el durazno
A peach. El durazno is the everyday word in much of Latin America, especially in market and kitchen talk.
Common Phrases
- durazno maduro — ripe peach
- jugo de durazno — peach juice
Example
El durazno huele dulce en la mesa.
The peach smells sweet on the table.
Common Mistake
Dropping the final letter: durazo instead of durazno.
el pepino
A cucumber. El pepino is the fresh vegetable you slice for salads and snacks.
Common Phrases
- rodajas de pepino — cucumber slices
- ensalada de pepino — cucumber salad
Example
Pongo rodajas de pepino en la ensalada.
I put cucumber slices in the salad.
Common Mistake
Mixing up the fresh veggie with the pickle word: pepinillo instead of pepino.
la espinaca
Spinach. La espinaca is common in quick home cooking, especially eggs, soups, and sautés.
Common Phrases
- hojas de espinaca — spinach leaves
- espinaca fresca — fresh spinach
Example
La espinaca fresca va bien en una tortilla.
Fresh spinach goes well in an omelet.
Common Mistake
Overusing the plural in recipe talk: espinacas where many speakers prefer espinaca as the ingredient name.
la banana
A banana. La banana is a common everyday word, but regional labels can vary across Spanish-speaking countries.
Common Phrases
- banana madura — ripe banana
- batido de banana — banana smoothie
Example
La banana madura rapido en la cocina.
The banana ripens quickly in the kitchen.
Common Mistake
Assuming one label fits every country: using platano without checking local meaning; ask for banana madura if you want a sweet snack banana.
la pina
Pineapple. Your crossword shows la pina, but the standard spelling is la piña with ñ.
Common Phrases
- jugo de piña — pineapple juice
- trozos de piña — pineapple chunks
Example
La piña va bien en yogur natural.
Pineapple goes well in plain yogurt.
Common Mistake
Typing pina instead of piña; ñ is a different letter, not an optional accent.
la calabaza
Pumpkin or squash (depending on region). La calabaza is a classic ingredient for soups, roasts, and creamy textures.
Common Phrases
- sopa de calabaza — pumpkin soup
- pure de calabaza — pumpkin puree
Example
La calabaza queda suave en el horno.
The pumpkin turns out soft in the oven.
Common Mistake
Confusing similar-looking squash words on a shopping list: calabacin instead of calabaza when you want pumpkin/squash for soup.
la cebolla
An onion. La cebolla is one of the most useful kitchen words because it appears in countless savory dishes.
Common Phrases
- cebolla picada — chopped onion
- cebolla caramelizada — caramelized onion
Example
La cebolla picada da sabor a la sopa.
Chopped onion gives flavor to the soup.
Common Mistake
Misspelling the first letter: sebolla instead of cebolla.
la manzana
An apple. La manzana is common in snacks, desserts, and quick descriptions of taste and texture.
Common Phrases
- manzana roja — red apple
- tarta de manzana — apple pie
Example
La manzana cruje en la primera mordida.
The apple crunches on the first bite.
Common Mistake
Mixing up the fruit and the tree: manzano instead of manzana when you mean an apple.