Platos

Platos is the Spanish plural noun formed from plato. It refers to two related concepts: the plates used for serving and eating, and the dishes that comprise a meal.

In everyday Spanish, los platos can mean either the tableware (los platos en la mesa) or the edible portions of a meal (los platos del menú). The meaning is determined by context, adjectives, and verbs: for example, "lavar los platos" means to wash the dishes, while "probar los platos" can mean to try the dishes at a restaurant.

Common phrases include "platos principales" (main courses), "platos fríos" (cold dishes), "platos calientes" (hot dishes), "platos de la casa" (house specials). In menus, "platos" is used to refer to the dishes available for selection or service, not to the plates themselves. It can also refer to the course structure of a meal, as in "los platos de la comida."

The term is not a title or concept in philosophy; in English-language writing, "platos" is typically seen only as a loanword from Spanish. It should not be confused with Plato, the ancient Greek philosopher, whose name is singular in English.