cebolla
neutral, Mexico
The word for "onion" is cebolla, in Mexico as in the rest of the Spanish-speaking world. Mexican cooking uses it constantly, in salsas, tacos and soups.
At a taco stand you may hear con todo or con cebolla y cilantro. Cebolla morada is the red onion and cebollitas de cambray are the small spring onions grilled with tacos.
Meaning: the bulb vegetable (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
Say "seh-BOH-yah". In Mexico the ll is normally a simple y sound.
Did you know?
- Cebollitas de cambray are grilled alongside tacos in much of Mexico and are eaten whole.
Examples in context
- Pica la cebolla para la salsa.Chop the onion for the salsa.
- Los tacos van con cebolla y cilantro.The tacos come with onion and cilantro.
- No me gusta la cebolla cruda.I do not like raw onion.
Example conversation
Beatriz orders at a taco stand in Mexico City.
- BeatrizDos tacos de pastor, por favor.Two al pastor tacos, please.
- Taquero¿Con cebolla y cilantro?With onion and cilantro?
- BeatrizSí, con todo.Yes, with everything.
