higo chumbo
/ˌiɡo ˈt͡ʃumbo/masculine
In Spanish, the English phrase prickly pear is expressed as higo chumbo. Wiktionary also lists tuna and nopal.
Meaning: any of various spiny cacti of the genus Opuntia (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| higo chumbo | /ˌiɡo ˈt͡ʃumbo/ | masculine |
| tuna | /ˈtuna/ | feminine |
| nopal | /noˈpal/ | masculine |
| higuera de pala | /iɡeɾa de pala/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| higuera de tuna | /iɡeɾa de tuna/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
The term refers to any of the various spiny cacti belonging to the genus Opuntia.
Which one should you use?
Other forms include higuera de pala and higuera de tuna.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, nopal is the most common way to refer to the prickly pear cactus.
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to the fruit, the plural form of tuna is tunas. When referring to the cactus plants or their pads, the plural form of nopal is nopales.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌiɡo ˈtʃumbo/
Did you know?
- The nopal appears on the national flag of Mexico, depicting an eagle perched on the cactus while holding a snake.
- In Spanish, the word tuna has a completely different meaning when referring to a musical group of university students who dress in traditional 18th century costumes.
- In Spain and Latin America, the cactus is a vital culinary staple, where nopales are eaten as a vegetable in salads and tacos.
Examples in context
- Escondió la tuna.She hid the prickly pear.This sentence shows how to use the word tuna.Tatoeba #11885640 by JSKabylie15, translation #12243985 by Miktsoanit
- Me encanta comer tuna en el verano, es refrescante y sabrosa.I love eating prickly pear in the summer, it's refreshing and delicious.
- El higo chumbo es una fruta típica en la región de Andalucía, España.Prickly pear is a typical fruit in the region of Andalusia, Spain.
- En mi jardín, cultivamos nopales que producen deliciosas tunas.In my garden, we grow prickly pears that yield delicious fruit.
- En Argentina, los higos de pala se utilizan tanto para la alimentación humana como para alimentar el ganado.In Argentina, prickly pears are used both for human consumption and to feed cattle.
- El higo chumbo tiene muchas espinas.The prickly pear has many spines.
- Vi un higo chumbo en el desierto.I saw a prickly pear in the desert.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are walking near a garden.
- Alejandro¿Es ese un higo chumbo?Is that a prickly pear?
- ElenaSí, es un higo chumbo muy grande.Yes, it is a very large prickly pear.
- AlejandroTen cuidado con las espinas.Be careful with the spines.
- ElenaGracias, tendré cuidado.Thanks, I will be careful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “prickly pear” translations and entries higo chumbo, tuna, nopal, higuera de pala, higuera de tuna, 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 chumbo, higo, higuera, nopal, tuna, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
