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"Lemon" is a noun which is often translated as "el limón", and "lime" is a noun which is often translated as "la lima". Learn more about the difference between "lemon" and "lime" below.
lemon(
leh
-
mihn
)A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
1. (fruit)
b. el limón amarillo (M) (Latin America)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
Sarah's recipe calls for both a lemon and an orange.La receta de Sarah pide tanto un limón amarillo como una naranja.
c. el limón dulce (M) (Latin America)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
Can you add a lemon to the fruit salad, Maria?¿Puedes añadir un limón dulce a la ensalada de frutas, María?
d. la lima (F) (Andes) (Caribbean) (Mexico) (Panama)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Regionalism used in the Caribbean: Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico
Regionalism used in Mexico
Regionalism used in Panama
Shall I put a slice of lemon in your gin and tonic?¿Pongo una rodaja de lima en tu gin-tonic?
2. (botany)
a. el limonero (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
My grandmother has a beautiful lemon in her garden.Mi abuela tiene un limonero hermoso en su jardín.
3. (colloquial) (dud)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. la porquería (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The car you bought is a total lemon. It doesn't even have brakes.El carro que compraste es una verdadera porquería. Ni tiene frenos.
4. (colloquial) (fool)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. el bobo (M), la boba (F) (colloquial)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
That lemon never gets anything right.Ese bobo nunca hace las cosas bien.
An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
5. (color)
a. amarillo limón
That lemon dress looks amazing on your olive skin.Ese vestido amarillo limón va de maravilla con tu piel morena.
lime(
laym
)A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
1. (fruit)
b. el limón verde (M) (Latin America)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
Emma loves to add fresh lime to her salsa.A Emma le encanta agregar limón verde fresco a su salsa.
c. el limón (M) (Andes) (Caribbean) (Central America) (Mexico)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Regionalism used in the Caribbean: Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico
Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
Regionalism used in Mexico
I need a lime for the guacamole.Necesito un limón para el guacamole.
b. el limonero (M) (Argentina) (Mexico) (Panama)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Regionalism used in Argentina
Regionalism used in Mexico
Regionalism used in Panama
The lime is losing its leaves.Se le están cayendo las hojas al limonero.
c. el palo de limón (M) (Mexico) (Panama) (Puerto Rico)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Regionalism used in Mexico
Regionalism used in Panama
Regionalism used in Puerto Rico
We've planted a lime in the backyard.Plantamos un palo de limón en el jardín trasero.
4. (chemistry)
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. abonar con cal
The acid soil here benefits from liming in the early spring.Al suelo ácido de aquí le beneficia ser abonado con cal al principio de la primavera.