pasta

noun PAH-stah Less Common

Also means

paste

Usage Note

Pasta can mean Italian pasta (the food) or any thick paste — toothpaste is pasta de dientes. In Spain it is very common slang for 'money' (equivalent to 'dough' or 'cash'), a usage rarely heard in Latin America. The diminutive pastelito is unrelated; pastel ('cake, pastry') is a different word.

Examples

"Me encanta la pasta con tomate."

Natural Translation

I love pasta with tomato sauce.

Literal Translation

To-me pleases the pasta with tomato.

Related Words

Explore Spanish by topic

SpanishNow

Spanish Numbers 1-100: Count, Spell & Pronounce

Spanish numbers 1 to 100 are a system, not a list: three patterns build every number. Master the spelling, the accent rule, and how to say prices fast.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

Spanish Object Pronouns: Lo, La, Le & Se Made Simple

Use lo/la for the direct object and le for the indirect — and le becomes se before lo/la. Master Spanish object pronouns with one simple verb test.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

Te Quiero vs Te Amo: Saying "I Love You" in Spanish

Te quiero vs te amo, explained: te quiero is the warm, safe everyday I love you; te amo is deeper and more romantic. A relationship-by-relationship map.

June 3, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

Ser vs. Estar: When to Use Each in Spanish

Ser vs estar made simple: how you feel and where you are use estar, everything else uses ser. Master the rule, the exceptions, and the traps that flip meaning.

June 3, 2026 6 min read