yema
/ˈʝema/
The Spanish word for egg yolk is yema.
yema refers to the yellow or orange part in the center of a bird's egg.
Which one should you use?
The word clara is used for the egg white, which contrasts with yema.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, you might hear speakers use the phrases la yema del huevo or simply la yema to mean egg yolk.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of yema is yemas.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʝema/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the same word yema is used to describe the fleshy pad of a fingertip, known as the yema del dedo.
- Botanists use the word yema to refer to a plant bud from which a new leaf or flower grows.
- The word yema is a linguistic doublet of gema, meaning 'gem'. Both words descend from the same Latin root gemma, which historically described both a precious stone and a plant bud.
Examples in context
- Una receta deliciosa que requiere la yema del huevo.A delicious recipe that requires the egg yolk.
- La yema es de color naranja.The yolk is orange in color.
- No me gusta la yema de huevo.I do not like the egg yolk.
- Solo quiero la clara, sin la yema.I only want the white, without the yolk.
Example conversation
Javier and María are eating breakfast in the kitchen.
- Javier¿Quieres la yema de mi huevo?Do you want the yolk from my egg?
- MaríaNo, gracias, prefiero solo la clara.No, thank you, I prefer only the white.
- JavierEstá bien, me la comeré yo.That is fine, I will eat it.
- MaríaLa yema se ve muy rica.The yolk looks very tasty.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry yema, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries yema, CC BY-SA 4.0.
