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How to Say "paste" in Spanish

English → Spanish

cola

/KOH-lah//ˈko.la/

nounB1general
Use 'cola' when referring to a strong adhesive or glue, typically for paper, crafts, or even wood.
A bottle of white liquid glue dripping a blob onto colorful paper.

Examples

Usa esta cola fuerte para fijar la madera rota.

Use this strong glue to fix the broken wood.

Compramos un bote grande de cola blanca para el proyecto escolar.

We bought a large jar of white glue for the school project.

Confusing Nouns

Mistake: “Using 'pegamento' when referring specifically to certain types of liquid glue common in crafts (where 'cola' is often preferred).”

Correction: While 'pegamento' is always correct for 'glue,' 'cola' is very common for standard white glue or woodworking adhesive.

pega

PEH-gah/ˈpe.ɣa/

nounA2general
Use 'pega' for a general-purpose adhesive or glue, especially for crafts and paper, similar to 'cola' but often more informal.
A simple, open bottle of white liquid adhesive glue, with a large drop hanging from the nozzle, ready to fall.

Examples

Se me rompió la taza, ¿tienes un poco de pega?

My mug broke, do you have some glue?

Esta pega es muy fuerte y seca rápido.

This adhesive is very strong and dries quickly.

Feminine Noun

Remember that 'pega' is feminine, so you always use 'la pega' or 'una pega'.

pasta

PAHS-tah/ˈpas.ta/

nounA2culinary
Use 'pasta' when referring to a thick, dough-like mixture, particularly in a culinary context like bread or pastry.
A small clear jar filled with thick white paste, with a wooden stirring stick resting inside the jar.

Examples

La receta dice que hay que amasar la pasta por diez minutos.

The recipe says that you have to knead the dough for ten minutes.

Usa esta pasta de dientes para cepillarte.

Use this toothpaste to brush your teeth.

Context is Key

When talking about baking, 'pasta' is often interchangeable with 'masa' (dough), but 'pasta' is more common for thick, non-food pastes like glue or toothpaste.

masa

MAH-sah/ˈma.sa/

nounA1culinary
Use 'masa' to describe a thick, malleable mixture, most commonly for doughs used in baking or cooking.
A smooth, round ball of raw bread dough sitting on a wooden surface, ready for baking.

Examples

Necesito amasar la masa del pan por diez minutos.

I need to knead the bread dough for ten minutes.

Esta masa de galletas lleva mucha mantequilla.

This cookie dough has a lot of butter in it.

La masa para los panqueques debe ser líquida.

The batter for the pancakes should be liquid.

Always Feminine

Remember that 'masa' is always feminine, so you must use 'la masa' or 'una masa', even though it refers to a substance, not a specific female person or thing.

Adhesive vs. Dough

The most common mistake is confusing the words for adhesives ('cola', 'pega') with those for doughs ('masa', 'pasta'). Remember that 'cola' and 'pega' are for sticking things together, while 'masa' and 'pasta' refer to thick, kneadable mixtures used in cooking.

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