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limón

lee-MOHNliˈmon

lemon

Also: lime
NounmA1
Mexico / Central AmericaSpain / South America (Andean regions)
A single, bright yellow, oval lemon fruit, slightly glossy, resting on a plain white surface.

📝 In Action

Necesito un limón para hacer la limonada.

A1

I need a lemon to make the lemonade.

Puse una rodaja de limón en mi vaso de agua.

A1

I put a slice of lemon in my glass of water.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • zumo de limón – lemon juice
  • cáscara de limón – lemon peel/zest

lemon

NounmA2
A simple, solid square shape filled entirely with a uniform, pale lemon yellow color.

📝 In Action

Pintamos la cocina de color limón.

A2

We painted the kitchen lemon yellow.

Ese vestido limón te queda muy bien.

B1

That lemon dress looks very good on you.

Word Connections

Synonyms

lemon

Also: flop
NounmB2informal
Mexico
A small, cartoonish yellow car sitting broken down, with smoke coming from the engine compartment and a flat tire.

📝 In Action

Compré un coche usado y resultó ser un limón; se daña cada semana.

B2

I bought a used car and it turned out to be a lemon; it breaks down every week.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • salir un limón – to turn out to be a lemon

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: limón

Question 1 of 2

Which translation is most likely correct in Spain?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
limonada(lemonade) — Noun
limonero(lemon tree) — Noun
lima(lime (fruit)) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
camióncanción
📚 Etymology▼

The word 'limón' traveled into Spanish from Arabic ('līmūn'), which itself borrowed the word from Persian. This shows how trade routes brought this popular fruit to Europe centuries ago.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: lemonFrench: citronPortuguese: limão

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if 'limón' means lemon or lime?

It depends heavily on where you are! In Spain, it's yellow lemon. In Mexico, it's green lime. If you are unsure, you can clarify by saying 'limón amarillo' (yellow lemon) or 'limón verde' (green lime).

Does 'limón' change for plural?

Yes. To make it plural, you add '-es', making it 'limones'. (e.g., 'tres limones').