Inklingo

How to Say "platter" in Spanish

English → Spanish

bandeja

bahn-DEH-hah/banˈdexa/

nounA1general
Use 'bandeja' for a general-purpose tray, often rectangular, used for carrying or serving food and drinks, or for decorative purposes.
A simple wooden serving tray holding a white teacup filled with hot tea and a small cookie.

Examples

El camarero trajo el café en una pequeña bandeja de plata.

The waiter brought the coffee on a small silver tray.

Por favor, pon todos los vasos sucios en la bandeja antes de llevarlos a la cocina.

Please put all the dirty glasses on the tray before taking them to the kitchen.

Gender Reminder

Remember that 'bandeja' is always feminine, requiring feminine articles and adjectives: la bandeja, una bandeja grande.

fuente

FWEHN-tehˈfwen̪.te

nounA2culinary
Opt for 'fuente' when referring to a large, typically round or oval, flat dish specifically designed for serving food, especially main courses.
A large, oval white ceramic serving dish (platter) piled high with colorful, steaming roasted vegetables placed on a wooden table.

Examples

Sirve el pollo en la fuente grande, por favor.

Serve the chicken on the large serving dish, please.

La fuente de ensalada está casi vacía.

The salad bowl/platter is almost empty.

Context is Key

When you hear 'fuente' in a kitchen, it almost certainly means the vessel holding the food, not a water fountain!

Bandeja vs. Fuente for Serving Dishes

Learners often confuse 'bandeja' and 'fuente' when referring to serving dishes. Remember, 'bandeja' is more versatile and can be used for carrying or general serving, while 'fuente' is specifically a dish for presenting food, often in a more formal or culinary context.

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