Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
Plano
English translation:
Bland/ insipid /tasteless
Added to glossary by
Marie Wilson
Aug 26, 2017 13:39
6 yrs ago
Spanish term
United States
PhD Spanish, Certified Medical and Court
Native in: English (Variant: US)
Works in: Spanish to English, Catalan to English, English to Spanish
Plano
Spanish to English
Other
Cooking / Culinary
complain in Spanish that \
A chef is trying a dish or a marinade that his cooks have prepared. He tries it and tells them they need more of everything. Seems to complain after trying it, "No es plano. No es plano." The solution is to add more of everything. The context suggests the dish is bland. Not sure how I might more exactly translate "plano" in this context. The person is speaking Peninsular Spanish.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +3 | Bland/ insipid /tasteless |
Marie Wilson
|
| 4 | Boring/Plain |
Alex Ossa
|
| 3 | Doesn't make the grade |
franglish
|
| 2 | Not/It isn't up to snuff. |
Barbara Cochran, MFA
|
Change log
Aug 27, 2017 13:24: Robin Ragan changed "Field (write-in)" from "complain in Spanish that \\\"No es plano\\\" " to "complain in Spanish that \\"
Sep 9, 2017 09:54: Marie Wilson Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+3
6 hrs
Selected
Bland/ insipid /tasteless
It seems like there is a comma missing; "No, es plana" "No, it's bland."
Plana or plano is mentioned in many reviews about restaurants:
" Faltaba !sabooor¡ comida plana e insulsa "
" Servicio deficiente y la comida plana "
"La cocina vegetariana suele arrastrar tópicos negativos con adjetivos que se repiten en boca de sus desconocedores: insulsa, repetitiva, plana."
And about a speech:
"El pronunció un discurso plano, insulso y dirigido ..."
So I think it just means bland, insipid, tasteless, lacking in flavour.
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Note added at 1 day3 mins (2017-08-27 13:43:29 GMT)
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Oh so it's from an audio, I get your point. However, the only meaning for plano in this context that I can find is bland etc. I admit saying "It's not bland" doesn't make much sense, but I can't see what else he could be saying. Can you give us any more context, the bit before and after?
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Note added at 1 day1 hr (2017-08-27 14:48:59 GMT)
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It seems like he's telling the cook to spice it all up; maybe as Charles says he means that the dish isn't supposed to be bland, "Add more of everything, it's not meant to be bland," or something similar. Also, as Phil mentioned, the use of ser and not estar makes you wonder if he is referring to the characteristics of the recipe, not just its present state. He is definitely adding spicy ingredients so this could be the case.
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Note added at 2 days4 hrs (2017-08-28 17:44:48 GMT) Post-grading
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Glad to be of help and as you say, it was a team effort!
Plana or plano is mentioned in many reviews about restaurants:
" Faltaba !sabooor¡ comida plana e insulsa "
" Servicio deficiente y la comida plana "
"La cocina vegetariana suele arrastrar tópicos negativos con adjetivos que se repiten en boca de sus desconocedores: insulsa, repetitiva, plana."
And about a speech:
"El pronunció un discurso plano, insulso y dirigido ..."
So I think it just means bland, insipid, tasteless, lacking in flavour.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day3 mins (2017-08-27 13:43:29 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Oh so it's from an audio, I get your point. However, the only meaning for plano in this context that I can find is bland etc. I admit saying "It's not bland" doesn't make much sense, but I can't see what else he could be saying. Can you give us any more context, the bit before and after?
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Note added at 1 day1 hr (2017-08-27 14:48:59 GMT)
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It seems like he's telling the cook to spice it all up; maybe as Charles says he means that the dish isn't supposed to be bland, "Add more of everything, it's not meant to be bland," or something similar. Also, as Phil mentioned, the use of ser and not estar makes you wonder if he is referring to the characteristics of the recipe, not just its present state. He is definitely adding spicy ingredients so this could be the case.
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Note added at 2 days4 hrs (2017-08-28 17:44:48 GMT) Post-grading
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Glad to be of help and as you say, it was a team effort!
Note from asker:
| This is a really great idea. But I listed to the sequence again and there is definitely NOT any sort of pause. He is saying "No es plana" as a complaint. Given the other contexts that you give, it doesn't make a lot of sense. Maybe this dish is supposed to be "plana". |
| Oh, and in the video, he shakes his head 'no' when he says "No es plano. No es plano" |
| Here ist the immediate before and after> Chef makes a hand signal. Cook answers: ...un poco más de lima? Chef continues hand signal (his mouth is full). Cook answers: Vale. Le subimos todo, no? Picante también? Chef answers: Todo, todo, todo. No es plano. No es plano. (shakes head no) Cook answers: Vale. Obvio. Chef: Mas leche de tigre, mas piel de lima, ponme sishu y cilantro Cook: Vale **He seems to indicate the food is too bland, but that's why I didn't understand his use of the word "plano" here. Thought it might be a culinerary term. |
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "THanks for all the work on this one. I agree after thinking about. Charles is right. "This dish is not supposed to be bland" (Este plato no debe ser plano). So, in fact, bland is the correct word here. Bravo for teamwork!"
26 mins
Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
United States
Native in English
United States
Laudable Lady Linguist
Native in: English 
Works in: Spanish to English, French to English, English to Spanish, and 3 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Not/It isn't up to snuff.
Not up to the chef's standards. The way the cooks have prepared it is not good enough.
40 mins
Doesn't make the grade
Sorry, don't seem to be able to paste...
3 days 1 hr
Boring/Plain
Something 'plano' would be something that is flat, without levels or complexity. In this context, I would choose either plain (nothing remarkable about it, completely unattractive) or boring (does not excite the taste buds).
I would not recommend insipid, as this would be insípido, insulso or desabrido. If you look at Marie Wilson's restaurant review examples, plano and insulso/insípido are used as (slightly!) different terms.
I would not recommend insipid, as this would be insípido, insulso or desabrido. If you look at Marie Wilson's restaurant review examples, plano and insulso/insípido are used as (slightly!) different terms.
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