cebola
/seˈbo.lɐ/
The Portuguese word for onion is cebola.
cebola is the standard and most commonly used term for the bulb. You can use specific variations to describe different types, such as cebola roxa for a red onion, cebola branca for a white onion or cebola comum to specify a regular or common onion.
Meaning: bulb (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of cebola is cebolas.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: /seˈbo.lɐ/.
Did you know?
- In Portuguese folklore, there are old beliefs that placing a cebola in a room could absorb impurities or illness from the air.
- The word cebola is inherited from the Latin cēpulla, which was actually a diminutive form of the Latin word cēpa.
- In traditional Portuguese cuisine, cebola is the primary component of a refogado, the aromatic base of sautéed onion and garlic used in almost every savory dish.
Examples in context
- O Tom cortou a cebola grosseiramente.Tom chopped the onion roughly.This sentence shows how to use cebola when describing someone chopping it.Tatoeba #6177741 by User75171, translation #6175236 by sundown
- Adicione a cebola.Add the onion.This sentence is useful for a simple instruction to add the cebola.Tatoeba #1224490 by alexmarcelo, translation #1507897 by rileyphone
- Deite uma colher de sopa de manteiga derretida numa caçarola, frite na manteiga até alourar uma cebola e duas maçãs de tamanho médio bem picadas.Put one tablespoonful of melted butter in stew pan, fry in the butter until brown one onion and two medium sized apples chopped fine.This sentence demonstrates how to use cebola within a cooking instruction involving frying.Tatoeba #11917490 by Cangarejo, translation #11917489 by Cangarejo
- Poderia por favor comprar uma cebola no mercado?Could you please buy an onion at the market?
- Vamos comprar cebolas roxas para a salada de hoje!Let's buy red onions for today's salad!
Example conversation
Felipe and Camila are in the kitchen preparing a salad.
- FelipeVocê pode cortar a cebola?Can you cut the onion?
- CamilaSim, eu corto agora.Yes, I will cut it now.
- FelipeNão esqueça de tirar a casca.Don't forget to peel it.
- CamilaTudo bem, Felipe.Alright, Felipe.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “onion” translations and entries cebola, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cebola, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
