Spanish · Food & Drink
"Onion" in Spanish: cebolla
la cebolla
An onion is la cebolla (seh-BOH-yah). It is feminine: una cebolla, las cebollas. Cooks reach for cebolla in sofrito, salsa, and stews.
Making salsa
Pica media cebolla blanca.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce cebolla
Say it
seh-BOH-yah
/seˈβo.ʝa/
seh-BOH-yah. Stress BOH. In cebolla, ll sounds like y across Latin America.
"Onion" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| la cebolla | the onion Default kitchen word. | Default kitchen word. |
| la cebolla morada | red onion Color variety for salads and salsa. | Color variety for salads and salsa. |
| la cebolla blanca | white onion Common in Mexican cooking. | Common in Mexican cooking. |
| la cebollita | little onion / scallion-style garnish Diminutive; often chopped green onion on tacos. | Diminutive; often chopped green onion on tacos. |
How to use cebolla in real life
- 1Making salsa
Pica media cebolla blanca.
Chop half a white onion.
Media cebolla is a common recipe amount.
- 2At the market
¿Me da tres cebollas, por favor?
Could I have three onions, please?
Sold by the piece or the kilo.
- 3Ordering tacos
Con cebolla y cilantro, por favor.
With onion and cilantro, please.
Classic taco garnish request.
Mistakes English speakers make with cebolla
Incorrect: El cebolla pica mucho.
Correct: La cebolla pica mucho.
Cebolla is feminine. Use la cebolla.
Incorrect: Echale onion a la salsa.
Correct: Échale cebolla a la salsa.
Use cebolla, not the English word onion.
Good to know
Good to knowChopped cebolla with cilantro tops street tacos across Mexico. White onion is the everyday cooking default there; red onion (cebolla morada) shows up raw in salads and ceviche. Spain also says cebolla.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Prepping salsa together
ChatPal
¿Cuánta cebolla quieres?
How much onion do you want?
You
Media cebolla está bien.
Half an onion is fine.
ChatPal
Pico la cebolla bien fina.
I'll chop the onion nice and fine.
You
Gracias. Huele fuerte.
Thanks. It smells strong.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Onion" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Onion" in Spanish
Is cebolla masculine or feminine?
Feminine: la cebolla, una cebolla, cebollas frescas.
How do you pronounce ll in cebolla?
In cebolla, ll sounds like English y: seh-BOH-yah.
How do I ask for onion on tacos?
Con cebolla, por favor. Add y cilantro if you want both.
What is cebolla morada?
Red onion—great raw in salads and salsa.
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