Inklingo

How to Say "hamper" in Spanish

English → Spanish

canasta

ka-NAHS-tahkaˈnasta

nounA1general
Use 'canasta' for a general-purpose large basket, especially one used for laundry or for holding gifts.
A woven wicker basket with a handle sitting on a wooden table.

Examples

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'.

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-tahˈθesta

nounA1general
Use 'cesta' for a basket, often for laundry or large items, similar to 'canasta' but sometimes implying a slightly smaller or more casual container.
A woven wicker basket with a handle sitting on a wooden surface.

Examples

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'.

The 'El' Trap

Mistake: “el cesta”

Correction: la cesta (because words ending in 'a' are almost always feminine in Spanish).

sera

SEH-rahˈse.ɾa

nounC1specific
Use 'sera' specifically for a large, often rustic, wicker basket, commonly used for transporting agricultural produce.
A large, sturdy, empty woven wicker basket sitting on dirt ground, suggesting its use as an agricultural container.

Examples

El trabajador cargó la sera de aceitunas en el burro.

The worker loaded the large basket of olives onto the donkey.

En el museo hay una antigua sera de esparto.

In the museum, there is an ancient esparto grass hamper.

Gender Check

Since 'sera' ends in -a, it is a feminine noun, meaning you must use 'la' or 'una' before it.

Confusing with the Verb

Mistake: “Using 'sera' (the noun) when you mean 'será' (the verb form). They look similar but have different sounds and meanings.”

Correction: The common verb form is 'será' (with the accent on the second syllable). 'Sera' (the noun) is much less common.

Canasta vs. Cesta

Learners often confuse 'canasta' and 'cesta' as they are very similar and frequently used interchangeably for laundry or gift baskets. While both are valid, 'canasta' might feel slightly more substantial for gifts, and 'cesta' can sometimes imply a more woven or lighter container, but in everyday use, the distinction is minimal.

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