limón
/liˈmon/masculine
The Spanish word for lemon is limón. Wiktionary also lists citrón.
Meaning: citrus fruit (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| limón | /liˈmon/ | masculine |
| citrón | /θiˈtɾon/ /siˈtɾon/ |
limón is used to refer to the citrus fruit. You can also use limón as an adjective to mean having the colour or color of lemons, a form represented by limonado.
Which one should you use?
In many Spanish-speaking regions, limón refers to the yellow lemon, whereas in other regions, it may refer to the green lime (which is often called lima). The form citrón is also used for this fruit.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Caribbean and parts of South America, limón criollo refers to a particular local variety of lemon.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of limón is limones.
How do you pronounce it?
/liˈmon/
Did you know?
- The word limón is a linguistic traveler that likely began its journey in ancient India as the Sanskrit word nimbū.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, adding a limón to a dish is not just for flavor but is used as a culinary substitute for vinegar to provide acidity.
- Because limón can mean both a lemon and a lime depending on the country, a request for 'lemon juice' in Mexico might result in a drink made with green limes.
Examples in context
- El limón es ácido.Lemon is sour.This sentence is useful for describing the acidity of the limón.Tatoeba #971467 by Shishir, translation #29487 by al_ex_an_der
- Tom exprimió el limón.Tom squeezed the lemon.This sentence shows an action being performed on a limón.Tatoeba #4952414 by cueyayotl, translation #2546357 by CK
- Esto es jugo de limón.This is lemon juice.This sentence is used to identify lemon juice made from limón.Tatoeba #9189952 by ignacio, translation #9189341 by CK
- Me gusta el sabor ácido del limón.I like the sour taste of lemon.
- Voy a preparar un refresco con limón verde.I'm going to prepare a drink with unripe lemon/lime.
- El jugo de limón criollo es especialmente sabroso.The juice from the local lemon variety is especially tasty.
- 45 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
In a kitchen while preparing a drink.
- Mateo¿Necesitas un limón para la limonada?Do you need a lemon for the lemonade?
- LucíaSí, por favor, dame un limón.Yes, please, give me a lemon.
- MateoAquí tienes el limón.Here is the lemon.
- LucíaGracias, Mateo.Thanks, Mateo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lemon” translations and entries limón, citrón, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries citrón, limón, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
