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dessert and Spanish desierto
In English
dessert
a sweet dish eaten after a meal
In Spanish
desierto
zona árida
Spanish "desierto" means: desert
Why they get mixed up Spanish "desierto" is the arid landscape with little vegetation. English "dessert" is the sweet dish eaten at the end of a meal. One extra "s" separates the landscape from the sweet treat.
If you want to say...
- dessertpostre
- desertdesierto
- desert islandisla desierta
Examples
We had ice cream for dessert.
De postre comimos helado.
What would you like for dessert?
¿Qué te gustaría de postre?
The chocolate cake is my favorite dessert.
El pastel de chocolate es mi postre favorito.
We skipped dessert because we were full.
Nos saltamos el postre porque estábamos llenos.
Common mistakes in Spanish
Incorrect: Comí un desierto delicioso.
Correct: Comí un postre delicioso.
Desierto means desert. The sweet after a meal is el postre.
Incorrect: Cruzamos el postre en camello.
Correct: Cruzamos el desierto en camello.
A dry region is un desierto.
Phrases you will hear
- the dessert menula carta de postres
- What's for dessert?¿Qué hay de postre?
- skip dessertsaltarse el postre
- a chocolate dessertun postre de chocolate
- the Sahara desertel desierto del Sahara
- a desert islanduna isla desierta
In a conversation
- A:
What's for dessert?
¿Qué hay de postre?
- B:
Chocolate cake.
Pastel de chocolate.
- A:
I'll take two slices.
Me llevo dos rebanadas.
- B:
Remember: dessert has two s's, because you want seconds.
Recuerda: dessert lleva dos s porque quieres repetir.
Test yourself
Ice cream and cake are...
To remember it
Dessert has a double s, like something extra sweet. The sandy desert is "desert," one s.
Frequently asked questions
What does Spanish "desierto" mean?
Spanish "desierto" means "desert". It looks like the English "dessert", which is exactly why it gets confused, but "dessert" means "a sweet dish eaten after a meal".
Does English "dessert" mean the same as Spanish "desierto"?
Spanish "desierto" is the arid landscape with little vegetation. English "dessert" is the sweet dish eaten at the end of a meal. One extra "s" separates the landscape from the sweet treat.