Traste

[DailyWord]

This is a discussion thread for the Daily Spanish Word (http://daily.tomisimo.org/) for May 2, 2008

traste - masculine noun (el), plate, dish, container; in plural it means 'dishes' in a general sense. 'Trasto' is also used in some areas.. Look up traste in the dictionary (http://www.tomisimo.org/dictionary/spanish_english/traste)

Por favor, lava los trastes cuando hayas terminado de comer.
Please wash the dishes when you're finished with your lunch.

[Rusty]

Lavar los platos and fregar los platos also work.

[Tomisimo]

Lavar los platos and fregar los platos also work.
True, but I think that's a bit more specific, referring more to washing plates, not all the dishes in general. But of course I'm open to corrections.

Also, in Mexico, they use trastes. If I remember right, in Costa Rica they say trastos. Does anyone know about other countries?

[Rusty]

I've never heard trastes or trastos used for dishes. The dictionaries I look at don't give dishes as a possible translation.

[Rusty]

It looks like vajilla or cubierto could be used, too.

Dishwasher = lavaplatos or fregadero

[poli]

Has anyone ever heard trinches
instead of tenedores?

[Rusty]

Has anyone ever heard trinches
instead of tenedores?

I haven't. The RAE says it is used in Honduras, but I don't remember hearing it. It is also used in Mexico, El Salvador, and the Andes, according to the RAE.

More words for a dishwasher: lavavajillas, friegaplatos, and ...
... lavatrastes (I've also found lavar los trastes, but it appears to be used only in Mexico and Guatemala).

[Tomisimo]

In Mexico:

traste - any dish, plate, cup, jar, container, pots and pans etc-- 'trastes' = 'the dishes' I'm pretty sure in Costa Rica, they use trasto/trastos in the same fashion.
vajilla - china set, set of dishes, set of dinnerware etc. (eg. a set of 4 dinner plates, 4 salad plates, 4 bowls, 4 mugs)
cubierto - 'cubierto' can be a table knife (also cuchillo), 'los cubiertos' is silverware or flatware-- eg. knife, fork, spoon, salad fork etc.
dishwasher-- (machine, not the person) lavaplatos, lavavajillas
fregadero-- kitchen sink.

[Tomisimo]

Has anyone ever heard trinches
instead of tenedores?
Never heard that, and I'm pretty familiar with Mexican Spanish. Have you heard it used somewhere?

Note that traste also means fret-- as in a guitar fret.

[Alfonso]

In Spain you wouldn't be understood if you say trastes for dishes, or trinches for forks.
We say: lavar los platos, lavar los cacharros; tenedores.

I had never heard of these words.

[poli]

I never heard traste but have heard vajilla, and I believe it is the best word for a set of dishes. It is similar to what we call the chinaware.

Poli

[Elaina]

Vajilla - used when referring to the set itself. When you are talking about dishes in general, in Mexico, they use trastes.

I've heard the word trinches but it was used to refer to knick knacks.

Never heard of cacharros......very similar to cachorros.

Elaina:p

[gomey]

Trastes and platos are interchangeable in Puerto Rico as well as in Mexico. Both terms are used for dishes.

tenedor is a fork
cuchara is a tablespoon
cucharita is a teaspoon
cuchillo is a knife

We use the word "cardero" (usually an iron pot), or "olla" in PR for a cooking pot and here in Mexico they use the word "casuela" and "olla" as well. I have never heard anyone use the word "cardero" in Mexico for a cooking pot.

Gomey

[Elaina]

Cardero?

Could it be caldero?

Elaina:p

[gomey]

Heelooo,
You are absolutely correct, shows how well I can spell (maybe that is how I say it with my funny accent!).

gomey

[Tomisimo]

In Mexico, an olla is deeper than a cazuela. Olla = pot, Cazuela = (utensilio) pan, pot, casserole dish, (guiso) casserole.

[MonteChristo]

Cazuelas...

Aqui in Califonia un nombre común por una ristorante que serven comida mexicana, Las Cazuelas o Las Tres Cazuelas.

Here in California a common name for mexican restaurants is Las Cazuelas or Las Tres Cazuels.

MC

[Marsopa]

I say trastes, but I am sure I have heard trastos too.

[Alfonso]

I say trastes, but I am sure I have heard trastos too.


For me, trastos is much more likely. In Spain you don't use trastes with the meaning of dishes. You say only traste(s) for fret (guitar fret). However, trasto is a very common word meaning every kind of device which is bothering you there and around.

Tengo la casa llena de trastos.
... means that you should do a cleaning up and throw away some of the things you have been keeping at home for years.


Another meaning for trasto is the one referred in the next sentence:

Eres un trasto, siempre estás gastando bromas y nunca haces lo que debes.
... meaning someone who is a kind of annoying but not bad person.

[sosia]

In Spain, traste has two possible meanings
"dar al traste" el plan se fué al traste: the plan collapsed

Music: "traste" it's a part of a guitarre (fret)
http://imageanon.com/static/ee1195edf4c6650a660e3937fd55c758.jpg

As Alfonso says, as dishes will not be understood.
Saludos