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 |
The term refers to the edible fruit of the banana plant. In many Spanish-speaking regions, the word plátano can specifically refer to the starchy cooking plantain rather than the sweet dessert banana. To distinguish the cooking variety, the term plátano macho is often used in Mexico and parts of Central America.
Which one should you use?
While plátano is the default form, several other words exist depending on the region and the specific type of fruit being discussed. For example, guineo is frequently used in the Caribbean to refer to the fruit instead of plátano.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Many regional variations exist: banana is used in Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay. Banano is common in Central America and Colombia, as well as in Ecuador. In Venezuela, both cambur and guineo are used. Guineo is also found in Bolivia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico and several other regions. Mínimo is used in Central Honduras. Plátano is used in Chile, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines and Spain. In Cuba, fongo is also used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form banana is a feminine noun and requires feminine articles such as la or una. The forms banano, cambur and guineo are masculine nouns and require masculine articles such as el or un.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈplatano/
Did you know?
- The word banana is an unexpected relative of several Niger-Congo languages spoken in West Africa, such as Wolof and Maninkakan.
- The word plátano is not only used in Spanish-speaking Americas and Europe but is also used in the Philippines.
- The term guineo is used in many Caribbean countries, and its name likely refers to the Guinea region of Africa.
Examples in context
- Me comí un plátano.I ate a banana.This sentence shows how to use plátano with the verb to eat in the preterite tense.Tatoeba #10124663 by manufrutos, translation #5263418 by CK
- Me como un plátano.I eat a banana.This sentence shows how to use plátano with the verb to eat 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
- Ana fue al mercado y compró unos plátanos para hacer un postre delicioso.Ana went to the market and bought some bananas to make a delicious dessert.
- El plátano es una fruta deliciosa y nutritiva.The banana is a delicious and nutritious fruit.
- En el mercado, compré unos guineos bien maduros para hacer un delicioso batido.At the market, I bought some ripe bananas to make a delicious smoothie.
- Voy a comprar unas bananas para hacer un pastel.I'm going to buy some bananas to make a cake.
- Mi madre preparó tostones con plátano macho para la cena.My mother made plantain tostones for dinner.
- 43 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and María are in the kitchen preparing breakfast.
- Javier¿Hay algún plátano en la mesa?Is there a banana on the table?
- MaríaSí, Javier, hay un plátano fresco.Yes, Javier, there is a fresh banana.
- JavierPerfecto, me comeré el plátano ahora.Perfect, I will eat the banana now.
- MaríaNo olvides lavarlo primero.Don't forget to wash it first.
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.
