Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pan comido | /ˌpan koˈmido/ | |
| coser y cantar | /koˌseɾ i kanˈtaɾ/ | |
| papita para el loro | /papita paɾa el loɾo/ (from spelling rules) | |
| bicoca | /biˈkoka/ | feminine |
| papaya | /paˈpaʝa/ | adjective |
| papayita | /papaʝita/ (from spelling rules) | adjective |
These expressions are used to describe a task or job that is very simple or requires almost no effort. Depending on the context, you might use a standard idiom like pan comido, a colorful phrase like papita para el loro or slang such as papaya.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase pan comido literally translates to 'eaten bread', implying that the task is as effortless as consuming food.
Which one should you use?
Pan comido is the standard idiomatic expression used across most Spanish-speaking regions. For a more colorful and colloquial variation, you can use papita para el loro. The word papaya is used as an adjective in slang, while its diminutive form papayita can be used to emphasize that a task is exceptionally easy.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In formal situations, you might say La presentación no ofrece ninguna dificultad to express that a presentation is a piece of cake. For everyday informal use, pan comido and coser y cantar are common. The term papita para el loro is a more colorful, colloquial way to say it, while papaya is considered slang.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the colloquialism bicoca is used specifically to refer to an easy task or a trifle.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because pan comido functions as a noun phrase, it does not change its form to match the subject of the sentence. The term bicoca is feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌpan koˈmido/
Did you know?
- The word bicoca is borrowed from the name of the Italian town Bicocca, which was the site of a disastrous battle in 1522.
- While pan comido is universal, using papaya as a synonym for 'easy' is specific regional slang that would be misunderstood in Spain.
- The phrase papita para el loro creates a vivid mental image of a tiny potato being an effortless snack for a parrot.
Examples in context
- No fue exactamente coser y cantar.It wasn't exactly a piece of cake.This sentence shows a negative example using coser y cantar.Tatoeba #2008181 by Shishir, translation #1987953 by FlamingTofu
- Escalar aquella montaña fue pan comido.Climbing that mountain was a piece of cake.This sentence shows how to use pan comido to describe a difficult task that turned out to be easy.Tatoeba #1322962 by hayastan, translation #1062311 by CM
- Es pan comido.It's a piece of cake.This sentence provides a simple way to state that something is pan comido.Tatoeba #1396490 by marcelostockle, translation #21259 by Eldad
- El examen fue facilísimoThe exam was a piece of cake
- Resolver el problema fue pan comidoSolving the problem was a piece of cake
- Preparar la cena es juego de niñosPreparing dinner is a piece of cake
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Alejandro are talking about a math exam.
- María¿Te pareció difícil el examen de matemáticas?Did you find the math exam difficult?
- AlejandroNo, para mí fue pan comido.No, for me it was a piece of cake.
- María¡Qué suerte tienes, Alejandro!You are so lucky, Alejandro!
- AlejandroSolo estudié un poco anoche.I only studied a little bit last night.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “piece of cake” translations and entries pan comido, coser y cantar, bicoca, papaya, 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 bicoca, cantar, coser, coser y cantar, pan, papita, para, y, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
