I'm really confused

Question

I might be wrong, but isn't 'banana' in Spanish, 'El platano'? I'm asking because I was studying a flashcard set on here about fruits and vegetables, and it had 'banana' translated as, 'La banana'. Is that correct or not, because it's confused me quite a bit.

Frustrating isn't it? Some terms just seem to have regional differences. In English the British say "biscuit" for what Americans call a "cookie". And in Colombian Spanish "calabaza" is a squash in general, but in the dictionary means "pumpkin." - Jubilado, Oct 1, 2015

Thanks. - Dogboy1000, Oct 1, 2015

And then again, some say tomato and others tomato. ;^) - chileno, Oct 1, 2015

Answer 1

Here is a link mostly in English:

http://forum.wordreference.com/threads/banana-vs-plátano-méxico.1993156/

In México from what I understand a banana is a plátano, and in Argentina it appears it is a banana. In parts of the Carribean it is a guineo, and plátano only refers to plantains.

There is probably more complexity to the regional variation but this should get you started.

Keep in mind in Argentina a fresa (strawberry) is called a frutilla.

Fresh fruits and vegetables have some of the most marked regional variation of all the Spanish words in my experience.

;) - jrschenk, Oct 1, 2015

Thanks. - Dogboy1000, Oct 1, 2015

Answer 2

First of all, a banana and a plantain are different things. Similar, but different. They are in the same family, but plantains are MUCH starchier than bananas.

Secondly, as to what each is called in Spanish, a lot will depend upon regional quirks. Generally, though (only generally), the Spanish word for plantain is "platano," and (at least according to the Honduran girl at the Latin market where I go), the Spanish word for banana is "banano."

Now, if we want to trade recipes for plantains, I'm in! We can start a new thread!!

you are right. But I am confused because in the picture that you has posted . the fruit rotulated as banana i wiould say that is a "platano" and the rotulated as plantain I would say that is a " banana" - 000a35ff, Oct 1, 2015

i have been searching for it and I have found that plaintain in English is banana in Spanish and. banana in English is platano in Spanish. interesting isn't it? . Somebody could confirm this point? - 000a35ff, Oct 1, 2015

rotular = to label in English. - Mardle, Oct 1, 2015

Thanks. - Dogboy1000, Oct 1, 2015

Mardle, also "etiquetar" - chileno, Oct 1, 2015

She was just trying to tell Txelis that "rotulated" is not a normal part of English. :) - bosquederoble, Oct 1, 2015

Txelis, That's amazing what you say. This market, which is definitely very Latino (It's the only place around here where you almost HAVE to speak Spanish), definitely labels "plantains" as "platanos" and "bananas" as "bananos or "bananas." - Winkfish, Oct 1, 2015