to the end: 'las cestas'.
Action Verbs
When you want to say 'to score a basket,' you can use the specific verb 'encestar' which comes directly from this word.
The 'El' Trap
Mistake: “el cesta”
Correction: la cesta (because words ending in 'a' are almost always feminine in Spanish).
anotación
Examples
La última anotación fue crucial para ganar.
The last score was crucial to win.
Container vs. Basketball Score
Related Translations
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