fletán
/fleˈtan/masculine
The English word 'halibut' is translated into Spanish as fletán. Wiktionary also lists pez mantequilla and hipogloso.
Meaning: flatfish of the genus Hippoglossus (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| fletán | /fleˈtan/ | masculine |
| pez mantequilla | /peθ mantekiʝa/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /pes mantekiʝa/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
masculine |
| hipogloso | /ipoˈɡloso/ | masculine |
| paltus | /paltus/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| halibut | /alibut/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
All provided terms refer to a flatfish of the genus Hippoglossus.
Which one should you use?
You may encounter other names such as pez mantequilla, hipogloso, paltus or the loanword halibut.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the term el rodaballo is used mainly to refer to halibut.
How does it change in a sentence?
All the terms provided are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/fleˈtan/
Did you know?
- While you might expect it to be named for its shape, the term hipogloso comes from the Greek words for 'horse' and 'tongue'. This is a direct reference to its scientific name, *Hippoglossus*.
- The Spanish word for fish pez is a homograph with another pez that refers to 'pitch' or 'resin'.
- The word pez mantequilla literally translates to 'butter fish'.
Examples in context
- El fletán es muy fresco hoy.The halibut is very fresh today.
- Me gusta comer fletán a la plancha.I like to eat grilled halibut.
- Pedimos un plato de fletán para compartir.We ordered a halibut dish to share.
Example conversation
A couple is looking at the menu in a seaside restaurant.
- ElenaAlejandro, ¿qué quieres comer?Alejandro, what do you want to eat?
- AlejandroCreo que voy a pedir el fletán.I think I am going to order the halibut.
- ElenaEl fletán parece una buena opción.The halibut looks like a good option.
- AlejandroSí, se ve muy delicioso.Yes, it looks very delicious.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “halibut” translations and entries fletán, pez mantequilla, hipogloso, halibut, 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 fletán, hipogloso, mantequilla, pez, CC BY-SA 4.0.
