Fruits and Vegetables in Spanish: Essential Vocabulary
Fruits and Vegetables in Spanish: Seasonal Varieties, Categories and Basic Vocabulary
Spain is considered el huerto de Europa (the garden of Europe) due to its vast agricultural production, especially of fruits, and vegetables, supplying many European countries.

The Spanish Mediterranean climate, vast farmlands and well-developed infrastructure have made Spain one of the top exporters of fresh produce in Europe, supplying local markets as well with a wide variety of seasonal and year-round fruits and vegetables.
So, whether you are in Spain buying produce at a market or a supermarket, considering your options on a restaurant menu, or following a recipe in Spanish, some basic veggie and fruit lexicon in Spanish will help keep you well nourished!
But first, fruit in Spanish is fruta and vegetable is verdura
Fruits and Vegetables in Spanish || Basic Fruit and Vegetable Vocabulary
Fruits and Vegetables in Spanish || Fruit and Vegetable Categories
Fruits and Vegetables in Spanish || Winter Produce
Fruits and Vegetables in Spanish || Spring Produce
Fruits and Vegetables in Spanish || Summer Produce
Fruits and Vegetables in Spanish || Autumn Produce
Fruits and Vegetables in Spanish || FAQs
Fruits and Vegetables in Spanish || Basic Fruit and Vegetable Vocabulary

Before we take a bite into the specific kinds of common produce in Spain, here are some basic fruit and vegetable-related vocabulary that can help simplify how you refer to them.
De temporada (Seasonal), refers to fruits and vegetables available during a particular season (spring, summer, autumn, and winter).
CosechaHarvest
Verduras and hortalizas are often used interchangeably to refer to vegetables. Verdura refers mostly to green or leafy vegetables, while hortaliza is used more broadly to refer to any edible plant. However, the term verdura is commonly used as a general term for vegetables.
SPANISH | ENGLISH |
---|---|
Frutas | Fruits |
Ecológico | Organic, grown without synthetic chemicals |
De proximidad | Locally sourced, refers to products produced locally and within a close geographical area |
Invernadero | Greenhouse |
Maduro | Ripe |
Verde | Literally means “green” and refers to not fully ripened fruits and vegetables |
Pasado | Overripe, a common way to describe fruits or vegetables that have ripened past their optimal state of consumption or Demasiado maduro (too ripe). |
Fresco | Fresh |
Congelado | Frozen |
En conserva | Canned, refers to food preserved in a can |
Dulce | Sweet |
Amargo | Bitter |
Agrio | Sour |
En su punto | Peak ripeness, in this context refers to fruits and vegetables that are in their ideal state for consumption, perfectly ready to eat, and just right. |
Crujiente | Crunchy |
Jugoso | Juicy |
Fruits and Vegetables in Spanish || Fruit and Vegetable Categories
Seasonality aside, fruits and vegetables can also be grouped according to the following categories.
Categories of Vegetables
spanish | english | exampleS |
---|---|---|
Tubérculos | Tubers |
patatas
(potatoes),
boniato
(sweet potato), yuca (cassava) |
Hortalizas de hoja | Leafy greens |
espinacas
(spinach), acelgas (Swiss chard), lechuga (lettuce) |
Bulbos | Bulbs |
cebolla
(onion), ajo (garlic), puerro (leek) |
Raices | Roots |
zanahoria
(carrot), rábano (radish), remolacha (beet) |
Frutos | Fruiting vegetables |
tomate
(tomato), pimiento (bell pepper), calabacín (zucchini) |
Crucíferas | Cruciferous vegetables |
brócoli
(broccoli), coliflor (cauliflower), repollo (cabbage) |
Tallos | Stalk or stem vegetables |
espárragos
(asparagus), apio (celery), ruibarbo (rhubarb) |
Semillas | Seeds |
guisantes
(peas), maíz (corn), habas (fava beans) |
Categories of Fruits
SPANISH | ENGLISH | EXAMPLE |
---|---|---|
Cítricos | Citrus fruits | limón (lemon), naranja (orange), pomelo (grapefruit) |
Bayas | Berries | fresa (strawberry), arándano (blueberry), mora (blackberry) |
Frutas de hueso | Stone fruits | melocotón (peach), cereza (cherry), ciruela (plum) |
Frutas de pepita | Pome fruits | pera (pear), manzana (apple), uva (grape) |
Frutas tropicales | Tropical fruits | piña (pineapple), mango (mango), maracuyá (passion fruit) |
Frutos secos | Nuts and seeds, botanically considered fruits | almendras (almonds), avellanas (hazelnuts), nueces (walnuts) |
Frutas deshidratadas / Frutas secas | Dehydrated fruits or Dried fruits | pasas (raisins), dátiles (dates), higos secos (dried figs) |

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Fruits and Vegetables in Spanish || Winter Produce
Winter produce consists mainly of hearty greens and citrus fruits.
Vegetables
SPANISH | ENGLISH |
---|---|
Acelgas | Swiss chard |
Repollo | Cabbage |
Coles de Bruselas | Brussel sprouts |
Zanahoria | Carrot |
Calabaza | Pumpkin |
Puerros | Leeks |
Nabos | Turnips |
Fruits
SPANISH | ENGLISH |
---|---|
Naranja | Orange |
Limón | Lemon |
Manzana | Apple |
Kiwi | Kiwi |
Pera | Pear |
Pomelo | Grapefruit |

Fruits and Vegetables in Spanish || Spring Produce
Although some seasonal fruits can be found all year round as they are harvested in greenhouses, these are some of the typical spring produce:
Vegetables
SPANISH | ENGLISH |
---|---|
Alcachofas | Artichokes |
Espárragos | Asparagus |
Espinacas | Spinach |
Guisantes | Peas |
Habas | Fava beans |
Judías verdes | Green beans |
Fruits
SPANISH | ENGLISH |
---|---|
Fresas | Strawberries |
Cerezas | Cherries |
Nísperos | Medlars |
Albaricoques | Apricots |

Fruits and Vegetables in Spanish || Summer Produce
Summer produce brings sun-ripened vegetables and vibrantly colored and refreshing fruits
Vegetables
SPANISH | ENGLISH |
---|---|
Pepino | Cucumber |
Calabacín | Zucchini |
Tomate | Tomato, although botanically classified as a fruit, is considered a vegetable in culinary terms |
Pimiento | Bell pepper |
Berenjena | Eggplant |
Patatas | Potatoes, although they can be found all year round, the main season is from summer to early autumn. |
Fruits
SPANISH | ENGLISH |
---|---|
Melocotón | Peach |
Melón | Melon |
Sandía | Watermelon |
Higos | Figs |


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As temperatures cool, autumn fruit and vegetable varieties are citrusy and earthy. While many are available in other seasons, most thrive best in the autumn and winter.
class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Vegetables class="wp-block-table Caquis data-lang='es-ES'>PlayBoniatoVerduras and hortalizas are terms often used interchangeably to refer to “vegetables”. Strictly speaking though, the word verdura usually refers to green or leafy vegetables, while hortaliza is used in a broader sense to refer to any edible plant.
However, verdura is commonly used as a general term for vegetable in everyday speech.