It's incredible how an object, action, or verb can be expressed in different ways depending on our country of origin. This list is designed especially for those of us who live surrounded by or have frequent contact with people who speak Spanish but come from different places. Therefore, we constantly ask ourselves, "How do you say it in your country…?"
Special thanks to my friends Johellen, Sucel, Rocio, Crystal, and her husband Manu, who inspired me to start this list a few years ago, to my blogger friends, to you, our readers, who help us, and I hope you'll continue to help us keep this list growing.
This list is not a copy, so we ask that you DO NOT copy it for online distribution. On the contrary, our goal is to make it useful, but for your personal use. We look forward to your suggestions. Thank you!
WORD(S) OF THE WEEK:
Colombia, Dominican Republic, Venezuela = Auyama
Puerto Rico, Argentina, Ecuador, Cuba = Pumpkin
Chile, Peru, Uruguay = Pumpkin (The most similar)
Puerto Rico=Onion
Colombia= Long onion
Argentina, Uruguay = Spring onion
Ecuador, Venezuela, Chile = Chives
Peru = Chinese onion
Cuba = Chives
PERU, ARGENTINA, CHILE = avocado
SPAIN, COLOMBIA, MEXICO, COSTA RICA, VENEZUELA = avocado
PERU, CHILE, SPAIN, MEXICO = banana
ARGENTINA = banana
COLOMBIA, COSTA RICA= banana
VENEZUELA = Banana
PERU = Bean
ARGENTINA = Bean
CHILE = Bean
SPAIN = Jewish
PUERTO RICO = Beans
COLOMBIA = Beans or beans
MEXICO = Beans
VENEZUELA=Black Beans
PERU = Beetroot
ARGENTINA = CHILE =
SPAIN, PUERTO RICO, COLOMBIA, VENEZUELA = Beetroot
MEXICO = Beetroot
PERU, CHILE, ARGENTINA = corn
SPAIN = corncob
COLOMBIA = corn
VENEZUELA = corn or corn
MEXICO = corn
COSTA RICA= corn
PERU = Green beans
ARGENTINA = Chauchas
CHILE = Green beans
SPAIN = Green beans
COLOMBIA = Beans
MEXICO = Green beans
COSTA RICA= hemstitch
Venezuela=Green Beans
PERU, CHILI, COLOMBIA= peas
ARGENTINA = peas
SPAIN, VENEZUELA=peas
MEXICO = pea
COSTA RICA= small pois
Venezuela = Petipoas
PERU = small field
ARGENTINA = popcorn CHILE = popcorn
SPAIN, COSTA RICA = popcorn
COLOMBIA = popcorn MEXICO = popcorn
VENEZUELA-Potcorn
PERU, ARGENTINA, CHILI, COLOMBIA, VENEZUELA= Red paprika
SPAIN = Red pepper
MEXICO = bell pepper
COSTA RICA= sweet chili
PERU, COLOMBIA = juice
ARGENTINA, MEXICO = smoothie
CHILE = shake or vitamin
SPAIN, COSTA RICA= smoothie
VENEZUELA=Batido (using water), Merengada (with milk)
PERU, ARGENTINA, CHILI, COSTA RICA = pumpkin = squash
SPAIN = pumpkin
COLOMBIA, VENEZUELA = Pumpkin
MEXICO = pumpkin
PERU, COLOMBIA, COSTA RICA, VENEZUELA= strawberry
ARGENTINA = strawberry
CHILI = strawberry
SPAIN = strawberry or strawberry
MEXICO = Strawberry
PERU, ARGENTINA, COLOMBIA, COSTA RICA= soda
CHILE = drink
SPAIN, MEXICO, VENEZUELA = soft drink
You might be interested in:
What a great idea. I also recently started writing a blog, LittleSpanishers.blogspot.com, and I was thinking of putting together a dictionary of words from Spanish-speaking countries.
I have a draft ready, if you want we can put something together.
I think your posts are divine!
greetings,
Silvi
Silvi, I think your idea is excellent. I'm finding more and more places where this topic of the difference in meaning depending on the country is discussed. Send me your email so we can get in touch. Thanks for visiting, and congratulations on your new blog! 🙂
Great idea! Thanks for the dictionary! 🙂
fuck you stuff
You're welcome Carla, I hope this helps. 🙂
In Venezuela – BANANA: it is called CAMBUR.
WATERMELON: It is called WATERMELON
PAPAYA: It is called Papaya
Greetings. 🙂
We'll have to add it to the list. How interesting because the terms are so different and the meaning is the same. Thanks so much for sharing!
In Venezuela it is called popcorn
Hello, very interesting, but could you add how it's said in Chile? Here it is.
GREEN BEANS = green beans
PEAS = peas
CORN = corn
AVOCADO = avocado
RED PEPPERS = red paprika
SQUASH = pumpkin
BANANA = plantain
STRAWBERRY = strawberry
POP CORN = popcorn
SODA = drink
SMOOTHIE = shake / vitamin
This is very interesting. I'm a Spanish teacher and I've always wanted to have a list like this. However, I'd like to make a suggestion: Could you fix the missing accents (plátano, pimentón, etc.)? That way I can show it to my students 🙂
if you help me a little
Of course, Lina, sometimes those details slip our minds. Thanks for the note. 🙂
Thanks Paz! We'll be adding more words!
In Venezuela
GREEN BEANS = green beans
PEAS = petipoas (comes from the French «petit poas»)
CORN = corn
AVOCADO = avocado
RED PEPPERS = red paprika
SQUASH = pumpkin
BANANA = banana
STRAWBERRY = strawberry
POP CORN = popcorn
SODA = soft drink
SMOOTHIE = milkshake (with water) meringue (with milk)
A small correction. "Peas" in Argentina is called "arvejas." "Porotos" are "beans" or what Mexicans call "frijoles." Best regards.
STRAWBERRY in Mexico is called fresa
Excellent contribution, I hope it can be expanded; there are many countries that speak Spanish.
It helped me a lot!
It helped me with my Spanish homework. #Behappy
I also had a blog
Don't you know how to say "bean" in different countries? Thanks.
beans in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic
I was given the task of researching words in Mexico that are said differently in other Latin American countries, and this page was very helpful. Thank you.
In other countries, beans are called habichuela, poroto or juan.
thank you so much
When are you going to add more words, thanks
I'm so glad this list was helpful to you, Mayte! 🙂
You're welcome Jesus!
If you have more word suggestions, I'd love to help you 🙂
In Ecuador, popcorn is called Canguil.
We'll add it, Alex. Thanks!
In Mexico, strawberry is called fresa
Thanks to everyone for their contribution 🙂
I wanted to let you know that in Argentina, peas are also known as vetch, not beans. Great post!
Argentina – peas » peas
In Venezuela
Bean = caraotas
Beet = beet
Green Beans = green beans
Peas = peas
Avocado = avocado
Red Peppers = red paprika
Squash = pumpkin
Banana = banana
Strawberry = fresa
Corn = jojoto
Corn Pop = popcorn
Smoothie = shake or milkshake
Thanks so much, Mary! I just added it to the list.
I would like to know how to say pumpkin and spring onion in Mexico and Spain. I am from Argentina. Thank you!!
In Spain, pumpkin is the same, and spring onion is scallion.
Chile: hot pepper: chili
CHILE WAS MISSING.
I'll be happy to add it when I get the list 🙂
I need the country Chile :v
Very helpful for Spanish students in their 2nd year of high school. Thank you!!!
Glad it's helpful, Ybv! Cheers!
In Peru, pumpkin is squash. Squash is pumpkin; they're completely different.
Yes, AnNie, I think calabaza would be closer to the definition of pumpkin, but it's still a bit difficult since even the Peruvian pumpkin looks different. Thanks for your comment.
Hello, I wanted to tell you that in Ecuador we also call pumpkins zapallo (squash), green onions "cebollita verde" (little green onion), bananas on the coast are known as guineo (guineo), beets are also known as red carrots, and popcorn is called canguil (canguil). Best regards.
Hello, I am Peruvian and I would like to make a correction, in Peru they are called red pepper and not red paprika as mentioned, in addition, can it be added to the list,
CABBAGE = COL
CHINESE CABBAGE = CHINESE CABBAGE
TURNIPS = TURNIP
LETTUCE = LETTUCE
Squash is a pumpkin, not a squash, in Argentina.
Hello, I LOVED IT. I USED IT A LOT, BUT HAVEN'T YOU UPLOADED SOMETHING LIKE THAT ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE, LIKE ANIMALS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? PLEASE???
Thanks for posting... it helps me a lot since I have a friend from Costa Rica and there are things that don't have the same meaning... I'm from Ecuador...
I really like the simplicity of these comments and, of course, their usefulness. I'm working with my students on classroom objects and would like to share some words and ask for help adding more. The chosen countries (Colombia, Spain, Mexico, and Puerto Rico) represent the origins of some of my students.
Marker, felt-tip pen, felt-tip pen, highlighter
Pencil, pen, pencil, ballpoint pen
Computer, computer, computer, computer
Chair, stool, seat, ___________, __________
Board, blackboard, _____________, _____________
Draft,
Student,
Thank you so much.
In Spain, pluma, lapicero (or pencil) and pluma are different things, and silla, banqueta and asiento are also different (and we use all the words).
Very good list, thank you very much!
Beet(root) in Argentina is beet.
Greetings!
In Guatemala:
Pumpkin = Ayote
Green Onion = Chive
Bean = Bean
Beet = Beet
GREEN BEANS = Green beans
PEAS = Peas
CORN ON THE COB = Elote
CORN = Corn
AVOCADO = Avocado
RED PEPPERS = Chile Pepper
SQUASH = Güicoy
BANANA = Banana
STRAWBERRY = Strawberry
POP CORN = Poporopos
SODA = Carbonated Water
SMOOTHIE = Smoothie
te equivocaste era aguacate no aguacte
soy de Peru
de animales
oveja = borrego en la costa , wachi en la sierra peruana se le llama asi
Como se dice resistol en Perú ? Por favor
podrian poner verduras como se les llama en guatemala
en Peru tambien se dice calabaza zapallo se le dice a una cosa verde con adentro amarillo
al pochoclo en el Paraguay le llamamos pororó y en algunas provincias del nordeste argentino también
Como se dice chícharo en guatemala y honduras
hola buenas noches, soy mexico y quisiera saber como dicen las siguientes palabras en los siguientes países:
Bolivia
España
Ecuador
Chile
República Dominicana.
las palabras son las siguientes:
Jazmín
Girasol
Gerbera
Manzanilla
Hiervabuena
muchas gracias, buenas noches.
Buenas tardes quisiera saber cual es el nombre de la jicama en Venezuela por favor.
En Nicaragua se dice de la siguiente manera:
Pumpkin = Ayote
Green Onion = Chive
Bean = Bean
Beet = Beet
GREEN BEANS = frijoles en vaina
Peas= petipoas
CORN ON THE COB = Elote
CORN = Corn
AVOCADO = Avocado
RED PEPPERS = Chiltoma roja
BANANA = Banana
STRAWBERRY = Strawberry
POP CORN = palomitas de maiz
SODA = Gaseosa
CANTALOUPE = melón
WATERMELON = sandía
CASHEW = marañon
GUAVA = guayaba
PASION FRUIT = calala
GRAPE FRUIT = toronja
DRAGÓN FRUIT = pitahaya
Gracias Rena!
en la Sierra de Ecuador se le dice Zapallo a la calabaza.
Soy Quiteña de Corazón.
Pumpkin en Colombia es Calabaza
Popcorn en Colombia es Crispetas pues el maíz pira es de donde salen las crispetas, o sea que es la crispeta antes de cocinarla.
….llegue a esta página por una dieta con vainita….soy chilena y acá es el Poroto verde como bien lo señalan…..gracias.
Gracias¡¡¡ Compre un libro para hacer un tipo de dieta…pero muchos de los alimentos permitidos y restringidos no tenia idea de como se nombraban aquin en Argentina. Me sirvio mucho jajaj fundamentalmente porque vi que incluye las arvejas (chìcharos) que tanto me gustan
Hola, en Puerto Rico se dicen así:
Pumpkin=Calabaza
Green Onion= Cebollín
Avocado= Aguacate
Banana= Guineo
Corn= Maíz
Green Beans=Habichuelas Verdes
Peas= Guisantes
Red Pepper= Pimiento Rojo
Smoothie= Batida
Squash= Calabacín
Strawberry= Fresa
Soda= Refresco
al popcorn le decimos así mismo, popcorn, en inglés.
Dentro de cada país no se habla igual en todas partes. En España mucha gente dice alubias, otros por el centro dicen judías y en el sur dicen habichuelas. También se dice vainas en algunas partes y en otras judías verdes. No sé de dónde vienen tantos nombres. Lo que no dice nadie es frijoles, que yo sepa.
Wikipedia tiene un enlace con estas diferencias y otras de otros campos semánticos:
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anexo:Diferencias_de_vocabulario_est%C3%A1ndar_entre_pa%C3%ADses_hispanohablantes.
Saludos, mi correo es pedro.latouche@hotmail.com, y deseo poder tener su permiso para ampliar su trabajo.
hola buenas noches soy de mexico si me puede hacer el favor de decirme como se dicen estas palabras en cuba.
aguacate
platano
frijol
betabel
elote
ejotes
chicaro
palomitas
chile morron
licuado
fresa
soda
y tambien como se dicen estas palabras: en argentina, venenzuela, chile y cuba las palabras son:aventon y botana
En Venezuela aventon se dice cola… ejemplo me da el aventon para X sitio(me da la cola para x sitio) y la botana se dice pasapalo espero que sea de utilidad jeje
si algien puede agregar el porque en ese pais sel les denomina asi. Y tambien por ejemplo uno es zapallo y los hay de muchas variedades como el losche q es uno mas pequeño y de difgerentes formas , la calabaza es otro producto y los hay de variedades como el zukini q tambien es un zapallo italiano…
Corrección: en Venezuela le decimos caraotas al frijol negro y le decimos frijoles al resto de los granos bien sean rojos o blancos… pero no le decimos caraotas a los frijoles rojos o blancos.
como se dice piña