One board of the flooring came loose from the blow.
Similar words
tabla levadiza
buen pan
panapén
suelo de bote
cuate
entarimado
compa
camarada
mapén
corderoy
Meanings
Corduroy fabric
noun
fashion
neutral
A thick fabric, either smooth or ribbed, similar to velvet and often used for winter clothing.
Usage
Use pana for corduroy when the context is clothing, upholstery, or fabric.
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.
Common mistakes
The fabric sense is confused with the friend sense when the context names clothing.
Incorrect
Correct
Compré una chaqueta de panal.
Compré una chaqueta de pana.
La pana es siempre una tela de seda lisa.
La pana suele ser una tela gruesa, lisa o acanalada.
Un pana de tela se rompió.
Una pana de tela se rompió.
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.
Usage
Use pana for boat flooring only in nautical contexts involving small craft.
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.
Common mistakes
The maritime sense is rare and needs a boat or nautical context.
Incorrect
Correct
La pana de la lancha era una fruta.
La pana de la lancha era una tabla del suelo.
Levantaron el pana del bote.
Levantaron la pana del bote.
La pana marítima es una chaqueta.
La pana marítima es parte del suelo de una embarcación menor.
Similar words
tabla levadiza
suelo de bote
entarimado
Breadfruit
noun
food
neutral
The breadfruit, especially in Puerto Rican Spanish.
Usage
Use pana for breadfruit especially in Puerto Rico, often in food or tree contexts.
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.
Common mistakes
The Puerto Rican fruit sense is confused with fabric or friend in other regions.
Incorrect
Correct
Comí pana de algodón.
Comí pana frita.
La pana puertorriqueña es un amigo.
La pana puertorriqueña puede ser el fruto del árbol del pan.
El árbol de pana da chaquetas.
El árbol de pana da un fruto comestible.
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.
Usage
Use pana for a friend in informal Latin American speech, not as a formal form of address.
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.
Common mistakes
The friend sense is informal and should not be used for formal titles or strangers in all countries.
Incorrect
Correct
Mi pana es una tela que me ayudó.
Mi pana me ayudó.
Pana es trato formal para un juez.
Pana es trato informal para un amigo.
Los panas son enemigos del barrio.
Los panas son amigos del barrio.
Similar words
amigo
camarada
compinche
compa
colega
cuate
Usage
Use context to choose the sense: clothing points to fabric, boats to floorboards, Puerto Rican food to breadfruit, and casual address to a friend.
Common mistakes
Pana is treated as only slang for friend, but it also has older fabric, maritime, and Puerto Rican fruit senses.
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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