papaya
/paˈpaʝa/feminine
The English phrase "papaya" is papaya in Spanish. Wiktionary also lists lechosa and mamón.
Meaning: fruit (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| papaya | /paˈpaʝa/ | feminine |
| lechosa | /leˈt͡ʃosa/ | Central, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Eastern, Llanos, feminine |
| mamón | /maˈmon/ | Argentina, Paraguay, masculine |
| put | /put/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
The word refers to the tropical fruit known as the papaya.
Which one should you use?
The default feminine form is papaya. The masculine form mamón is used in Argentina and Paraguay, while put is also a masculine form. The feminine form lechosa is used in other regions.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In parts of Colombia (specifically Central Colombia and the Llanos) and the Dominican Republic (specifically the Eastern region), the fruit is commonly called lechosa instead of papaya. In Argentina and Paraguay, the masculine form mamón is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word papaya is a feminine noun, so it is preceded by the feminine article la (e.g., la papaya).
How do you pronounce it?
/paˈpaʝa/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking countries, the phrase dar papaya is a slang expression meaning 'to leave oneself vulnerable' or 'to give an opportunity' to an opponent.
- While papaya is a safe culinary term, the masculine form mamón can carry highly vulgar slang connotations in several Latin American countries.
- The term mamón comes from the verb mamar, which means 'to suck'.
Examples in context
- La papaya madura huele a vómito.Ripe papaya smells like vomit.This sentence uses papaya to describe the smell of the ripe fruit.Tatoeba #1570848 by hayastan, translation #483701 by adjusting
- Hay una papaya encima de la mesa.There's a papaya on the table.This sentence uses papaya to indicate the location of the fruit.Tatoeba #12245941 by Caduga, translation #12245951 by Miktsoanit
- Mi colega no soporta el zumo de papaya.My co-worker can't stand papaya juice.This sentence uses papaya to talk about fruit juice.Tatoeba #11704969 by Seael, translation #13038955 by araneo
- ¿Cuál es el término local para papaya en Cuba?What is the local term for papaya in Cuba?
- ¿Cómo le dicen a la papaya por aquí?How do you guys call papaya around here?
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are in a kitchen in the morning.
- Lucía¿Quieres comer la papaya?Do you want to eat the papaya?
- AlejandroSí, la papaya está muy dulce.Yes, the papaya is very sweet.
- LucíaTengo una papaya entera en la nevera.I have a whole papaya in the fridge.
- AlejandroPerfecto, la cortaré ahora mismo.Perfect, I will cut it right now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “papaya” translations and entries papaya, lechosa, mamón, put, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mamón, papaya, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
