lime
/ˈli.me/masculine
The English phrase "lime" translates to lime in Italian. Wiktionary also lists lima and limetta.
Meaning: green citrus fruit (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| lime | /ˈli.me/ /ˈlajm/ |
masculine |
| lima | /ˈli.ma/ | feminine |
| limetta | /liˈmet.ta/ | feminine |
When referring specifically to the green citrus fruit, the masculine noun lime is used.
Which one should you use?
While lime is the masculine noun used for the green citrus fruit, lima is a feminine noun that refers to a nail file and limetta is a feminine noun.
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to the fruit, lime is an invariable masculine noun. To form the plural "the limes", you change the article to i lime rather than changing the word itself.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈli.me/. It has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the word lima to mean the citrus fruit, but in Italian, lima actually means "nail file".
Did you know?
- The feminine noun lima shares a root with the Arabic word for 'lemon', making it an unexpected linguistic relative of the citrus fruit despite its current meaning in Italian.
- Because lima refers to a nail file, the word limetta is a linguistic chameleon that can mean both a 'little lime' and a 'small nail file' depending on the context.
- In Italian, the word lima can refer to both a tool for smoothing metal and a tool for grooming nails, reflecting the shared action of abrasion.
Examples in context
- Dove posso trovare delle limette?Where can I find some limes?
- Mi piace il sapore acido della limettaI like the tangy flavor of lime
- il succo di lime è molto fresco.The lime juice is very fresh.
Example conversation
Francesco and Giulia are preparing drinks in the kitchen.
- FrancescoGiulia, dove abbiamo messo il lime?Giulia, where did we put the lime?
- GiuliaÈ nel frigorifero, Francesco.It's in the refrigerator, Francesco.
- FrancescoPerfetto, ne uso un po' per l'acqua.Perfect, I'll use some for the water.
- GiuliaOttima idea, è molto rinfrescante!Great idea, it's very refreshing!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lime” translations and entries lime, lima, limetta, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lima, lime, limetta, CC BY-SA 4.0.
