papaya
/paˈpaʝa/feminine
The English word pawpaw is papaya in Spanish.
papaya refers to the fruit. Note that in some Latin American countries, it is used as a slang term for certain intimate body parts.
Meaning: fruit (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, pawpaw may be referred to as papaya. In some Caribbean countries like Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, the papaya is commonly called lechoza instead of papaya.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun papaya is feminine, so its plural form is las papayas.
How do you pronounce it?
/paˈpaʝa/
Did you know?
- In Colombia, if someone says no des papaya, they are warning you not to leave yourself vulnerable or put yourself in a position to be taken advantage of.
- In some Spanish speaking regions, the phrase está papaya is used to describe something that is incredibly easy or a 'piece of cake'.
- The word papaya traces its roots back to the Cariban and Lokono languages of the Americas, rather than being a word of European origin.
Examples in context
- ¿Tienes papaya? Quiero preparar un batido delicioso.Do you have pawpaw? I want to make a delicious smoothie.
- La papaya está muy madura.The papaya is very ripe.
- Compré una papaya en el mercado.I bought a papaya at the market.
- ¿Quieres un poco de papaya fresca?Do you want some fresh papaya?
Example conversation
María and Alejandro are having breakfast in their kitchen.
- MaríaAlejandro, ¿quieres comer papaya hoy?Alejandro, do you want to eat papaya today?
- AlejandroSí, me encanta la papaya.Yes, I love papaya.
- MaríaEsta papaya está muy dulce.This papaya is very sweet.
- AlejandroTienes razón, María, es excelente.You're right, María, it is excellent.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pawpaw” translations and entries papaya, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries papaya, CC BY-SA 4.0.
