lima y limón
/lima i limon/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'lime and lemon' is translated into Spanish as lima y limón.
This phrase is used to refer to two types of sour citrus fruits.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, the word for lemon is often referred to as Limón amarillo, while in Spain, lime is sometimes referred to as Lima.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase plural, you must change both nouns to their plural forms: limas y limones.
Did you know?
- While lima refers to a citrus fruit, it is also the Spanish word for a 'file' used in woodworking or manicure.
- The word limón is a linguistic traveler that originated in Sanskrit as nimbū before passing through Persian and Arabic to reach Spanish.
- Because of the naming confusion, a person in Mexico asking for a limón will receive a green lime, while someone in Spain will receive a yellow lemon.
Examples in context
- Necesito lima y limón para la bebida.I need lime and lemon for the drink.
- Compré lima y limón en el mercado.I bought lime and lemon at the market.
- La receta pide lima y limón frescos.The recipe calls for fresh lime and lemon.
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are preparing drinks in the kitchen.
- SofíaAlejandro, ¿tenemos lima y limón aquí?Alejandro, do we have lime and lemon here?
- AlejandroSí, están en el refrigerador.Yes, they are in the refrigerator.
- SofíaPerfecto, voy a cortarlos ahora.Perfect, I am going to cut them now.
- AlejandroDime si necesitas ayuda, Sofía.Tell me if you need help, Sofía.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lima, limón, y, CC BY-SA 4.0.
