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plain and Spanish plano
In English
plain
simple / unadorned
In Spanish
plano
liso
Spanish "plano" means: flat
Why they get mixed up Spanish "plano" is a map or something flat. English "plain" is a wide geographic flatland, or something simple and unadorned. A map in English is "map" or "floor plan."
If you want to say...
- plainsencillo o liso
- flatplano
- plain (land)llanura
Examples
I prefer plain yogurt.
Prefiero el yogur natural.
She wore a plain dress.
Llevaba un vestido sencillo.
I like plain pasta with olive oil.
Me gusta la pasta sencilla con aceite de oliva.
He spoke in plain English so everyone could understand.
Habló en un inglés claro para que todos entendieran.
Common mistakes in Spanish
Incorrect: Quiero un yogur plano, sin azúcar.
Correct: Quiero un yogur natural, sin azúcar.
Plano means flat. For plain, use natural, sencillo or liso.
Incorrect: Se puso una camisa plana.
Correct: Se puso una camisa lisa.
Use lisa for a plain shirt.
Phrases you will hear
- plain yogurtyogur natural
- a plain white shirtuna camisa blanca lisa
- in plain Englishen inglés claro
- plain to seeobvio
- the Great Plainslas Grandes Llanuras
- flatplano
In a conversation
- A:
I'd like plain yogurt, please.
Quiero yogur natural, por favor.
- B:
Not vanilla?
¿No de vainilla?
- A:
No, plain. And explain it in plain English.
No, natural. Y explícalo en inglés claro.
- B:
Sure. The floor is flat, so it's easy.
Claro. El piso es plano, así que es fácil.
Test yourself
"Plain yogurt" is yogurt that is...
To remember it
Plain = simple/unadorned. Flat (Spanish "plano") = flat.
Frequently asked questions
What does Spanish "plano" mean?
Spanish "plano" means "flat". It looks like the English "plain", which is exactly why it gets confused, but "plain" means "simple / unadorned".
Does English "plain" mean the same as Spanish "plano"?
Spanish "plano" is a map or something flat. English "plain" is a wide geographic flatland, or something simple and unadorned. A map in English is "map" or "floor plan."