habas
/abas/from spelling rules
The English phrase "lima beans" is translated into Spanish as habas.
habas refers to the large, flat, pale green edible seeds from a pod.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Caribbean, especially in the Dominican Republic, lima beans are often called habichuela manteca.
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular form is haba, but the plural habas is much more common when referring to the vegetable in general.
How do you pronounce it?
/abas/
Did you know?
- In the Dominican Republic, the term habichuela manteca literally translates to 'lard bean' or 'butter bean'. This refers to the creamy, buttery texture of the bean rather than any actual animal fat content.
- The word habichuela is a diminutive of haba, and in many countries, it has evolved to mean any type of small bean, regardless of whether it is a 'lima bean' or not.
- While English speakers call them 'lima beans' after the city of Lima, the Spanish term habas is a much broader category of legumes that has been used across the Mediterranean for centuries.
Examples in context
- ¿Podemos agregar unos pallares al guiso de pollo?Can we add some lima beans to the chicken stew?
- El arroz al horno valenciano lleva garrofón entre sus ingredientes.Valencian baked rice includes lima beans among its ingredients.
- Me encanta el sabor único de las habichuelas mantecas en el sancocho dominicano.I love the unique flavor of the lima beans in Dominican stew.
- Las habas son muy nutritivas.Lima beans are very nutritious.
- Compré un saco de habas frescas.I bought a bag of fresh lima beans.
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel are deciding what to cook for dinner.
- ElenaDaniel, ¿quieres comer habas hoy?Daniel, do you want to eat lima beans today?
- DanielSí, me encantan las habas con jamón.Yes, I love lima beans with ham.
- ElenaPerfecto, buscaré la receta ahora.Perfect, I will look for the recipe now.
- DanielGracias, Elena. Suena muy bien.Thank you, Elena. That sounds very good.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
