Is there a more correct term for a sweet potato other than patata dulce?
My Puerto Rican husband couldn't tell me what the word for sweet potato was, so I guessed patata dulce. He laughed but couldn't tell me if that's correct or if there's a specific word for this vegetable.
8 Answers
Batata, boniato or camote, depending on the country (camote is more common in Mexico). No one calls it patata dulce.
I have heard camote and also ñame (which I like since it begins with an ñ).
He visto "boniato" bastantes veces en el supermercado en menorca y tambien en la peninsula.
If I remember rightly they are "kumeras" in New Zealand
Now isn't that useful?
La diferencia entre los batatas y sweet potatoes. Soy ñame que soy ñame.
http://homecooking.about.com/od/howtocookvegetables/a/sweetpotatodiff.htm
I am not sure if there is a more proper name. However, having worked at a grocery store for many years, I can ASSURE you that a "batata", which generally comes from Central America, is not the same as a "sweet potato(e)". Although they both hail from the potato family, they look and taste different. Hope that helps!!!
Actually patata dulce exists in Brazil...(portuguese -batata doce). I believe that boniato is the more accurate term , but is also known as camote in central America. Note: be careful who are you learning spanish from.Puerto rican speaks a very bad and poor spanish and Mexico and Peru uses a lot of local slang.Learn spanish from Spain.(excuse my english).
You might want to try with the botanical name
One online dictionary provided "batata", "boniato", "camote", and "ñame" for "yam", but I am not sure at all that "yam" and "sweet potato(e)" are really the same vegetable.
Indeed, I think patata dulce would not be understood.
