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 |
All these terms refer to a sweet dessert. Depending on where you are, the word you choose may change significantly.
Which one should you use?
In Spain, tarta is the standard word for a sweet sponge cake, while pastel often refers to individual pastries. In the Southern Cone and Andean regions, such as Argentina or Peru, torta is the common term for a sweet cake, though in other regions torta might actually refer to a savory dish or a sandwich. In Panama, you may see the phonetic spelling queik used for cake.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Regional variations are extensive: bizcocho is common in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. cake is used in Cuba and Panama. pastel is used in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Northeastern Spain and other areas. ponqué is specific to Colombia. pudín is a masculine form. queque is used in Costa Rica, Chile and Peru to refer to a cake or muffin. tarta is a feminine form. And torta is the standard feminine form in Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To make these words plural, use pasteles for pastel, tortas for torta and tartas for tarta.
How do you pronounce it?
/pasˈtel/
Did you know?
- The word ponqué is actually a phonetic corruption of the English term 'pound cake'.
- The term bizcocho and the English word 'biscuit' are distant linguistic cousins, both tracing back to roots involving the idea of being baked.
- In the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, bizcocho is the primary term for cake, whereas in other countries it refers only to the sponge layer.
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 is useful for showing how someone used the word tarta.Tatoeba #12536542 by Shishir, translation #3422085 by CK
- Esta torta es dulce.This cake is sweet.This sentence is useful for describing the sweetness of a torta.Tatoeba #432131 by Leono, translation #61167 by CM
- Me encanta el pastel de chocolateI love chocolate cake
- Podemos pedir una tarta de frutasWe can order a fruit cake
- Este bizcocho está deliciosoThis cake is delicious
- Vamos a comer pastel de cumpleañosLet's eat birthday cake
- Mañana compraremos una torta de vainillaTomorrow we will buy a vanilla cake
- Hazme un trozo de ponque de cocoGive me a piece of coconut cake
- 323 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Mateo are at a birthday party.
- Elena¡Mira ese pastel de chocolate!Look at that chocolate cake!
- MateoEs un pastel muy grande.It is a very big cake.
- Elena¿Quieres un pedazo de pastel?Do you want a piece of cake?
- MateoSí, por favor, Elena.Yes, please, Elena.
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.
