pasta

[ˈpast̪a]

/[ˈpast̪a]/ noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

The verdict

“pasta” is a regularly-used Spanish word, ranked #4,275 in Spanish word frequency and used as a noun.

#4,275
frequency rank, Spanish
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Material sólido, blando y maleable, elaborado a partir de ingredientes pulverulentos y líquidos.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

pasta vs pat
60% similar
pasta vs puta
60% similar
pasta vs post
60% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for pasta
PropertyValue
Headwordpasta
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈpast̪a]
Letters5
Frequency rank#4,275
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “pasta” sits in Spanish frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). pasta lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The Spanish entry for pasta is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈpast̪a]. Corpus data places it at rank #4,275 in overall Spanish word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 13 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for pasta, with forms such as "apsta", "pasat", and "passta". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "pat", "puta", "post", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

No documented word history exists for this headword, so its spelling is easiest to reason about phoneme by phoneme, absent a documented history. The correct Spanish form is pasta, spelled P-A-S-T-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    Material sólido, blando y maleable, elaborado a partir de ingredientes pulverulentos y líquidos.
  2. 2
    En particular, el que se hace de harina de cereal para elaborar alimentos.
  3. 3
    Manjar hecho de este material, relleno o cubierto de dulce.
  4. 4
    Alimento elaborado a base de trigo candeal (Triticum durum), originario de Italia, el cual generalmente se cuece en agua salada hirviendo y se sirve con algún tipo de salsa. En algunos casos se puede preparar al horno (gratinado).
  5. 5
    Masa de papel o trapo deshechos que se emplea para la elaboración de cartón.
  6. 6
    Cartón obtenido de la pasta₅, usado típicamente para las tapas de libros.
  7. 7
    Figuradamente, carácter propio e idiosincrático de algo o alguien.
  8. 8
    Bien que se usa para el pago de otros bienes y servicios y como unidad de medida de la riqueza.
  9. 9
    Conjunto de bienes que alguien posee, en especial los líquidos.
  10. 10
    Calma y lentitud excesivas en el habla y la acción.
  11. 11
    Ración de droga recreativa.
  12. 12
    Pulpa de frutas o verduras de consistencia muy blanda aunque no líquida.
  13. 13
    Droga de bajo costo que es un producto intermedio en la producción del clorhidrato de cocaína. Tiene el aspecto de un polvo con un color que varía entre el blanco sucio y el marrón. Está compuesto de cocaína base, ecgonina, benzoilecgonina, tropacocaína, cinamoilcocaína, sulfatos y carbonatos.

Synonyms

masabollofacturafideofortunahaciendapatrimonioriquezaflemaparsimoniabazucopasta basepasta básica de cocaínapacoPBCoxi

This word in other languages

paste(English)pâte(Français)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: apsta,pasat,passta,pastta,patsa,ppasta,psata

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of pasta - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

apsta2pasat2passta1pastta1patsa2ppasta1psata2
Edit distance from "pasta"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 Spanish corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "pasta"?
"pasta" is spelled P-A-S-T-A. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈpast̪a].
What does "pasta" mean?
As a noun, "pasta" means: Material sólido, blando y maleable, elaborado a partir de ingredientes pulverulentos y líquidos.
What words are commonly confused with "pasta"?
"pasta" is commonly confused with "pat", "puta", "post". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "pasta"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "pasta" is [ˈpast̪a]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "pasta" come from?
"pasta" is a Spanish word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “pasta”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct Spanish spelling is P-A-S-T-A - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈpast̪a] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “pat” - see the side-by-side comparison. pasta vs pat
  • Browse more Spanish words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Spanish words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list