Meaning & use
La Plata
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Meanings
proper nounproper
The wide, muddy estuary on the east coast of South America, between Argentina and Uruguay, where the Paraná and Uruguay rivers flow into the Atlantic.
Grammar: Usually appears as the Río de la Plata or the River Plate; La Plata alone often refers to the city.
Patterns
- the Río de la Plata
- the River Plate
Buenos Aires and Montevideo both sit on the shores of La Plata.
Ships crossed La Plata carrying grain from the interior.
The estuary of La Plata is so wide that you cannot see the far shore from the middle.
proper nounproper
A city in Argentina, south-east of Buenos Aires, built as the planned capital of Buenos Aires Province in the 1880s.
Grammar: Always capitalized: she studied in La Plata.
Patterns
- in La Plata
- to La Plata
La Plata is known for its grid of streets and its university.
We took a train from Buenos Aires to La Plata for the day.
The football club in La Plata has a loyal following.
Common combinations
- Río de la Plata
- The Río de la Plata separates Argentina from Uruguay.
- city of La Plata
- The city of La Plata was designed on a strict grid.
- University of La Plata
- Her father taught at the University of La Plata.
- Battle of the River Plate
- The Battle of the River Plate was fought off the coast in 1939.
- mouth of La Plata
- The ship anchored at the mouth of La Plata.
Synonyms and how they differ
- River Plate
- River Plate is the traditional English name for the estuary, while La Plata is the Spanish-style form often used for the city.
- Río de la Plata
- Río de la Plata is the full Spanish name of the estuary and is used in both Spanish and English texts.
Word family
- Platense adjective
- relating to La Plata or the Río de la Plata region
Commonly confused: La Plata or Buenos Aires? La Plata or Platte River?
La Plata vs Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the national capital of Argentina on the same estuary, while La Plata is a separate city and the capital of the province.
La Plata vs Platte River
The Platte River is in the central United States and has no connection with the estuary called La Plata.
Practice
Which place is La Plata when it names a city?
Choose one answer.
La Plata, the city, is the provincial capital near Buenos Aires. Uruguay's capital is Montevideo, and the Platte River in Nebraska is a different name entirely.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “La Plata”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.