cebolla

seh-BOH-yah

onion?the vegetable

Also:bulb?botanical part of some plants like tulips

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Siempre lloro cuando pico cebolla.

I always cry when I chop onion.

¿Prefieres la tortilla de patatas con o sin cebolla?

Do you prefer Spanish omelet with or without onion?

Plantamos las cebollas de los tulipanes en otoño.

We planted the tulip bulbs in autumn.

contigo, pan y cebolla – To be with someone through thick and thin, even if you are poor.
ser una cebolla – To have many layers or to be wearing too many clothes.

Cebolla is a feminine word, so you should always use 'la' or 'una' with it.

Mistake: "sebolla"

Correction: cebolla (it always starts with a 'c')

If you are in a restaurant and don't want onions, just say 'Sin cebolla, por favor' (No onion, please).

Question 1 of 1

If someone says 'Contigo, pan y cebolla', what do they mean?

cebollino(chives) - noun

cebolleta(spring onion / scallion) - noun

encebollado(cooked with onions) - adjective

Is 'cebolla' used for lightbulbs too?

Not usually. For a lightbulb, Spanish speakers use the word 'bombilla'.

Why does 'cebolla' make me cry in Spanish classes?

Hopefully only because of the literal meaning! It's a very common word in beginner vocabulary for food and cooking.