What it's NOT
pan does NOT translate to pan (alimento).
To say "pan (alimento)" in English, use bread.
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False cognate · False friend
pan
Does NOT mean pan (alimento)
It means a frying pan / cooking pot
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
What it IS
pan means a frying pan / cooking pot.
Why it's confused
Spanish "pan" is the baked flour food. English "pan" is the cooking vessel used to fry food. Bread in English is "bread." The word "pan" as a cooking vessel in English has a different origin.
How it's pronounced
panPAN
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Examples of correct use
English
Heat the oil in a pan.
Spanish
Calienta el aceite en una sartén.
English
Fry the eggs in a pan.
Spanish
Fríe los huevos en la sartén.
A trick to remember it
Pan (English) = a frying pan. Bread (Spanish "pan") = bread.
Mini quiz
"A frying pan" is...
Frequently asked questions
What does "pan" mean in English?
"Pan" means "a frying pan / cooking pot". It looks a lot like "pan", which is exactly why it gets confused, but they don't mean the same thing.
How do you say "pan" in English?
To say "pan" in English, use "bread". If you use "pan" instead, you would actually be saying "a frying pan / cooking pot".
Do "pan" and "pan" mean the same thing?
Spanish "pan" is the baked flour food. English "pan" is the cooking vessel used to fry food. Bread in English is "bread." The word "pan" as a cooking vessel in English has a different origin.
Other confusing false friends
More confusing false friends
Library, embarrassed, actually... the full list of words that look the same but mean something different.
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