hoja de plátano
/oxa de platano/from spelling rules
The English phrase "banana leaf" is translated into Spanish as hoja de plátano.
The phrase refers to the leaf of a banana plant.
Meaning: leaf of a banana plant (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of hoja (leaf), de (of) and plátano (banana/plantain).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Venezuela, you may use hoja de cambur. In many parts of Latin America, hoja de banano is used instead of hoja de plátano because banano is used to refer to the fruit or the plant.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase plural, change hoja to hojas while keeping de plátano the same.
Did you know?
- The word hoja has a hidden relative in English: the word 'foil'. Both words trace their ancestry back to the Latin 'folium', referring to something thin and leaf-like.
- In traditional Latin American cooking, a hoja de plátano is often quickly passed over an open flame to make it pliable before wrapping food.
- While hoja means 'leaf', it is also the standard Spanish word for a 'sheet' of paper.
Examples in context
- En el jardín hay una hermosa hoja de plátano.There is a beautiful banana leaf in the garden.
- Esa hoja de banano es enorme, ¿no crees?That banana leaf is huge, don't you think?
- Necesito una hoja de plátano para cocinar.I need a banana leaf for cooking.
- La hoja de plátano es muy grande.The banana leaf is very large.
- Limpia bien la hoja de plátano.Clean the banana leaf well.
Example conversation
Sofia and Alejandro are preparing traditional food in the kitchen.
- Sofía¿Tienes la hoja de plátano, Alejandro?Do you have the banana leaf, Alejandro?
- AlejandroSí, aquí la tengo, Sofía.Yes, I have it here, Sofia.
- SofíaPerfecto, pon la comida sobre ella.Perfect, put the food on it.
- AlejandroSe ve muy bien.It looks very good.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, hoja, plátano, CC BY-SA 4.0.
