Vegetables in Spanish: 100+ Names, Pronunciation, and Vocabulary Guide

Key takeaways

• Most Spanish vegetable names follow standard gender rules: nouns ending in -a are usually feminine (la zanahoria, la cebolla, la patata) and nouns ending in -o are usually masculine (el pimiento, el pepino, el rábano). Knowing the gender is important because articles and adjectives must agree.
• Spanish-speaking countries use different words for the same vegetable depending on the region. Potato is patata in Spain but papa in most of Latin America. Green beans are judías verdes in Spain, ejotes in Mexico, and chauchas in Argentina. When learning vegetables in Spanish, it helps to note which variety you are likely to encounter.
• Vegetables (las verduras or las hortalizas) are central to Spanish and Latin American cooking. Many iconic dishes rely on a core set of vegetables: tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers, and squash appear across virtually all regional cuisines.
• At a Spanish-speaking market (el mercado or la frutería), knowing the names of vegetables and a few buying phrases allows you to shop independently and engage with vendors, which is one of the most practical uses of early Spanish vocabulary.

Vegetables are among the most practical vocabulary sets in any language because you need them in daily life from the first day you live or travel in a Spanish-speaking country. italki connects learners with Spanish tutors who can help you practice this vocabulary in real contexts, from reading recipes to navigating a market.

This guide covers 100+ vegetables in Spanish organized by category, gender and pronunciation notes, regional variations for the most common vegetables, market phrases, and basic cooking vocabulary.

Work with a Spanish language tutor to practice vegetable vocabulary in real conversation and learn to navigate Spanish-speaking markets and recipes with confidence.

Gender rules for vegetables in Spanish

All Spanish nouns have a grammatical gender: masculine or feminine. This affects which article you use (el/un for masculine, la/una for feminine) and how adjectives agree with the noun.

Common patterns:

• Nouns ending in -a: usually feminine: la zanahoria (carrot), la cebolla (onion), la lechuga (lettuce)
• Nouns ending in -o: usually masculine: el pepino (cucumber), el rábano (radish), el pimiento (pepper)
• Nouns ending in -e or a consonant: variable, must be learned: el tomate (masculine), la carne (feminine, though not a vegetable), el coliflor / la coliflor (both forms used for cauliflower)

Exceptions to know:

• el agua (water) is feminine despite the masculine article (a phonological rule)
• la mano (hand) is feminine despite ending in -o
• el maíz (corn) is masculine despite ending in a consonant

When in doubt, learn each vegetable with its article: la patata, el pepino, la berenjena.

Essential everyday vegetables

These are the vegetables you will encounter most often in Spanish-speaking restaurants, recipes, and markets.

Spanish	Pronunciation	English	Gender	Regional notes
el tomate	toh-MAH-teh	tomato	m.	el jitomate in Mexico
la cebolla	seh-BOH-yah	onion	f.	Universal
el ajo	AH-hoh	garlic	m.	Universal
la zanahoria	sah-nah-OH-ree-ah	carrot	f.	Universal
la patata / la papa	pah-TAH-tah / PAH-pah	potato	f.	patata in Spain; papa in Latin America
el pimiento	peem-EEYEN-toh	bell pepper	m.	el chile / el ají in Latin America
el pepino	peh-PEE-noh	cucumber	m.	Universal
la lechuga	leh-CHOO-gah	lettuce	f.	Universal
la espinaca	ess-pee-NAH-kah	spinach	f.	Universal
el brócoli	BROH-koh-lee	broccoli	m.	Also brécol in Spain
la coliflor	koh-lee-FLOR	cauliflower	f.	Universal
el maíz / el choclo	mah-EES / CHOH-kloh	corn	m.	choclo in South America
la calabaza	kah-lah-BAH-sah	pumpkin / squash	f.	Universal
el calabacín	kah-lah-bah-SEEN	zucchini / courgette	m.	el zapallo italiano in some countries
la berenjena	beh-ren-HEH-nah	eggplant / aubergine	f.	Universal

Root and underground vegetables

Spanish	English	Notes
la patata / la papa	potato	patata (Spain), papa (Latin America)
el boniato / el camote	sweet potato	boniato (Spain/Cuba), camote (Mexico/Peru)
la zanahoria	carrot
la remolacha / el betabel	beetroot	remolacha (Spain), betabel (Mexico)
el nabo	turnip
el rábano	radish
la chirivía	parsnip
el colinabo	kohlrabi
el apio-nabo	celeriac
el ñame	yam	Common in Caribbean and West African-influenced cuisines
la yuca / la mandioca	cassava	Staple in many Latin American countries
el jengibre	ginger	Technically a root; widely used in cooking
la cúrcuma	turmeric	Root spice; increasingly common

Leafy greens and salad vegetables

Spanish	English	Notes
la lechuga	lettuce	Most common salad base
la espinaca	spinach
la col / el repollo	cabbage	col (Spain), repollo (Latin America)
el col rizado / la kale	kale	Also berza in Spain
la acelga	chard / Swiss chard	Common in Spanish cooking
la rúcula	arugula / rocket
la achicoria	chicory
la endivia / la endibia	endive
los berros	watercress	Plural in Spanish
la col de Bruselas	Brussels sprout	Literally Brussels cabbage
los canónigos	lamb’s lettuce / corn salad
la borraja	borage	Common in Aragonese cooking
el apio	celery	Stalks rather than root
el pak choi	bok choy
la escarola	escarole

Legumes and pulses

Spanish	English	Notes
la judía verde / el ejote	green bean	judía verde (Spain), ejote (Mexico), chaucha (Argentina)
el guisante / el chícharo	pea	guisante (Spain), chícharo (Latin America)
la haba	broad bean / fava bean	Popular in Mediterranean Spanish cooking
el garbanzo	chickpea	Key ingredient in cocido madrileño and hummus
la lenteja	lentil	La lenteja (the lentil): classic in Spanish soups
la soja / la soya	soybean	soja (Spain), soya (Latin America)
la alubia / el frijol	kidney bean / common bean	alubia (Spain), frijol (Latin America)
el frijol negro	black bean	Essential in Cuban and Mexican cooking
el cacahuete / el maní	peanut	cacahuete (Spain), maní (Latin America)
el edamame	edamame	Japanese loanword; increasingly used

Peppers, tomatoes, and nightshades

Spanish	English	Notes
el tomate	tomato	jitomate in Mexico (for red tomato); tomate verde for tomatillo
el tomate cherry / el tomate cereza	cherry tomato
el pimiento rojo	red bell pepper
el pimiento verde	green bell pepper
el pimiento amarillo	yellow bell pepper
el chile / el ají	chili pepper	chile (Mexico/Central America), ají (South America)
el jalapeño	jalapeño	Mexican variety; widely known internationally
el chipotle	chipotle	Smoked jalapeño; used in sauces
la guindilla	small hot chili	Common in Spain
el pimentón	paprika	Ground dried pepper; essential in Spanish cuisine
la berenjena	eggplant / aubergine	Part of the nightshade family

The onion and garlic family

Spanish	English	Notes
la cebolla	onion
la cebolla morada	red onion
el ajo	garlic
el puerro	leek	Common in Spanish soups and stews
la cebolleta / la cebollino	spring onion / scallion
la chalota	shallot
el cebollino	chive	Also used for scallion in some regions
el ajo tierno	green garlic	Young garlic before the bulb forms
el ajo negro	black garlic	Fermented garlic; growing in popularity

Squash, cucumbers, and gourds

Spanish	English	Notes
el pepino	cucumber
el pepinillo	gherkin / small pickle
el calabacín	zucchini / courgette
la calabaza	pumpkin / winter squash
la calabaza butternut	butternut squash
el chayote	chayote	Very common in Mexican and Central American cooking
el melón amargo	bitter melon
la okra / el quimbombó	okra	Common in Caribbean cooking
el aguacate / la palta	avocado	aguacate (Mexico/Spain), palta (South America)
el pepino dulce	pepino melon	South American fruit-vegetable

Mushrooms and fungi

Spanish	English	Notes
el champiñón	button mushroom	Most common in supermarkets
la seta	wild mushroom (general term)
el portobello	portobello mushroom
el shiitake	shiitake mushroom
la seta ostra	oyster mushroom
el rebozuelo / la cantarela	chanterelle	Prized in Spanish cooking
la trufa	truffle	Black truffle is a luxury ingredient in Spanish cuisine
la seta de cardo	king oyster mushroom
el níscalo	saffron milk cap	Common in autumn in Spanish forests

Latin American and specialty vegetables

Spanish	English	Notes
los nopales	cactus paddles	Essential in Mexican cooking
la jícama	jicama	Crunchy root vegetable from Mexico
el huacatay	black mint / Peruvian black mint	Key herb in Andean cooking
el epazote	Mexican herb	Used in black bean dishes
el chipilín	chipilín	Central American leafy green
el quelite	various wild greens	Collective term in Mexico
el pipián	type of squash seed sauce	Also a sauce name
el huauzontle	huauzontle	Mexican plant related to quinoa
la malanga / el taro	taro	Root vegetable; common in Caribbean cooking
el palmito	heart of palm

Buying vegetables: useful phrases

At the market (en el mercado):

Spanish	English
¿Cuánto cuesta el kilo de tomates?	How much does a kilo of tomatoes cost?
¿Tiene zanahorias frescas?	Do you have fresh carrots?
Quisiera un kilo de cebollas.	I would like a kilo of onions.
¿Me puede dar medio kilo de patatas?	Can you give me half a kilo of potatoes?
¿Están maduras las berenjenas?	Are the eggplants ripe?
¿Qué verduras de temporada tiene?	What seasonal vegetables do you have?
Póngame un poco más.	Give me a little more.
Está muy caro.	It’s very expensive.
¿Hay descuento si compro más?	Is there a discount if I buy more?

Cooking vocabulary for vegetables

Spanish	English
picar / cortar	to chop / to cut
pelar	to peel
rallar	to grate
hervir	to boil
freír	to fry
saltear	to sauté
asar	to roast
cocer al vapor	to steam
mezclar	to mix
condimentar / sazonar	to season
añadir / agregar	to add
el sofrito	sautéed base of onion, garlic, tomato
al dente	with slight firmness (used for vegetables too)
bien hecho	well cooked
crudo	raw
cocido	cooked

For a broader foundation in Spanish vocabulary across many categories, the guide to essential Spanish words covers 100 core words organized by category including nouns, verbs, and common phrases used in everyday conversation.

Practice vegetable vocabulary with a tutor

Vocabulary builds through repeated use in context. A tutor can help you practice vegetable names in realistic scenarios: reading a recipe, describing a meal, planning a shopping trip, or talking about food preferences. This kind of conversation practice moves vocabulary from a list you recognize to words you produce automatically.

italki’s 30,000+ expert tutors include native Spanish speakers from Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, and across the Spanish-speaking world who can help you learn the regional vocabulary most relevant to your goals. Trusted by over 10 million learners worldwide, the platform lets you find a tutor who can tailor vocabulary practice to your level. Book a trial lesson and start using Spanish food vocabulary in real conversation.

FAQ

What is the Spanish word for vegetables?

Spanish has two main words for vegetables: las verduras refers to green or leafy vegetables, while las hortalizas is the broader agricultural term for all vegetables. In everyday speech, verduras is the more commonly used word: ¿Comes muchas verduras? (Do you eat a lot of vegetables?).

What is the difference between patata and papa?

Both mean potato. Patata is the standard term in Spain. Papa is used in most of Latin America, including Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, and Chile. When speaking with someone from a different Spanish-speaking region, either word will be understood.

What is the Spanish word for pumpkin?

La calabaza is the general word for pumpkin and winter squash in Spanish. For zucchini or courgette, Spanish uses el calabacín (Spain) or el zapallito or el zapallo italiano (South America). The same word calabaza can refer to different squash varieties depending on context and region.

How do you say I don’t like vegetables in Spanish?

No me gustan las verduras. Remember that gustar works in reverse from to like: the thing liked becomes the subject of the verb, so with a plural noun (las verduras), the verb becomes gustan (plural), not gusta.

How do you say organic vegetables in Spanish?

Verduras ecológicas (Spain) or verduras orgánicas (Latin America). Both terms are used; ecológico is more common in Spain and orgánico in Latin America.