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cebolla

seh-BOH-yah/seˈβoʝa/

“cebolla” means “onion” in Spanish (the vegetable).

onion

Also: bulb
NounfA1
General
A whole yellow onion with a papery skin next to a half-cut onion showing its internal circular layers.

📝 In Action

Siempre lloro cuando pico cebolla.

A1

I always cry when I chop onion.

¿Prefieres la tortilla de patatas con o sin cebolla?

A1

Do you prefer Spanish omelet with or without onion?

Plantamos las cebollas de los tulipanes en otoño.

B2

We planted the tulip bulbs in autumn.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • cebolla picada – chopped onion
  • aros de cebolla – onion rings
  • cebolla morada – red onion

Idioms & Expressions

  • 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.

Vocabulary Collections

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "cebolla" in Spanish:

bulb→onion→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: cebolla

Question 1 of 1

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

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
cebollino(chives) — Noun
cebolleta(spring onion / scallion) — Noun
encebollado(cooked with onions) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
ollajoyaargolla
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'caepulla', which was a way of saying 'little onion'.

First recorded: 12th century

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: cipolla

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Frequently Asked Questions

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.