pitahaya
/pitaˈaʝa/
The English word pitaya is translated into Spanish as pitahaya.
The term refers to the fruit produced by several different species of cactus.
Which one should you use?
pitahaya is a common Spanish spelling variant of the word pitaya.
How do you pronounce it?
/pitaˈaʝa/
Did you know?
- The name pitahaya is not of Spanish origin, but was borrowed from the Taíno language of the Caribbean. It is a linguistic relic from the indigenous people of the Greater Antilles.
- In many parts of Latin America, the plant itself is referred to as a 'cactus de noche' or 'cactus de floración nocturna' because the flowers only open for a single night. This makes the harvesting of the pitahaya a race against time.
- In some regions, the word pitaya can also refer to the highly alcoholic fermented beverage made from the fruit, rather than the fruit itself.
Examples in context
- La pitahaya es muy dulce.The pitaya is very sweet.
- Compré una pitahaya en el mercado.I bought a pitaya at the market.
- ¿Quieres probar un poco de pitahaya?Do you want to try some pitaya?
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are having breakfast at home.
- JavierElena, ¿quieres probar esta pitahaya?Elena, do you want to try this pitaya?
- ElenaSí, se ve muy fresca.Yes, it looks very fresh.
- JavierEs la mejor pitahaya que he comido.It is the best pitaya I have eaten.
- ElenaTienes razón, está deliciosa.You are right, it is delicious.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry pitahaya, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pitahaya, CC BY-SA 4.0.
