Inklingo

How to Say "lemon" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “lemon” is “limón” — use 'limón' when referring to the actual yellow, acidic citrus fruit, or the color derived from it.

limónA1

Use 'limón' when referring to the actual yellow, acidic citrus fruit, or the color derived from it.

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patataB2

Use 'patata' informally to refer to a device or vehicle that doesn't work well or is of poor quality.

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English → Spanish

limón

nounA1General
Use 'limón' when referring to the actual yellow, acidic citrus fruit, or the color derived from it.

Examples

Necesito un limón para hacer la limonada.

I need a lemon to make the lemonade.

limón

nounA2General
Use 'limón' to describe the color lemon yellow.

Examples

Pintamos la cocina de color limón.

We painted the kitchen lemon yellow.

limón

nounB2Informal
Use 'limón' informally to describe a faulty or defective item, especially a car.

Examples

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

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

patata

nounB2Informal
Use 'patata' informally to refer to a device or vehicle that doesn't work well or is of poor quality.

Examples

Este móvil es una patata, siempre se apaga solo.

This phone is a piece of junk; it always turns off by itself.

Confusing 'limón' and 'patata' for defective items

Learners often wonder if 'limón' or 'patata' is better for a broken item. While both are informal, 'limón' is more commonly associated with cars, whereas 'patata' can refer to any malfunctioning device or gadget.

Related Translations

floplime

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