sartén
nounCEFR B1
What does “sartén” mean in English?
frying pan
frying pan (shallow pan for frying or sautéing) — calentar la sartén, echar en la sartén
Example sentences
Calienta la sartén a fuego alto, añade un chorrito de aceite y espera a que empiece a humear antes de poner la carne.
Heat the pan over high heat, add a drizzle of oil and wait for it to start smoking before putting the meat in.
He comprado una sartén antiadherente nueva porque la anterior ya no tenía el recubrimiento en buen estado.
I have bought a new non-stick frying pan because the old one no longer had the coating in good condition.
How to use it
Sartén means 'frying pan'. Its most notable feature is grammatical gender: in Peninsular Spanish la sartén is feminine, but in many Latin American varieties el sartén (masculine) is standard. The RAE accepts both, but feminine is dominant in Spain. Common collocates: calentar la sartén, echar aceite en la sartén, a fuego medio en la sartén.
Common mistake
The gender of sartén is the main trap: la sartén in Spain, el sartén in much of Latin America. When in doubt, use feminine (la), which is backed by the RAE and is never wrong in any dialect. Do not confuse sartén with cacerola (saucepan) or cazuela (earthenware casserole dish) — each has a different shape and use.