Nueces
walnuts, general
Spanish has no single everyday word for all "nuts". Nueces means walnuts or pecans in general use, and frutos secos covers nuts as a group. It is also called Nuez.
Meaning: edible nuts (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mexican | Note |
|---|---|
| Nueces | walnuts, general |
| Frutos secos | nuts in general |
| Nuez | singular |
In Mexico nuez often means pecan, which grows in the north, and a candy called nuez garapiñada is made from it. For peanuts the word is different: cacahuates.
Which one should you use?
Almonds are almendras, cashews nueces de la India and peanuts cacahuates, so you name each nut separately.
Did you know?
- Nuez garapiñada is a sweet Mexican candy of nuts coated in caramelised sugar.
Examples in context
- Me gustan las nueces.I like walnuts.
- Compré una bolsa de frutos secos.I bought a bag of mixed nuts.
- Tengo alergia a las nueces.I am allergic to nuts.
Example conversation
Paty chooses a snack from a shop counter in Mexico City.
- Paty¿Qué frutos secos tiene?Which nuts do you have?
- VendedorNueces, almendras y cacahuates.Walnuts, almonds and peanuts.
- PatyDeme medio kilo de nueces.Give me half a kilo of walnuts.
