papaya
/paˈpaʝa/feminine
The English word papaya is papaya in Spanish. If unsure, use papaya. 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 fruit.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In parts of Colombia and the Dominican Republic, the papaya is commonly called lechosa. In Argentina and Paraguay, the masculine form mamón is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
papaya is a feminine noun. Because it is feminine, you use the feminine indefinite article una instead of the masculine uno (e.g., una papaya). The plural form of papaya is las papayas.
How do you pronounce it?
/paˈpaʝa/
Did you know?
- In some regions, the phrase dar papaya means to leave oneself vulnerable or to create an opportunity for someone to take advantage of you.
- In certain Latin American slang contexts, particularly in the Caribbean, papaya can also be a vulgar slang term for female anatomy.
- In some Spanish-speaking countries, the word papaya can be used as slang to refer to something easy or simple, similar to how English speakers use 'piece of cake'.
Examples in context
- La papaya madura huele a vómito.Ripe papaya smells like vomit.This sentence shows how to describe the smell of a ripe papaya.Tatoeba #1570848 by hayastan, translation #483701 by adjusting
- Hay una papaya encima de la mesa.There's a papaya on the table.This sentence is useful for stating the location of a papaya.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 shows how to talk about a colleague's dislike for papaya juice.Tatoeba #11704969 by Seael, translation #13038955 by araneo
- Quería comprar una papaya en el supermercadoI wanted to buy a papaya at the supermarket
- La fruta bomba es muy sabrosa y nutritivaPapaya is very tasty and nutritious
- ¡Qué rica está la lechosa!How delicious the papaya is!
- Voy a hacer un jugo de papayónI'm going to make a papaya juice
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel are having breakfast in their kitchen.
- Elena¿Te gusta la papaya, Daniel?Do you like papaya, Daniel?
- DanielSí, la papaya me encanta.Yes, I love papaya.
- ElenaEntonces, voy a cortarla para ti.Then, I will cut it for you.
- DanielGracias, Elena, eres muy amable.Thanks, Elena, you are very kind.
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.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
