pimienta de Jamaica
/piˌmjenta de xaˈmaika/feminine
The English phrase 'allspice' is pimienta de Jamaica in Spanish. Wiktionary also lists malagueta.
Meaning: spice (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pimienta de Jamaica | /piˌmjenta de xaˈmaika/ | feminine |
| malagueta | /malaˈɡeta/ | Dominican Republic, masculine |
The term refers to the spice allspice.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase pimienta de Jamaica literally translates to 'pepper of Jamaica'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Dominican Republic, the term malagueta is used to refer to allspice. In Mexico and some Central American countries, you may hear the informal term Pimienta gordolobo.
How do you pronounce it?
/piˌmjenta de xaˈmaika/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers may be confused by the word pimienta (pepper) in the name, but it refers to the spice allspice rather than black pepper.
Did you know?
- The word pimienta shares an ancient root with the Latin word pigmentum, which means 'color' or 'pigment'.
- Spanish distinguishes between pimienta (the dried spice) and pimiento (the vegetable pepper). While they look similar, using one for the other in a recipe would fundamentally change the dish.
- While pimienta de Jamaica is the standard term, the word malagueta is common in the Dominican Republic. This can be confusing because in other parts of the world, 'malagueta' refers to a type of hot chili pepper.
Examples in context
- Para esta receta, necesitarás una cucharadita de pimienta de Jamaica.For this recipe, you will need a teaspoon of allspice.
- Disculpe, ¿dónde puedo encontrar la pimienta de Jamaica?Excuse me, where can I find allspice?
- La pimienta de Jamaica es una especia con sabor a pimienta, canela, clavo y nuez moscada.Allspice is a spice with flavors of pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
- Ah, ¿te refieres a la pimienta de Jamaica? ¡Qué interesante!Ah, are you referring to allspice? How interesting!
- La pimienta de Jamaica es muy aromática.Allspice is very aromatic.
- Necesito comprar un poco de pimienta de Jamaica.I need to buy a little bit of allspice.
- Añade pimienta de Jamaica al estofado.Add allspice to the stew.
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are shopping for ingredients in a supermarket.
- Elena¿Tienes la pimienta de Jamaica en tu lista?Do you have allspice on your list?
- JavierSí, la tengo anotada aquí.Yes, I have it noted here.
- ElenaBusquemos la pimienta de Jamaica en la sección de especias.Let's look for the allspice in the spice section.
- JavierEstá justo al lado de la canela.It is right next to the cinnamon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “allspice” translations and entries pimienta de Jamaica, malagueta, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Jamaica, de, jamaica, pimienta, CC BY-SA 4.0.
