agrio
sharp or spoiled
The usual word for sour is agrio. For a tart taste like lime you can say ácido, and milk that has turned is agria. It is also called Amargo.
Meaning: having a sharp taste like lemon, or spoiled (adjective)
Ways to say it
| Mexican | Note |
|---|---|
| agrio | sharp or spoiled |
| Ácido | tart taste |
| Amargo | bitter, not the same as sour |
Which one should you use?
Agrio can describe a sharp fruit or food that has gone off. Ácido is used more for tart fruit and acidity. Do not mix up agrio with amargo, which means bitter.
When do people say it?
Limes are on almost every Mexican table, and people say a lime is ácido or that something is agrio when it is very sharp.
Did you know?
- Fruit with chili and lime is a very common Mexican snack, and the sour taste is part of the appeal.
Examples in context
- Este limón está muy ácido.This lime is very sour.
- La leche se puso agria.The milk went sour.
- Me gusta la fruta un poco agria.I like fruit a little sour.
Example conversation
Teresa tries a mango with lime from a street cart with her friend Jorge in Veracruz.
- TeresaUy, está muy ácido.Wow, it is very sour.
- JorgeÉchale más chile y sal.Add more chili and salt.
- TeresaMejor así, gracias.Better like that, thanks.
