Visita a un restaurante de hamburguesas en Concepción

What does “palta” mean in Spanish?

Listing burger ingredients, the host says “palta o aguacate” — naming the same green fruit two ways. In Chile and much of South America, avocado is “palta”; in Mexico and Spain it’s “aguacate.” “Palta” comes from Quechua, an indigenous Andean language. So on a Chilean menu, “palta” is your creamy avocado. Now you know both words point to the same thing.

Spoken line: “palta o aguacate” — the host names avocado both ways in the same breath. In Chile you’ll almost always hear “palta”: “una hamburguesa con palta” (a burger with avocado), “tostada con palta” (toast with avocado), “¿le pongo palta?” (shall I add avocado?). The word came from Quechua, spoken in the Andes for centuries. In Mexico and Spain people say “aguacate” instead. Both point to the same fruit, so either word works when you order.