Spanish · Food & Drink

"Orange (fruit)" in Spanish: naranja

la naranja

Say it: nah-RAHN-hahfeminine · la naranjanoun/naˈɾan.xa/

The fruit orange is la naranja (nah-RAHN-hah). It is feminine: una naranja, las naranjas. Ask for jugo de naranja when you want orange juice.

At breakfast

Una naranja pelada, por favor.
A peeled orange, please.
Practice Spanish out loud

Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free

How to pronounce naranja

Say it

nah-RAHN-hah

/naˈɾan.xa/

nah-RAHN-hah. Stress RAHN. Soft Spanish j is a raspy h. Do not say English "j" in naranja.

"Orange (fruit)" in Spanish: quick reference

SpanishEnglish
la naranjathe orange (fruit)

Default word for the fruit.

el jugo de naranjaorange juice

Latin American breakfast classic; Spain says zumo de naranja.

la naranja agriabitter / sour orange

Cooking citrus used in marinades, especially in Yucatán.

el color naranjathe color orange

Same spelling; color is masculine, fruit is feminine.

How to use naranja in real life

  1. 1At breakfast

    Una naranja pelada, por favor.

    A peeled orange, please.

    Hotels sometimes serve naranja already peeled.

  2. 2At a juice stall

    Un jugo de naranja natural.

    A fresh orange juice.

    Natural means freshly pressed or blended.

  3. 3At the market

    Estas naranjas están muy jugosas.

    These oranges are very juicy.

    Plural naranjas keeps the same gender.

Mistakes English speakers make with naranja

Incorrect: El naranja está dulce.

Correct: La naranja está dulce.

The fruit is feminine: la naranja. El naranja can mean the color orange.

Incorrect: Quiero un orange, por favor.

Correct: Quiero una naranja, por favor.

Use the Spanish word naranja, not the English orange.

Good to know

Fresh naranja juice is a morning staple from Mexico City stalls to Buenos Aires cafés. In Spain the drink is zumo de naranja, but the fruit is still naranja. Yucatán cooks also use naranja agria in cochinita marinades—bitter orange, not the sweet breakfast fruit.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Ordering morning juice

  1. ChatPal

    ¿Jugo de naranja o de toronja?

    Orange juice or grapefruit?

  2. You

    De naranja, bien frío.

    Orange, nice and cold.

  3. ChatPal

    ¿La naranja con hielo?

    The orange with ice?

  4. You

    Sí, gracias.

    Yes, thank you.

This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.

Practice this conversation in ChatPal

"Orange (fruit)" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Orange (fruit)" in Spanish

Is naranja masculine or feminine?

The fruit is feminine: la naranja. The color can be el naranja.

How do you pronounce the j in naranja?

Like a strong h: nah-RAHN-hah. Not English "j".

How do I order orange juice?

Un jugo de naranja in Latin America. In Spain: un zumo de naranja.

What is naranja agria?

Naranja agria is bitter orange used in Yucatán marinades.

Learn a word, then use it out loud

  1. Step 1: See it in context
  2. Step 2: Say it out loud
  3. Step 3: Get feedback
  4. Step 4: Use it in real scenarios

Keep reading

Ready to say it out loud?

ChatPal is a voice-first app for practicing real conversations in Spanish. Try real scenarios and get personalized feedback on your speaking.

Start with 7 days free.