citron
/si.tʁɔ̃/masculine
The English word "lemon" is translated into French as citron.
citron is a noun used to refer to the citrus fruit. It can be used to refer to the specific yellow lemon, though in some contexts it may also refer to a lime.
Meaning: citrus fruit (noun)
Which one should you use?
While citron specifically refers to the yellow lemon, if you wish to refer specifically to a lime, you would typically use citron vert.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun citron is masculine, so you use masculine articles such as un citron (a lemon) or le citron (the lemon).
How do you pronounce it?
/si.tʁɔ̃/
Did you know?
- In French, the word citron is also a slang term for a car that is old, unreliable, or constantly breaking down.
- The French phrase presser le citron literally means 'to squeeze the lemon' but is used idiomatically to mean exploiting someone or something to the absolute limit.
- The word citron is unexpectedly related to the word for 'cedar' in Greek, suggesting that ancient people thought the scent of these citrus fruits resembled evergreen trees.
Examples in context
- Je mange un citron.I'm eating a lemon.This sentence shows how to use citron to indicate eating a single fruit.Tatoeba #5247111 by martin9, translation #6793108 by Micsmithel
- Veux-tu du citron ?Do you want lemon?This sentence demonstrates asking if someone wants some lemon juice or fruit.Tatoeba #6892451 by GB3, translation #6891914 by Eccles17
- Le citron est acide.Lemon is sour.This sentence describes a characteristic of the citron.Tatoeba #4605285 by sacredceltic, translation #29487 by al_ex_an_der
- 62 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are in the kitchen preparing a drink.
- LucasIl nous faut un citron.We need a lemon.
- EmmaEst-ce que tu veux le citron coupé ?Do you want the lemon cut?
- LucasOui, s'il te plaît.Yes, please.
- EmmaLe voilà.Here it is.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lemon” translations and entries citron, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries citron, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
