Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Sweet Potato in Spanish: Batata, Camote & Boniato
Batata · noun · bah-TAH-tah (batata) / kah-MOH-teh (camote) / boh-nee-AH-toh (boniato)
The sweet potato is one of those foods whose Spanish name changes dramatically from country to country. Batata is common in Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic. Camote dominates in Mexico, Central America, and Peru—it derives from the Nahuatl word camotli. Boniato is the preferred term in Spain and Cuba. All three are masculine nouns (el camote, el boniato) except batata, which is feminine (la batata).
Batata is bah-TAH-tah with stress on the second syllable. Camote is kah-MOH-teh with stress on the second syllable. Boniato is boh-nee-AH-toh with stress on the third syllable. Each word flows naturally in its home region.
Preparé una crema de batata con un toque de canela.
I made a sweet potato cream soup with a touch of cinnamon.
Sweet Potato in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for sweet potato, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| batata | sweet potato | bah-TAH-tah (batata) / kah-MOH-teh (camote) / boh-nee-AH-toh (boniato) | Default, widely understood |
| camote | sweet potato | Mexico, Central America, Peru | |
| boniato | sweet potato | Spain, Cuba |
How Native Speakers Use Batata
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Cooking in Mexico
El camote asado con miel es un postre callejero muy popular en México.
Roasted sweet potato with honey is a very popular street dessert in Mexico.
In Mexico, camote is the only word people use; saying batata would cause confusion.
Grocery shopping in Argentina
Compré dos kilos de batata para hacer puré.
I bought two kilos of sweet potato to make mash.
In Argentina, batata is standard. Puré de batata is a beloved side dish.
Recipe in Spain
El boniato al horno queda delicioso con romero y aceite de oliva.
Oven-roasted sweet potato is delicious with rosemary and olive oil.
In Spain, boniato is the everyday word found on supermarket labels and in cookbooks.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Batata
Translating as patata dulce
Incorrect: Quiero una patata dulce.
Correct: Quiero un camote. / Quiero una batata.
Patata dulce is a literal, word-for-word translation that native speakers rarely use. Choose the regional term—camote, batata, or boniato—instead.
Using the wrong gender
Incorrect: El batata está muy rica.
Correct: La batata está muy rica.
Batata is a feminine noun and requires the feminine article la. Meanwhile, camote and boniato are masculine and take el.
Lock in Sweet Potato Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Batata used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using batata in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Preparé una crema de batata con un toque de canela. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.
Common Questions About Sweet Potato in Spanish
- Which word for sweet potato should I use?
- It depends on your audience. Use camote for Mexico and Central America, batata for Argentina and much of South America, and boniato for Spain and Cuba. All are correct in their respective regions.
- Is patata dulce ever used in Spanish?
- While some people may understand patata dulce as a descriptive phrase, it is not the natural term in any major dialect. Stick with camote, batata, or boniato for clarity.
- Where does the word camote come from?
- Camote comes from the Nahuatl word camotli. Like many food words in Mexican Spanish—such as chocolate and aguacate—it has pre-Columbian indigenous roots.