What's the difference between pimiento and pimienta?

Pimiento (masculine, with 'o') is the vegetable bell pepper, while pimienta (feminine, with 'a') is the spice—black pepper, white pepper, or ground pepper that you shake onto food from a shaker—despite their shared etymological root, they refer to completely different food items.

Why does pimentón mean different things in Spain vs Colombia?

In Spain, pimentón evolved to mean the dried, ground spice made from peppers (paprika), while in Colombia and Venezuela, the same word retained its meaning of the fresh vegetable—this divergence happened as regional vocabularies developed independently over centuries.

How do you say 'spicy pepper' vs 'sweet pepper' in Spanish?

A sweet pepper (bell pepper) is called 'pimiento dulce' or 'morrón,' while spicy peppers are 'chiles' (Mexico/Central America), 'ajíes' (South America), or 'guindillas' (Spain)—the terminology for peppers is one of the most regionally diverse areas of Spanish food vocabulary.

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

How to Say Bell Pepper in Spanish: Pimiento

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Pimiento · noun · pyeh-MYEHN-toh

The bell pepper has several names across the Spanish-speaking world: 'pimiento' (Spain), 'morrón' (Argentina, Uruguay), 'pimentón' (Colombia, Venezuela), and 'chile morrón' (Mexico). This sweet, non-spicy pepper is a staple ingredient in cuisines from Spain to South America.

Pimiento is pronounced pyeh-MYEHN-toh. Morrón is moh-RROHN. Pimentón is pee-mehn-TOHN. Note that 'pimentón' in Spain means paprika powder, not a fresh pepper.

Corta el pimiento rojo en tiras para la ensalada.

Cut the red bell pepper into strips for the salad.

Bell Pepper in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for bell pepper, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
pimiento	bell pepper	pyeh-MYEHN-toh	Default, widely understood
morrón	bell pepper		Argentina/Uruguay
pimentón	bell pepper		Colombia/Venezuela
chile morrón	bell pepper		Mexico

How Native Speakers Use Pimiento

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Cooking at home

Rellené los pimientos con arroz, carne y tomate.

I stuffed the bell peppers with rice, meat, and tomato.

Stuffed peppers (pimientos rellenos) are a classic dish in Spanish cuisine.

Color variety

Los morrones amarillos son más dulces que los verdes.

Yellow bell peppers are sweeter than green ones.

Using the Argentine term 'morrón' while comparing pepper varieties.

Shopping in Mexico

Necesito tres chiles morrones para la receta de fajitas.

I need three bell peppers for the fajita recipe.

In Mexico, 'chile morrón' distinguishes the sweet bell pepper from spicy chiles.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Pimiento

Confusing pimiento with pimienta

Incorrect: Pásame la pimiento roja. (intending bell pepper)

Correct: Pásame el pimiento rojo.

'Pimienta' (feminine) is ground pepper/peppercorn (the spice), while 'pimiento' (masculine) is the vegetable bell pepper. They sound similar but are different things.

Pimentón confusion across regions

Incorrect: Quiero pimentón. (in Spain, expecting a fresh pepper)

Correct: Quiero pimiento. (in Spain, for fresh bell pepper)

In Spain, 'pimentón' is paprika (dried ground pepper spice), not a fresh bell pepper. In Colombia, 'pimentón' IS the fresh bell pepper. This regional difference causes frequent confusion.

Lock in Bell Pepper Vocabulary with the Parrot Method

Why word lists alone don't stick

Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.

See Pimiento used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using pimiento in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Corta el pimiento rojo en tiras para la ensalada. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.

Save, review, repeat, stay consistent

Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.

Common Questions About Bell Pepper in Spanish

What's the difference between pimiento and pimienta?: Pimiento (masculine, with 'o') is the vegetable bell pepper, while pimienta (feminine, with 'a') is the spice—black pepper, white pepper, or ground pepper that you shake onto food from a shaker—despite their shared etymological root, they refer to completely different food items.
Why does pimentón mean different things in Spain vs Colombia?: In Spain, pimentón evolved to mean the dried, ground spice made from peppers (paprika), while in Colombia and Venezuela, the same word retained its meaning of the fresh vegetable—this divergence happened as regional vocabularies developed independently over centuries.
How do you say 'spicy pepper' vs 'sweet pepper' in Spanish?: A sweet pepper (bell pepper) is called 'pimiento dulce' or 'morrón,' while spicy peppers are 'chiles' (Mexico/Central America), 'ajíes' (South America), or 'guindillas' (Spain)—the terminology for peppers is one of the most regionally diverse areas of Spanish food vocabulary.