Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| plátano | /ˈplatano/ | Chile, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Spain, masculine |
| banana | /baˈnana/ | Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, feminine |
| banano | /baˈnano/ | Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, masculine |
| cambur | /kamˈbuɾ/ | Venezuela, masculine |
| guineo | /ɡiˈneo/ | Bolivia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Eastern, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Northern, Northwestern, Panama, Puerto Rico, Southeastern, Southern, Venezuela, masculine |
| mínimo | /ˈminimo/ | Central, Honduras, masculine |
| plátano fruta | /platano fɾuta/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| fongo | /fonɡo/ (from spelling rules) | Cuba, masculine |
All the terms provided refer to the fruit known as a banana.
Which one should you use?
While plátano is a common term, in many Spanish-speaking regions it specifically refers to the starchy cooking plantain rather than the sweet dessert banana. To be specific about the sweet fruit, one might use plátano fruta.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The word used for banana varies significantly by location: banana (feminine) is used in Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay. In Colombia and several Central American countries, banano (masculine) is used. In Venezuela, cambur (masculine) is the word for the sweet fruit, though guineo (masculine) is also used in parts of Venezuela. The term guineo (masculine) is also common in Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico and various other regions. In parts of Bolivia, Ecuador, Central America and parts of the Caribbean, guineo is used. In Honduras, the term mínimo (masculine) is used in Central regions. In Cuba, the term fongo (masculine) is used. Finally, plátano (masculine) is used in Chile, Mexico, Peru, Philippines and Spain.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of plátano is plátanos.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈplatano/
Did you know?
- The term cambur used in Venezuela is actually a linguistic relic from the Canary Islands, having been borrowed from the Guanche language.
- In some regions, guineo is the standard term, which is etymologically linked to the name of the region of Guinea in Africa.
- Depending on the country, a speaker might use banana as a feminine noun or banano as a masculine noun to describe the same fruit.
Examples in context
- Me comí un plátano.I ate a banana.This sentence shows how to use plátano in the past tense.Tatoeba #10124663 by manufrutos, translation #5263418 by CK
- Me como un plátano.I eat a banana.This sentence shows how to use plátano in the present tense.Tatoeba #10178543 by Seael, translation #1143111 by AlanF_US
- Me comí tu plátano.I ate your banana.This sentence shows how to use plátano with a possessive adjective.Tatoeba #10284298 by manufrutos, translation #10282381 by ddnktr
- Me gustaría comprar bananos frescos en el mercadoI would like to buy fresh bananas at the market
- ¿Me pasas un plátano?Can you pass me a banana?
- Smoothie de banana, por favorBanana smoothie, please
- Tienes una finca de bananos hermosaYou have a beautiful banana farm
- ¿Cuánto cuesta el kilo de banano?How much does a kilo of bananas cost?
- 43 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and María are in the kitchen preparing breakfast.
- Javier¿Quieres un plátano?Do you want a banana?
- MaríaSí, gracias, Javier.Yes, thanks, Javier.
- JavierEste plátano está muy maduro.This banana is very ripe.
- MaríaPerfecto para el batido.Perfect for the smoothie.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “banana” translations and entries plátano, banana, banano, cambur, guineo, mínimo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries banana, banano, cambur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
