pitaia
/piˈtaj.ɐ/feminine
The English phrase "dragon fruit" is pitaia in Portuguese. If unsure, use pitaia. Wiktionary also lists rainha-da-noite and dama-da-noite.
Meaning: fruit (noun)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pitaia | /piˈtaj.ɐ/ (Brazil) /piˈtaj.ɐ/ (Portugal) |
feminine |
| rainha-da-noite | feminine | |
| dama-da-noite | feminine | |
| fruta-do-dragão | feminine |
The term refers to the fruit of the cactus species known as dragon fruit.
Which one should you use?
pitaia is the most common and standard term used for dragon fruit in both Brazil and Portugal. While fruta-do-dragão is a literal translation, pitaia is the preferred way to name the fruit.
How does it change in a sentence?
All forms of this word are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: /piˈtaj.ɐ/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use rainha-da-noite or dama-da-noite to refer to the fruit. These terms typically refer to specific types of night-blooming flowers rather than the fruit itself.
Did you know?
- The word pitaia is not originally from Portuguese or Spanish but was borrowed from the Taíno language spoken by the indigenous people of the Caribbean.
- In botanical contexts in Brazil, the pitaia is classified as a cactus, meaning the plant that produces this fruit is technically a member of the same family as the prickly pear.
- In Brazil, you will find three distinct colors of pitaia in supermarkets: white, red and yellow, each with a slightly different sweetness level.
Examples in context
- Gosto de pitaia.I like dragon fruit.This sentence is useful for expressing a preference for pitaia.Tatoeba #11864623 by ajdavidl, translation #1604652 by Spamster
- Eu adoro pitaya! Comi uma hoje no café da manhã.I love dragon fruit! I had one for breakfast today.
- A pitaia é muito doce.The dragon fruit is very sweet.
- Eu comprei uma pitaia rosa.I bought a pink dragon fruit.
Example conversation
Lucas and Beatriz are at a fruit market.
- LucasBeatriz, olha que pitaia bonita!Beatriz, look at this beautiful dragon fruit!
- BeatrizÉ linda, mas é cara.It is beautiful, but it is expensive.
- LucasEu quero comprar uma pitaia.I want to buy one dragon fruit.
- BeatrizTudo bem, vamos levar.All right, let's take it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dragon fruit” translations and entries pitaia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pitaia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
