pana

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corduroy, floorboard, breadfruit, friend, buddy
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/ˈpana/
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A Spanish noun for corduroy, a small-boat floorboard, Puerto Rican breadfruit, and in Latin America an informal friend or buddy.
Practice using pana in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • Mi abuela prepara tostones de pana.
    My grandmother makes breadfruit tostones.
  • Sirvieron pana hervida con pescado.
    They served boiled breadfruit with fish.
  • Una tabla de la pana se soltó con el golpe.
    One board of the flooring came loose from the blow.
  • En Puerto Rico comimos pana frita.
    In Puerto Rico we ate fried breadfruit.
  • Levantaron la pana para revisar el fondo del bote.
    They lifted the floorboard to check the bottom of the boat.

Similar words

fruta de pan
amigo
buen pan
compinche
suelo de bote
terciopelo acanalado
mapén
entarimado
camarada
cuate

Meanings

Corduroy fabric

noun
fashion
neutral
A thick fabric, either smooth or ribbed, similar to velvet and often used for winter clothing.

Examples

  • Compré una chaqueta de pana para el invierno.
    I bought a corduroy jacket for winter.
  • La pana de los pantalones se gastó en las rodillas.
    The corduroy on the trousers wore out at the knees.
  • El sastre recomendó pana por su textura gruesa.
    The tailor recommended corduroy for its thick texture.
  • Prefiere la pana lisa a la acanalada.
    She prefers plain corduroy to ribbed corduroy.
  • El sofá estaba tapizado con pana verde.
    The sofa was upholstered in green corduroy.

Similar words

corderoy
corduroy
cotelé
terciopelo acanalado

Boat floorboard

noun
maritime
technical
One of the movable boards that make up the floor of a small boat.

Examples

  • Levantaron la pana para revisar el fondo del bote.
    They lifted the floorboard to check the bottom of the boat.
  • La pana de la lancha estaba húmeda.
    The boat's floorboard was wet.
  • El marinero aseguró la pana antes de zarpar.
    The sailor secured the floorboard before setting sail.
  • Una tabla de la pana se soltó con el golpe.
    One board of the flooring came loose from the blow.
  • Guardaron las redes debajo de la pana.
    They stored the nets below the floorboards.

Similar words

tabla levadiza
suelo de bote
entarimado

Breadfruit

noun
food
neutral
The breadfruit, especially in Puerto Rican Spanish.

Examples

  • En Puerto Rico comimos pana frita.
    In Puerto Rico we ate fried breadfruit.
  • La pana madura tiene una pulpa suave.
    Ripe breadfruit has soft flesh.
  • Mi abuela prepara tostones de pana.
    My grandmother makes breadfruit tostones.
  • El árbol de pana daba mucha sombra.
    The breadfruit tree gave plenty of shade.
  • Sirvieron pana hervida con pescado.
    They served boiled breadfruit with fish.

Similar words

fruta de pan
panapén
buen pan
mapén

Friend or buddy

noun
conversation
informal
A friend, buddy, or close companion in several Latin American countries.

Examples

  • Mi pana me ayudó con la mudanza.
    My buddy helped me with the move.
  • ¿Qué más, pana?
    What's up, friend?
  • Ese pana siempre llega temprano.
    That guy always arrives early.
  • Gracias, pana, te debo una.
    Thanks, buddy, I owe you one.
  • Nos reunimos con los panas del barrio.
    We met up with the friends from the neighborhood.

Similar words

amigo
camarada
compinche
compa
colega
cuate

Etymology

The fabric sense comes from French panne. The American Spanish senses have separate regional histories, with the friend sense established in Caribbean and northern South American speech.

FAQ

What does pana mean in Spanish slang?

Pana means friend, buddy, or close companion in countries such as Ecuador, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela.

Can pana mean corduroy?

Yes. Pana is the standard Spanish word for corduroy, a thick fabric similar to velvet.

What does pana mean in Puerto Rico?

In Puerto Rico, pana can mean breadfruit, and it can also be used informally for a friend.

Is pana formal?

No. The friend sense is informal and belongs to casual speech.

Where does pana come from?

The fabric sense comes from French panne, while the American slang and fruit senses are regional developments.

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