pomelo
/poˈmelo/masculine
The English word grapefruit is translated into Spanish as either pomelo or toronja.
Meaning: fruit (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pomelo | /poˈmelo/ | masculine |
| toronja | /toˈɾonxa/ | feminine |
The word refers to the citrus fruit known as grapefruit.
Is it said differently in some regions?
toronja is the most common term for grapefruit in many Latin American countries. Conversely, pomelo is the standard term in Spain and parts of the Southern Cone, such as Argentina and Uruguay.
How does it change in a sentence?
pomelo is a masculine noun and requires masculine articles like el or un. toronja is a feminine noun and requires feminine articles like la or una.
How do you pronounce it?
/poˈmelo/
Did you know?
- The word toronja is actually a linguistic 'imposter' that refers to a citron rather than a true grapefruit. It entered Spanish via the Arabic word turunja, which originally described a different citrus fruit entirely.
- In Argentina and Uruguay, the word pomelo is used not only for the fruit but also to describe a specific shade of pinkish-red.
- While 'grapefruit' in English sounds like it relates to grapes, the Spanish term pomelo has no connection to grapes or even the fruit's actual botanical family. It is a loanword from the Dutch 'pompelmoes'.
Examples in context
- Estoy comiendo un pomelo.I'm eating a grapefruit.This sentence is useful for saying you are eating a pomelo.Tatoeba #997139 by hayastan, translation #10077722 by espamatics
- La toronja está muy agria.The grapefruit tastes very sour.This sentence is useful for describing how a toronja tastes.Tatoeba #2259324 by cueyayotl, translation #2259323 by _undertoad
- A Tom no le gusta el pomelo.Tom doesn't like grapefruit.This sentence is useful for stating that someone does not like pomelo.Tatoeba #1439771 by marcelostockle, translation #1026040 by CK
- ¿Quieres probar un pedazo de pomelo?Do you want to try a piece of grapefruit?
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are having breakfast in the kitchen.
- Sofía¿Quieres un poco de mi pomelo, Alejandro?Do you want some of my grapefruit, Alejandro?
- AlejandroNo, gracias, prefiero la naranja.No, thank you, I prefer the orange.
- SofíaEl pomelo está muy jugoso hoy.The grapefruit is very juicy today.
- AlejandroEs verdad, se ve muy bueno.It's true, it looks very good.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “grapefruit” translations and entries pomelo, toronja, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pomelo, toronja, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
