What does “pan” mean in Spanish?
The Spanish word pan means “bread”: the food made from flour, water and yeast, baked in an oven. It is a masculine noun, and its plural is panes. It is one of the oldest and most basic words in the language, and it carries two meanings that English keeps apart. In the plain sense it is the loaf on the table: compro pan, “I buy bread”. In the wider sense it is food and a living: ganarse el pan, “to earn one’s bread”, which is to earn one’s living.
Two things about the way Spanish uses the word will help you at once.
First, pan is usually a mass noun, like “bread” in English. You say quiero pan, “I want bread”, with no article, and no hay pan, “there is no bread”. To speak of bread in general, Spanish does want the article, where English does not: me gusta el pan, “I like bread” (102.7). To speak of one loaf, you say un pan or, more often, name its shape: una barra de pan, “a loaf of bread”, literally “a stick of bread” (102.23). The plural panes means “loaves” or “kinds of bread”: los panes están en la mesa, “the loaves are on the table” (102.9).
Second, pan has a large family. A baker is a panadero, a bakery a panadería, a bread roll a panecillo, and the filled pastry is an empanada, literally “put in bread”. Section D lists them.
The word comes from Latin pānis, “bread”, and is the same word as Italian pane, French pain and Portuguese pão. Another descendant is hidden in English: a “companion” is, by origin, someone with whom you share bread (Latin cum, “with”, and pānis), and Spanish compañero is the same word.
Be careful of one false friend. The English word “pan”, the kitchen vessel, has nothing to do with the Spanish word. A frying pan in Spanish is a sartén, and a saucepan a cazo or cacerola. Spanish pan is only bread.
Orthography: pan is a single syllable and takes no written accent. It has no special letters. The plural adds -es, not -s, because the word ends in a consonant: pan, panes.
This lesson uses the standard Spanish of Spain for pronunciation (with the sound /θ/ for z and for c before e and i), and Section E notes where Latin America differs.
FAQ: How do you say “bread” in Spanish?
Q: How do I say “I want bread”? A: Quiero pan. Without an article, for bread as such.
Q: How do I say “I like bread”? A: Me gusta el pan. For a general statement, Spanish uses the article.
Q: What is the plural of pan? A: Panes: los panes, “the loaves”. Not panos, not pans.
Q: Is pan the same as the English “pan”? A: No. Spanish pan is bread. A frying pan is una sartén.
Q: How do I say “a loaf of bread”? A: Una barra de pan for the long loaf, una hogaza for a large round loaf, un pan if the context already shows what kind.
Key Takeaways:
- Pan means “bread”. It is masculine: el pan, un pan, pan fresco - The plural is panes (“loaves”). In the sense of “bread” as a food, pan is a mass noun and takes no article: quiero pan, compro pan - To speak of bread in general, use the article: me gusta el pan - Pan also means “living, food”: ganarse el pan, el pan de cada día - The family: panadero, panadería, panecillo, empanada, compañero - Spanish pan is bread, never a kitchen pan (sartén)
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Pan /pan/ — one syllable. The p is not aspirated: no puff of air, as in English “spin” and not as in “pin”. The a is the pure open vowel of “father”, short and clear. The final n is an ordinary /n/. Say it as “pahn”. In quick speech the vowel is slightly nasal before the n.
Panes /ˈpanes/ — two syllables, stress on the first: “PAH-nes”. The e is a pure vowel, like the first part of “day” without the glide.
Panadero /panaˈðeɾo/ — stress on the second-last syllable, the de: “pa-na-DEH-ro”. The d between vowels is soft, like the “th” of English “this”: /ð/. The r is a single tap of the tongue, as in American “butter”: /ɾ/.
Panadería /panaðeˈɾia/ — the stress is on rí, and the accent mark shows that í and a are two separate syllables (a hiatus), not one: “pa-na-de-REE-a”.
The transcription in line b follows these conventions. Each word is given as it is said alone, so the letters b, d and g are stops at the start of a word (/b d ɡ/) and soft between vowels inside it (/β ð ɣ/): vino /ˈbino/, cada /ˈkaða/, amigo /aˈmiɣo/. In running speech the initial b, d, g of a word also soften after a vowel: la barra de pan is said with the soft /ð/ in de, after the vowel of barra. The letters v and b are one sound. The letter h is silent. The double rr and the single r at the start of a word are the trill /r/; a single r between vowels is the tap /ɾ/. The letters ll and y are both written /ʝ/ here (yeísmo, the usual pronunciation today). The letter z, and c before e and i, are /θ/ (the “th” of “thin”) in Spain; most of Latin America says /s/ for all of them (seseo).
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Duplex Method: line a gives each Spanish word with its meaning; line b gives the same words with IPA and grammatical glosses.
102.1a Esto this es is pan bread
102.1b Esto /ˈesto/ this.N es /es/ be.PRES.3SG pan /pan/ bread.M.SG
102.2a Quiero I-want pan bread
102.2b Quiero /ˈkjeɾo/ want.PRES.1SG pan /pan/ bread.M.SG
102.3a El the pan bread está is caliente hot
102.3b El /el/ the.M.SG pan /pan/ bread.M.SG está /esˈta/ be.PRES.3SG caliente /kaˈljente/ hot.SG
102.4a Compro I-buy pan bread fresco fresh
102.4b Compro /ˈkompɾo/ buy.PRES.1SG pan /pan/ bread.M.SG fresco /ˈfɾesko/ fresh.M.SG
102.5a No not hay there-is pan bread
102.5b No /no/ not hay /aj/ there-be.PRES pan /pan/ bread.M.SG
102.6a Mi my madre mother hace makes pan bread en at casa home los the domingos Sundays
102.6b Mi /mi/ my.SG madre /ˈmaðɾe/ mother.F.SG hace /ˈaθe/ make.PRES.3SG pan /pan/ bread.M.SG en /en/ in casa /ˈkasa/ home.F.SG los /los/ the.M.PL domingos /doˈmiŋɡos/ Sunday.M.PL
102.7a Me to-me gusta pleases el the pan bread con with aceite oil y and tomate tomato
102.7b Me /me/ me.DAT.1SG gusta /ˈɡusta/ please.PRES.3SG el /el/ the.M.SG pan /pan/ bread.M.SG con /kon/ with aceite /aˈθejte/ oil.M.SG y /i/ and tomate /toˈmate/ tomato.M.SG
102.8a ¿Quieres do-you-want un a poco little más more de of pan bread
102.8b ¿Quieres /ˈkjeɾes/ want.PRES.2SG un /un/ a.M.SG poco /ˈpoko/ little más /mas/ more de /de/ of pan /pan/ bread.M.SG
102.9a Los the panes loaves están are en on la the mesa table
102.9b Los /los/ the.M.PL panes /ˈpanes/ bread.M.PL están /esˈtan/ be.PRES.3PL en /en/ in la /la/ the.F.SG mesa /ˈmesa/ table.F.SG
102.10a Voy I-go a to la the panadería bakery a to comprar buy pan bread
102.10b Voy /boj/ go.PRES.1SG a /a/ to la /la/ the.F.SG panadería /panaðeˈɾia/ bakery.F.SG a /a/ to comprar /komˈpɾaɾ/ buy.INF pan /pan/ bread.M.SG
102.11a Con with el the pan bread que that sobró was-left-over ayer yesterday mi my abuela grandmother hace makes torrijas torrijas
102.11b Con /kon/ with el /el/ the.M.SG pan /pan/ bread.M.SG que /ke/ that.REL sobró /soˈβɾo/ be-left-over.PRET.3SG ayer /aˈʝeɾ/ yesterday mi /mi/ my.SG abuela /aˈβwela/ grandmother.F.SG hace /ˈaθe/ make.PRES.3SG torrijas /toˈrixas/ torrija.F.PL
102.12a Cuando when el the pan bread sale comes-out del of-the horno oven toda all la the cocina kitchen huele smells bien good
102.12b Cuando /ˈkwando/ when el /el/ the.M.SG pan /pan/ bread.M.SG sale /ˈsale/ come-out.PRES.3SG del /del/ of-the.M.SG horno /ˈoɾno/ oven.M.SG toda /ˈtoða/ all.F.SG la /la/ the.F.SG cocina /koˈθina/ kitchen.F.SG huele /ˈwele/ smell.PRES.3SG bien /bjen/ well
102.13a «Contigo with-you pan bread y and cebolla» onion se itself dice says entre among enamorados lovers
102.13b «Contigo /konˈtiɣo/ with-you.2SG pan /pan/ bread.M.SG y /i/ and cebolla» /θeˈβoʝa/ onion.F.SG se /se/ REFL.3 dice /ˈdiθe/ say.PRES.3SG entre /ˈentɾe/ among enamorados /enamoˈɾaðos/ in-love.M.PL
102.14a Yo I prefiero prefer llamar to-call al to-the pan bread pan bread y and al to-the vino wine vino wine
102.14b Yo /ʝo/ I.NOM.1SG prefiero /pɾeˈfjeɾo/ prefer.PRES.1SG llamar /ʝaˈmaɾ/ call.INF al /al/ to-the.M.SG pan /pan/ bread.M.SG pan /pan/ bread.M.SG y /i/ and al /al/ to-the.M.SG vino /ˈbino/ wine.M.SG vino /ˈbino/ wine.M.SG
102.15a Trabaja he-works mucho much para in-order-to ganarse to-earn-oneself el the pan bread de of cada each día day
102.15b Trabaja /tɾaˈβaxa/ work.PRES.3SG mucho /ˈmutʃo/ much para /ˈpaɾa/ for ganarse /ɡaˈnaɾse/ earn.INF-REFL.3 el /el/ the.M.SG pan /pan/ bread.M.SG de /de/ of cada /ˈkaða/ each día /ˈdia/ day.M.SG
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102.1 Esto es pan. → “This is bread.”
102.2 Quiero pan. → “I want bread.”
102.3 El pan está caliente. → “The bread is hot.”
102.4 Compro pan fresco. → “I buy fresh bread.”
102.5 No hay pan. → “There is no bread.”
102.6 Mi madre hace pan en casa los domingos. → “My mother makes bread at home on Sundays.”
102.7 Me gusta el pan con aceite y tomate. → “I like bread with oil and tomato.”
102.8 ¿Quieres un poco más de pan? → “Would you like a little more bread?”
102.9 Los panes están en la mesa. → “The loaves are on the table.”
102.10 Voy a la panadería a comprar pan. → “I’m going to the bakery to buy bread.”
102.11 Con el pan que sobró ayer, mi abuela hace torrijas. → “With the bread that was left over yesterday, my grandmother makes torrijas (a Spanish dessert of bread slices soaked and fried, like French toast).”
102.12 Cuando el pan sale del horno, toda la cocina huele bien. → “When the bread comes out of the oven, the whole kitchen smells good.”
102.13 «Contigo pan y cebolla» se dice entre enamorados. → “‘With you, bread and onion’ is said between lovers.”
102.14 Yo prefiero llamar al pan, pan, y al vino, vino. → “I prefer to call a spade a spade.” (Literally: “to call bread bread and wine wine.”)
102.15 Trabaja mucho para ganarse el pan de cada día. → “He works hard to earn his daily bread.”
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102.1 Esto es pan.
102.2 Quiero pan.
102.3 El pan está caliente.
102.4 Compro pan fresco.
102.5 No hay pan.
102.6 Mi madre hace pan en casa los domingos.
102.7 Me gusta el pan con aceite y tomate.
102.8 ¿Quieres un poco más de pan?
102.9 Los panes están en la mesa.
102.10 Voy a la panadería a comprar pan.
102.11 Con el pan que sobró ayer, mi abuela hace torrijas.
102.12 Cuando el pan sale del horno, toda la cocina huele bien.
102.13 «Contigo pan y cebolla» se dice entre enamorados.
102.14 Yo prefiero llamar al pan, pan, y al vino, vino.
102.15 Trabaja mucho para ganarse el pan de cada día.
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These are the grammar rules for pan in Spanish:
1. Gender and number
Pan is masculine: el pan, un pan, este pan. Everything that agrees with it is masculine: pan fresco (102.4), el pan caliente (102.3), pan integral. A word ending in a consonant makes its plural with -es:
el pan (SG), los panes (PL)
Panes is “loaves” or “kinds of bread”: los panes están en la mesa (102.9); en esta panadería hay muchos panes distintos, “in this bakery there are many different breads”.
2. Pan as a mass noun: with and without the article
When pan means “some bread” or “bread” as a thing to be bought, wanted or found, Spanish uses no article, like English: quiero pan (102.2), compro pan (102.4), no hay pan (102.5), un poco más de pan (102.8). When it is the subject of a general statement, or a known quantity, the article is needed: me gusta el pan (102.7), el pan está caliente (102.3), el pan que sobró ayer (102.11).
3. Counting and measuring bread
You do not count pan with a number alone. You name the shape or the piece:
una barra de pan (a loaf, “a stick”), una hogaza de pan (a large round loaf), un trozo de pan (a piece of bread, 102.24), una rebanada de pan (a slice), un panecillo (a roll)
Un pan alone, a loaf, is common when it is clear from the context what is meant.
4. Adjectives with pan
The adjective agrees in the masculine: pan fresco (102.4), pan duro (“stale, hard bread”), pan tostado (“toasted bread”), pan integral (“wholemeal bread”, 102.23), pan rallado (“breadcrumbs”, 102.28). Two common fixed compounds join pan to another noun with de: pan de molde (“sliced sandwich bread”, from molde, “mould”) and pan de cada día (“daily bread”, 102.15).
5. Al pan, pan: the contraction
A + el makes al, and de + el makes del, in one written word: al pan (102.14), del pan (102.19), del horno (102.12). Only el contracts: a la panadería (102.10) and de la masa stay two words.
6. The family of pan
panadero, panadera — baker (102.17) panadería — bakery, bread shop (102.10) panecillo — bread roll (the diminutive; also panecito) empanada — a pastry with a filling, from empanar (en + pan) empanar — to coat in breadcrumbs, or to wrap in pastry (en + pan) compañero, compañera — companion, mate (from the Latin “with” and “bread”: one who shares bread)
7. The reflexive of impersonal action: se hace, se guarda
Spanish often says what happens to bread without naming a person, with se and the verb in the third person: el pan que sobra se guarda (102.28), “the bread that is left over is kept”; el pan todavía se hace a mano (102.16), “the bread is still made by hand”. Here pan is the subject, and the verb agrees with it: los panes se venden, “the loaves are sold” (plural verb for the plural pan).
8. Gustar
Me gusta el pan (102.7) is the usual structure for liking, and the thing liked is the subject. English “I like bread” turns round: “the bread pleases me”. The verb agrees with what is liked: me gusta el pan, but me gustan los panes de centeno, “I like rye breads”.
9. Subjunctive after para que
Example 102.17 uses the present subjunctive haya after para que, “so that”: se levanta para que haya pan fresco, “he gets up so that there is fresh bread”. When the subject is the same as the main verb’s, Spanish uses the infinitive instead (para hacer el pan, 102.18).
10. Idioms and sayings with pan
ganarse el pan — to earn one’s living (102.15) el pan de cada día — daily bread; also “an everyday thing”: las discusiones son el pan de cada día, “arguments are an everyday thing” llamar al pan, pan, y al vino, vino — to call things by their names, to speak plainly (102.14). A colloquial phrase: to say things clearly, without going round them. contigo pan y cebolla — said between lovers to say that one asks for nothing but the other’s company (102.13). ser un pedazo de pan — to be a kind, gentle, easy-going person a falta de pan, buenas son tortas — if you cannot have what you want, take what you can get pan para hoy, hambre para mañana — a solution that helps now and hurts later
Common mistakes for English speakers:
Mistake: Calling the kitchen pan pan. ✗ una pan para freír → ✓ una sartén para freír. Spanish pan is bread only.
Mistake: A mass-noun article in the wrong place. ✗ Quiero el pan (when you mean “I want some bread”) → ✓ Quiero pan. Say quiero el pan only for a bread you have in mind: “I want the bread”.
Mistake: Leaving out the article in a general statement. ✗ Me gusta pan → ✓ Me gusta el pan.
Mistake: The wrong plural. ✗ los pans, los panos → ✓ los panes.
Mistake: The wrong gender. ✗ la pan, una pan → ✓ el pan, un pan. The feminine forms are the words for the baker: la panadera.
Mistake: Adding an accent. ✗ pán → ✓ pan. A word of one syllable normally takes no accent. Panadería carries one on the í, but only to show the hiatus.
Mistake: Translating “a loaf of bread” word for word. ✗ un loaf de pan → ✓ una barra de pan, una hogaza.
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Frequency and register
Pan is among the commonest nouns of Spanish and is neutral in register: it is used in the home, in a shop, in a recipe and in a prayer. It is also one of the words that turn up in the largest number of fixed phrases and proverbs, because bread was for centuries the food on which a household depended. “Earning one’s bread” and “asking for bread” are ways of speaking of work and of need.
Kinds of bread
The names of loaves vary a great deal from one region to the next. In Spain the usual bread of the day is the barra, a long loaf; the older large round loaf is the hogaza. Sliced sandwich bread is pan de molde in Spain and in many Latin American countries, pan de caja in Mexico and El Salvador, and pan lactal in Argentina and Uruguay. In Mexico and Central America a small crusty white roll is a bolillo (in parts of Central America called pan francés), and the flat roll for sandwiches is a telera. In Mexico pan dulce means the whole family of sweet breads and pastries.
At the table
Bread is a regular part of the table in Spain and across Latin America. Bread with olive oil, and often tomato, is a familiar light meal in Spain (102.7).
Using up bread
Spanish cooking has many dishes that begin with bread that is a day old: sopa de ajo (garlic soup), migas, and the Easter and Lenten dessert torrijas (102.11). Breadcrumbs, pan rallado, are made from bread that has gone hard (102.28).
Everyday phrases
El pan de cada día: daily bread; also something that happens every day.
Ganarse el pan: to make one’s living (102.15).
Quitar el pan de la boca: to take the bread from someone’s mouth, to deprive them of their living.
Con su pan se lo coma: “let him eat his own bread”, which is to say, let him deal with it himself.
Ser más bueno que el pan: to be extremely good, a very kind person. Ser un pedazo de pan means the same.
Pan y circo: “bread and circuses”, an expression for keeping a population happy with cheap food and shows. It comes from the Latin panem et circenses, in the satirist Juvenal.
Latin America and Spain
The word pan is the same everywhere, and the sayings in this lesson are known across the Spanish-speaking world. The differences are in the names of the kinds of bread (above), in the pronunciation of z and c (/θ/ in much of Spain, /s/ in Latin America and the Canary Islands), and in small words: Spain says hacer cola for “to queue” (102.22), while in much of Latin America the word is hacer fila.
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Source: The Gospel according to Matthew (Evangelio según San Mateo), chapter 6, verses 11 to 13, in the Spanish Reina-Valera translation, 1960 revision (RVR1960). The wording was checked in this session against the RVR1960 text on Bible.com, BibliaTodo and Blue Letter Bible.
Context: These verses are the second half of the Lord’s Prayer, in the Sermon on the Mount. The prayer is the most widely known text in the Spanish-speaking world, and the word pan stands in its centre, in the one request that concerns the body: “our daily bread”. The Reina-Valera is the classic Spanish Protestant Bible. It was begun by Casiodoro de Reina, whose Bible was printed in Basel in 1569 (the “Biblia del Oso”, the Bear Bible), revised by Cipriano de Valera in 1602, and revised again many times since, in 1960 among them. Its language keeps a slightly old-fashioned style, and in this verse the word order el pan nuestro (“the bread our”, with the possessive after the noun) is one example of it. Modern Spanish would put the possessive first: nuestro pan.
F-A: Interlinear Construed Text
F.1a El the pan bread nuestro our de of cada each día day dánoslo give-us-it hoy today
F.1b El /el/ the.M.SG pan /pan/ bread.M.SG nuestro /ˈnwestɾo/ our.M.SG de /de/ of cada /ˈkaða/ each día /ˈdia/ day.M.SG dánoslo /ˈdanoslo/ give.IMP.2SG-us.DAT.1PL-it.ACC.M.SG hoy /oj/ today
F.2a Y and perdónanos forgive-us nuestras our deudas debts como as también also nosotros we perdonamos we-forgive a to nuestros our deudores debtors
F.2b Y /i/ and perdónanos /peɾˈdonanos/ forgive.IMP.2SG-us.DAT.1PL nuestras /ˈnwestɾas/ our.F.PL deudas /ˈdewðas/ debt.F.PL como /ˈkomo/ as también /tamˈbjen/ also nosotros /noˈsotɾos/ we.NOM.1PL perdonamos /peɾdoˈnamos/ forgive.PRES.1PL a /a/ to nuestros /ˈnwestɾos/ our.M.PL deudores /dewˈðoɾes/ debtor.M.PL
F.3a Y and no not nos us metas you-put en in tentación temptation mas but líbranos free-us del of-the mal evil
F.3b Y /i/ and no /no/ not nos /nos/ us.ACC.1PL metas /ˈmetas/ put.PRES.SUBJ.2SG en /en/ in tentación /tentaˈθjon/ temptation.F.SG mas /mas/ but líbranos /ˈliβɾanos/ free.IMP.2SG-us.ACC.1PL del /del/ of-the.M.SG mal /mal/ evil.M.SG
F.4a Porque because tuyo yours es is el the reino kingdom y and el the poder power y and la the gloria glory por for todos all los the siglos centuries Amén Amen
F.4b Porque /ˈpoɾke/ because tuyo /ˈtuʝo/ yours.M.SG es /es/ be.PRES.3SG el /el/ the.M.SG reino /ˈrejno/ kingdom.M.SG y /i/ and el /el/ the.M.SG poder /poˈðeɾ/ power.M.SG y /i/ and la /la/ the.F.SG gloria /ˈɡloɾja/ glory.F.SG por /poɾ/ for todos /ˈtoðos/ all.M.PL los /los/ the.M.PL siglos /ˈsiɣlos/ century.M.PL Amén /aˈmen/ amen
F-B: Original Text with Translation
El pan nuestro de cada día, dánoslo hoy. Y perdónanos nuestras deudas, como también nosotros perdonamos a nuestros deudores. Y no nos metas en tentación, mas líbranos del mal; porque tuyo es el reino, y el poder, y la gloria, por todos los siglos. Amén.
“Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”
(The English is the Latinum Institute’s own, kept close to the Spanish.)
F-C: Original Text Only
El pan nuestro de cada día, dánoslo hoy. Y perdónanos nuestras deudas, como también nosotros perdonamos a nuestros deudores. Y no nos metas en tentación, mas líbranos del mal; porque tuyo es el reino, y el poder, y la gloria, por todos los siglos. Amén.
F-D: Grammar and Literary Commentary
Pan is the object of the request, and the sentence puts it first for emphasis: el pan nuestro de cada día is the object, and the verb dánoslo follows it. Because the object is stated first and the verb takes the pronoun lo again, the sentence has the pattern of “the bread, give it to us”, a doubling that Spanish uses freely when the object is put at the head of the sentence.
Dánoslo is one written word of three parts: da (the command of dar, “give”, to tú), nos (“to us”) and lo (“it”, standing for the bread). When pronouns are added to the end of a command, they join it in writing, and the stress stays where it was, on da. With two pronouns the stressed syllable is now third from the end, which the ordinary stress rule does not allow without a written accent: dánoslo. The same happens in perdónanos (perdona + nos) and líbranos (libra + nos). The commands are in the tú form: the prayer speaks to God as “you” in the singular, familiar way.
De cada día is “of each day”, hence “daily”. Hoy means “today”: the prayer asks for the bread of one day, not for a store. Compare pan para hoy, hambre para mañana (Section D, 10).
Perdonamos a nuestros deudores has the personal a before the direct object, because the object is people: deudores, “debtors”. Compare nuestras deudas, a thing, which takes no a.
No nos metas is a negative command. The negative command uses the present subjunctive, not the command form: metas (from meter), where the positive command is mete. Contrast líbranos, the positive command, which keeps the ordinary command form. The word mas, without an accent, is the old literary “but”, and is not the same as más, “more” (102.8), which has the accent. Modern Spanish says pero for “but”; mas survives in the Bible, in poetry and in formal writing.
In the last clause the verb es comes between the predicate tuyo and the subject el reino: “yours is the kingdom”. The strong form tuyo is used here, after the verb ser, where the weak form tu would stand before a noun (tu reino). Compare tu nombre and tu reino in the first half of the prayer (Mateo 6:9–10), where the short form stands before the noun.
The one request that concerns the body asks for bread, and Spanish can use the word pan for the whole living behind it (102.15). That is why this line of the prayer and the everyday sayings of Section D say the same thing about the word.
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A short descriptive text about a day in a neighbourhood bakery: the baker’s early morning, the making of the bread, the queue of neighbours, the end of the day. Pan appears in a different position in each sentence.
102.16a En in mi my barrio neighbourhood hay there-is una a panadería bakery donde where el the pan bread todavía still se itself hace makes a by mano hand
102.16b En /en/ in mi /mi/ my.SG barrio /ˈbarjo/ neighbourhood.M.SG hay /aj/ there-be.PRES una /ˈuna/ a.F.SG panadería /panaðeˈɾia/ bakery.F.SG donde /ˈdonde/ where el /el/ the.M.SG pan /pan/ bread.M.SG todavía /toðaˈβia/ still se /se/ REFL.3 hace /ˈaθe/ make.PRES.3SG a /a/ by mano /ˈmano/ hand.F.SG
102.17a El the panadero baker se himself levanta gets-up a at las the cuatro four para for que that haya there-be pan bread fresco fresh a at las the siete seven
102.17b El /el/ the.M.SG panadero /panaˈðeɾo/ baker.M.SG se /se/ REFL.3 levanta /leˈβanta/ raise.PRES.3SG a /a/ at las /las/ the.F.PL cuatro /ˈkwatɾo/ four para /ˈpaɾa/ for que /ke/ that.COMP haya /ˈaʝa/ there-be.PRES.SUBJ pan /pan/ bread.M.SG fresco /ˈfɾesko/ fresh.M.SG a /a/ at las /las/ the.F.PL siete /ˈsjete/ seven
102.18a Primero first mezcla mixes la the harina flour con with agua water sal salt y and levadura yeast para in-order-to hacer make el the pan bread
102.18b Primero /pɾiˈmeɾo/ first mezcla /ˈmeθkla/ mix.PRES.3SG la /la/ the.F.SG harina /aˈɾina/ flour.F.SG con /kon/ with agua /ˈaɣwa/ water.F.SG sal /sal/ salt.F.SG y /i/ and levadura /leβaˈðuɾa/ yeast.F.SG para /ˈpaɾa/ for hacer /aˈθeɾ/ make.INF el /el/ the.M.SG pan /pan/ bread.M.SG
102.19a Después afterwards deja lets reposar to-rest la the masa dough del of-the pan bread varias several horas hours
102.19b Después /desˈpwes/ afterwards deja /ˈdexa/ let.PRES.3SG reposar /repoˈsaɾ/ rest.INF la /la/ the.F.SG masa /ˈmasa/ dough.F.SG del /del/ of-the.M.SG pan /pan/ bread.M.SG varias /ˈbarjas/ several.F.PL horas /ˈoɾas/ hour.F.PL
102.20a A at las the seis six mete puts los the panes loaves en in el the horno oven
102.20b A /a/ at las /las/ the.F.PL seis /sejs/ six mete /ˈmete/ put.PRES.3SG los /los/ the.M.PL panes /ˈpanes/ bread.M.PL en /en/ in el /el/ the.M.SG horno /ˈoɾno/ oven.M.SG
102.21a Poco little después after el the olor smell del of-the pan bread recién newly hecho made llega arrives hasta as-far-as la the calle street
102.21b Poco /ˈpoko/ little después /desˈpwes/ afterwards el /el/ the.M.SG olor /oˈloɾ/ smell.M.SG del /del/ of-the.M.SG pan /pan/ bread.M.SG recién /reˈθjen/ newly hecho /ˈetʃo/ make.PTCP.M.SG llega /ˈʝeɣa/ arrive.PRES.3SG hasta /ˈasta/ as-far-as la /la/ the.F.SG calle /ˈkaʝe/ street.F.SG
102.22a Los the vecinos neighbours hacen make cola queue en at la the puerta door para in-order-to comprar buy pan bread
102.22b Los /los/ the.M.PL vecinos /beˈθinos/ neighbour.M.PL hacen /ˈaθen/ make.PRES.3PL cola /ˈkola/ queue.F.SG en /en/ at la /la/ the.F.SG puerta /ˈpweɾta/ door.F.SG para /ˈpaɾa/ for comprar /komˈpɾaɾ/ buy.INF pan /pan/ bread.M.SG
102.23a Algunos some piden ask-for una a barra stick de of pan bread y and otros others prefieren prefer pan bread integral wholemeal
102.23b Algunos /alˈɡunos/ some.M.PL piden /ˈpiðen/ ask-for.PRES.3PL una /ˈuna/ a.F.SG barra /ˈbara/ stick.F.SG de /de/ of pan /pan/ bread.M.SG y /i/ and otros /ˈotɾos/ other.M.PL prefieren /pɾeˈfjeɾen/ prefer.PRES.3PL pan /pan/ bread.M.SG integral /inteˈɣɾal/ wholemeal.SG
102.24a Los the niños children se themselves comen eat un a trozo piece de of pan bread antes before de of ir to-go al to-the colegio school
102.24b Los /los/ the.M.PL niños /ˈniɲos/ child.M.PL se /se/ REFL.3 comen /ˈkomen/ eat.PRES.3PL un /un/ a.M.SG trozo /ˈtɾoθo/ piece.M.SG de /de/ of pan /pan/ bread.M.SG antes /ˈantes/ before de /de/ of ir /iɾ/ go.INF al /al/ to-the.M.SG colegio /koˈlexjo/ school.M.SG
102.25a La the señora lady Rosa Rosa compra buys siempre always dos two barras sticks porque because a to su her marido husband le to-him gusta pleases mucho much el the pan bread
102.25b La /la/ the.F.SG señora /seˈɲoɾa/ lady.F.SG Rosa /ˈrosa/ Rosa compra /ˈkompɾa/ buy.PRES.3SG siempre /ˈsjempɾe/ always dos /dos/ two barras /ˈbaras/ stick.F.PL porque /ˈpoɾke/ because a /a/ to su /su/ her.SG marido /maˈɾiðo/ husband.M.SG le /le/ him.DAT.3SG gusta /ˈɡusta/ please.PRES.3SG mucho /ˈmutʃo/ much el /el/ the.M.SG pan /pan/ bread.M.SG
102.26a El the panadero baker saluda greets a to cada each cliente customer y and le to-him entrega hands-over el the pan bread todavía still caliente hot
102.26b El /el/ the.M.SG panadero /panaˈðeɾo/ baker.M.SG saluda /saˈluða/ greet.PRES.3SG a /a/ to cada /ˈkaða/ each cliente /ˈkljente/ customer.SG y /i/ and le /le/ him.DAT.3SG entrega /enˈtɾeɣa/ hand-over.PRES.3SG el /el/ the.M.SG pan /pan/ bread.M.SG todavía /toðaˈβia/ still caliente /kaˈljente/ hot.SG
102.27a A at mediodía midday ya already no not queda remains pan bread en on las the estanterías shelves
102.27b A /a/ at mediodía /meðjoˈðia/ midday.M.SG ya /ʝa/ already no /no/ not queda /ˈkeða/ remain.PRES.3SG pan /pan/ bread.M.SG en /en/ on las /las/ the.F.PL estanterías /estanteˈɾias/ shelf.F.PL
102.28a El the pan bread que that sobra is-left-over se itself guarda is-kept para in-order-to hacer make pan bread rallado grated
102.28b El /el/ the.M.SG pan /pan/ bread.M.SG que /ke/ that.REL sobra /ˈsoβɾa/ be-left-over.PRES.3SG se /se/ REFL.3 guarda /ˈɡwaɾða/ keep.PRES.3SG para /ˈpaɾa/ for hacer /aˈθeɾ/ make.INF pan /pan/ bread.M.SG rallado /raˈʝaðo/ grate.PTCP.M.SG
102.29a Por in la the tarde afternoon cierra closes la the panadería bakery y and hasta until mañana tomorrow no not habrá there-will-be más more pan bread
102.29b Por /poɾ/ in la /la/ the.F.SG tarde /ˈtaɾðe/ afternoon.F.SG cierra /ˈθjera/ close.PRES.3SG la /la/ the.F.SG panadería /panaðeˈɾia/ bakery.F.SG y /i/ and hasta /ˈasta/ until mañana /maˈɲana/ tomorrow no /no/ not habrá /aˈβɾa/ there-be.FUT.3SG más /mas/ more pan /pan/ bread.M.SG
102.30a Sin without pan bread no not hay there-is comida food dice says mi my abuelo grandfather
102.30b Sin /sin/ without pan /pan/ bread.M.SG no /no/ not hay /aj/ there-be.PRES comida /koˈmiða/ food.F.SG dice /ˈdiθe/ say.PRES.3SG mi /mi/ my.SG abuelo /aˈβwelo/ grandfather.M.SG
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102.16 En mi barrio hay una panadería donde el pan todavía se hace a mano. → “In my neighbourhood there is a bakery where the bread is still made by hand.”
102.17 El panadero se levanta a las cuatro para que haya pan fresco a las siete. → “The baker gets up at four so that there is fresh bread at seven.”
102.18 Primero mezcla la harina con agua, sal y levadura para hacer el pan. → “First he mixes the flour with water, salt and yeast to make the bread.”
102.19 Después deja reposar la masa del pan varias horas. → “Then he leaves the bread dough to rest for several hours.”
102.20 A las seis mete los panes en el horno. → “At six he puts the loaves in the oven.”
102.21 Poco después, el olor del pan recién hecho llega hasta la calle. → “Soon after, the smell of the freshly made bread reaches the street.”
102.22 Los vecinos hacen cola en la puerta para comprar pan. → “The neighbours queue at the door to buy bread.”
102.23 Algunos piden una barra de pan y otros prefieren pan integral. → “Some ask for a loaf of bread and others prefer wholemeal bread.”
102.24 Los niños se comen un trozo de pan antes de ir al colegio. → “The children eat a piece of bread before going to school.”
102.25 La señora Rosa compra siempre dos barras, porque a su marido le gusta mucho el pan. → “Señora Rosa always buys two loaves, because her husband likes bread very much.”
102.26 El panadero saluda a cada cliente y le entrega el pan todavía caliente. → “The baker greets each customer and hands over the bread still warm.”
102.27 A mediodía ya no queda pan en las estanterías. → “By midday there is no bread left on the shelves.”
102.28 El pan que sobra se guarda para hacer pan rallado. → “The bread that is left over is kept to make breadcrumbs.”
102.29 Por la tarde cierra la panadería, y hasta mañana no habrá más pan. → “In the afternoon the bakery closes, and until tomorrow there will be no more bread.”
102.30 Sin pan no hay comida, dice mi abuelo. → “Without bread there is no meal, says my grandfather.”
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102.16 En mi barrio hay una panadería donde el pan todavía se hace a mano.
102.17 El panadero se levanta a las cuatro para que haya pan fresco a las siete.
102.18 Primero mezcla la harina con agua, sal y levadura para hacer el pan.
102.19 Después deja reposar la masa del pan varias horas.
102.20 A las seis mete los panes en el horno.
102.21 Poco después, el olor del pan recién hecho llega hasta la calle.
102.22 Los vecinos hacen cola en la puerta para comprar pan.
102.23 Algunos piden una barra de pan y otros prefieren pan integral.
102.24 Los niños se comen un trozo de pan antes de ir al colegio.
102.25 La señora Rosa compra siempre dos barras, porque a su marido le gusta mucho el pan.
102.26 El panadero saluda a cada cliente y le entrega el pan todavía caliente.
102.27 A mediodía ya no queda pan en las estanterías.
102.28 El pan que sobra se guarda para hacer pan rallado.
102.29 Por la tarde cierra la panadería, y hasta mañana no habrá más pan.
102.30 Sin pan no hay comida, dice mi abuelo.
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Pan in the description. Pan is the subject in 102.16 and 102.28 (with se), and the object in 102.17 (after haya), 102.18, 102.22, 102.23 and 102.26. It follows a preposition in 102.19 (del pan), 102.21 (del pan), 102.24 (de pan) and 102.30 (sin pan). It is bare, with no article, whenever it means “bread” as a stuff to be bought or lacked: comprar pan (102.22), no queda pan (102.27), no habrá más pan (102.29), sin pan (102.30). It takes the article when it is the particular bread under discussion or bread in general: el pan (102.16, 102.18, 102.26, 102.28), and, for bread in general, el pan (102.25).
Time. Hours are given with a plus the feminine plural article: a las cuatro, a las seis, a las siete (102.17, 102.20), because the word understood is horas. One o’clock would be a la una. The phrases por la tarde (“in the afternoon”) and a mediodía (“at midday”; al mediodía is also said) are fixed.
The two kinds of se. In 102.16 and 102.28, se makes the verb passive in sense: el pan se hace, el pan se guarda, “the bread is made, the bread is kept”. In 102.17 and 102.24 it is reflexive: el panadero se levanta (“gets himself up”). In los niños se comen un trozo, se is a pronoun of interest: the children eat the piece “for themselves”, all of it.
Subjunctive and infinitive after para. Para que haya pan (102.17) has a subjunctive, because the baker gets up and the bread appears: two different subjects. Para hacer el pan (102.18) and para comprar pan (102.22) have an infinitive, because the person who mixes is the person who makes, and the neighbour who queues is the neighbour who buys.
Gustar again. In 102.25 the husband is the one pleased: a su marido le gusta mucho el pan. The a + noun person is repeated by the pronoun le, which is regular in Spanish: a mi madre le gusta, a los niños les gusta.
Hay and queda. Hay (102.16, 102.30) says that something exists; queda (102.27) says that something remains. English uses “there is” for both, but Spanish chooses.
Hacer. Hacer is a general verb, “to make, to do”, and Spanish uses it where English picks another verb: hacer pan, “to make bread” (102.6, 102.18), hacer cola, “to queue” (102.22), hacer torrijas (102.11).
Barra. In 102.23 and 102.25, barra is “stick, bar”, and a barra de pan is the usual long loaf. It is feminine, though pan is masculine: una barra de pan, dos barras.
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Orthography inventory. This lesson uses the letters ñ (señora, niños, mañana), the accented vowels á é í ó ú (está, más, también, panadería, sobró, líbranos, Amén, dánoslo), the inverted question mark ¿ and the angle quotation marks « » (102.13). The acute accent shows the stress where the ordinary rule would put it elsewhere, and it separates words that sound alike: más “more” and mas “but” (F.3), él “he” and el “the”, sé “I know” and se “himself”. Pan itself takes no accent.
The ordinary stress rule. A word that ends in a vowel, n or s is stressed on the second-last syllable: panes, comen, madre. A word that ends in any other consonant is stressed on the last syllable: comprar, reposar, olor, poder. A word that breaks the rule has a written accent: también, tentación, líbranos. A written accent also shows a hiatus, where two vowels that might run together are two syllables: panadería, estanterías, mediodía, día.
Near-sounding words.
- pan “bread” and pana “corduroy”: not the same word. - pan “bread” and pan- as a prefix (Greek “all”, as in pandemia, panorama). It is unrelated to bread. - pan and English “pan”: the English vowel is like that of “cat”, the Spanish a is the “ah” of “father”, and the meanings have nothing in common. - sartén “frying pan” (usually feminine: la sartén) has no connection with pan.
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