uva espina
/uba espina/from spelling rulesfeminine
The English word gooseberry is translated into Spanish as uva espina. Wiktionary also lists uva crespa.
Meaning: fruit (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| uva espina | /uba espina/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| uva crespa | /uba kɾespa/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
The term refers to the fruit. Depending on the specific variety or location, other terms are used, such as uva del Cabo for a cape gooseberry or ground cherry.
Which one should you use?
uva crespa serves as an alternative name for gooseberry in certain regions.
Did you know?
- The Spanish word uva is a direct descendant of the Latin word ūva, which also gave English the word 'uvea' for the vascular layer of the eye because of its grape-like appearance.
- The term uva crespa uses the adjective crespa, which means 'curly' or 'frizzy', to describe the texture or shape of the fruit's skin.
- The word espina is also the Spanish word for 'fishbone', showing how the concept of a sharp, pointed object is applied across many different contexts.
Examples in context
- En el jardín de mi abuela hay un arbusto de grosella espinosa.In my grandmother's garden, there is a gooseberry bush.
- Quisiera probar los aguaymantos que trajeron de Perú.I would like to try the cape gooseberries they brought from Peru.
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are at a fruit market.
- Javier¿Has probado alguna vez la uva espina?Have you ever tried the gooseberry?
- LucíaNo, Lucía nunca la ha probado.No, Lucía has never tried it.
- JavierDeberías probarla, es una fruta deliciosa.You should try it, it is a delicious fruit.
- LucíaEstá bien, compraré un poco de uva espina.Alright, I will buy some gooseberry.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gooseberry” translations and entries uva espina, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries espina, uva, CC BY-SA 4.0.
