pastel
Lemma Details
Translation: cake; pastry; pie; pastel (color)
Part of Speech: noun
Etymology: From Old French 'pastel' (paste, dough), which comes from Italian 'pastello', a diminutive of 'pasta' (paste, dough). The color meaning derives from the soft, pale colors used in pastel art, which originally used pigments bound with paste. The English word 'pastel' shares this same etymology, though in English it primarily refers to the art medium and color range rather than food.
Commonality: 80%
Guessability: 70%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Mi madre hizo un pastel delicioso para mi cumpleaños.
My mother made a delicious cake for my birthday.
Prefiero los colores pastel para la decoración de la habitación del bebé.
I prefer pastel colors for the baby's room decoration.
Compramos un pastel de manzana para el postre.
We bought an apple pie for dessert.
Mnemonics
- Think 'pastel' sounds like 'pastry' in English, which is related to its meaning.
- Remember that both English 'pastel colors' and Spanish 'pastel' share the same root - both are soft and sweet in their own way.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking countries, 'pastel' is a common dessert for celebrations like birthdays and weddings. In Mexico, 'pastel' typically refers to a cake, while in some other countries it might refer to savory pastries as well. The term is also used to describe soft, pale colors (colores pastel).
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'pastel' refers to cake or pastry, 'pasta' in Spanish refers to pasta (like spaghetti) or to paste/dough. They share etymological roots but have different meanings.
Notes: Both words come from the same root meaning 'paste' or 'dough', but evolved to refer to different food items.
Mnemonic: Pastel ends with 'el' like 'pastEl is for cELebrations' while pasta is for dinner.
Explanation: 'Pastel' (cake/pastry) and 'papel' (paper) look and sound similar but have completely different meanings.
Notes: These words are commonly confused by beginners due to their similar spelling.
Mnemonic: PaStel has an 'S' for Sweet, while paPel has a 'P' for Paper.