Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pastel | /pasˈtel/ | El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Northeastern, Spain, masculine |
| bizcocho | /biθˈkot͡ʃo/ /bisˈkot͡ʃo/ |
Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, masculine |
| cake | /ˈkeik/ | Cuba, Panama, masculine |
| ponqué | /ponˈke/ | Colombia, masculine |
| pudín | /puˈdin/ | masculine |
| queque | /ˈkeke/ | Costa Rica, masculine |
| tarta | /ˈtaɾta/ | feminine |
| torta | /ˈtoɾta/ | Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay, feminine |
| queik | /keik/ (from spelling rules) | Panama, masculine |
The term refers to a sweet dessert. While many words exist for cake, some specifically imply a light, fluffy sponge cake, such as bizcocho.
Which one should you use?
In Spain, tarta is the standard word for a sweet cake, while pastel often refers to smaller sweets or individual pastries. In the Southern Cone region (including Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay), torta is the common word for a sweet cake, but be aware that in Mexico, a torta refers to a sandwich. In Panama, both cake and the phonetic spelling queik are used.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Depending on where you are, you might use different words: bizcocho is common in the Caribbean (specifically the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico). cake and queik are used in Panama. pastel is used in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Northeastern Spain and most of Spain. ponqué is common in Colombia. queque is used in Costa Rica. And torta is used in Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine noun tarta becomes plural by adding -s to form tartas. The masculine noun pastel becomes plural by adding -es to form pasteles.
How do you pronounce it?
/pasˈtel/
When do people say it?
The Colombian word ponqué is a direct derivation from the English term 'pound cake'.
Did you know?
- The word bizcocho literally means 'twice baked', describing the historical process of drying the bread to preserve it.
- The word queque is a phonetic adaptation of the English word 'cake', a common occurrence in Central American Spanish.
Examples in context
- Es una buena torta.It is a good cake.This sentence is useful for describing the quality of a torta.Tatoeba #1322970 by hayastan, translation #707874 by KasperNymand
- Tom probó la tarta.Tom tasted the cake.This sentence shows how to use the verb 'probar' with tarta.Tatoeba #12536542 by Shishir, translation #3422085 by CK
- Esta torta es dulce.This cake is sweet.This sentence illustrates how to describe a torta as sweet.Tatoeba #432131 by Leono, translation #61167 by CM
- Me gustaría probar una porción de tarta de chocolate, por favor.I would like to try a slice of chocolate cake, please.
- ¿Tienen alguna opción sin gluten en los pasteles?Do you have any gluten-free options in the cakes?
- ¿Puedo probar un trozo de ese bizcocho gallego?Can I try a piece of that Galician sponge cake?
- Me apetece solo un cachito de tarta de fresa.I'm in the mood for just a little piece of strawberry cake.
- ¿Tienes algún otro sabor de tarta que no sea chocolate?Do you have any other flavors of cake besides chocolate?
- ¿Podrías recomendarme un buen lugar para probar una tarta tradicional española?Could you recommend a good place to try a traditional Spanish cake?
- ¡Esa tarta se ve deliciosa!That cake looks delicious!
- 323 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Daniel are sharing a dessert at a cafe.
- María¿Te gusta el pastel, Daniel?Do you like the cake, Daniel?
- DanielSí, María, el pastel está delicioso.Yes, María, the cake is delicious.
- MaríaQué bueno que te guste.I'm glad you like it.
- DanielPodemos pedir otro pastel pronto.We can order another cake soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cake” translations and entries pastel, bizcocho, cake, ponqué, pudín, queque, tarta, torta, 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 bizcocho, cake, pastel, ponqué, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
