Why are there so many different words for cashews in Spanish?

Cashews are native to Brazil and spread through different colonial trade routes, picking up local names along the way. The Portuguese brought "cajú" to South America, while the Spanish colonial path through Asia gave Mexico "nueces de la India" (nuts from India).

Is there one word for cashews that everyone understands?

Not really. Your safest strategy is to learn the word for the region you are visiting. If forced to pick one, "anacardos" is the term found in most dictionaries and formal contexts.

What is the cashew fruit called in Spanish?

The cashew apple is often called "marañón" in Central America and "merey" in Venezuela. In other regions, you might hear "fruta del cajú" or "manzana de anacardo," though these are less common in everyday speech.

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

How to Say Cashews in Spanish

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

Anacardos · noun · ah-nah-KAR-dohs

The word for cashews changes dramatically across the Spanish-speaking world. "Anacardos" is the term used in Spain, while Mexico prefers "nueces de la India," Central America says "marañones," and Argentina and Uruguay use "cajú" (from the Portuguese/Tupi root). Venezuela has its own word: "merey."

ah-nah-KAR-dohs

¿Le pongo anacardos a la ensalada?

Should I add cashews to the salad?

Cashews in Spanish: Quick Reference

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

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
anacardos	cashews	ah-nah-KAR-dohs	Default, widely understood
nueces de la India	cashews		Mexico
marañones	cashews		Central America
cajú	cashews		South America (Argentina, Uruguay)
merey	cashews		Venezuela

How Native Speakers Use Anacardos

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

At a Spanish supermarket

Los anacardos tostados están en el pasillo de frutos secos.

The roasted cashews are in the nuts aisle.

In Spain, "anacardos" is the only common word; other variants would not be recognized by most shoppers.

Mexican recipe

Esta receta lleva nueces de la India molidas para espesar la salsa.

This recipe uses ground cashews to thicken the sauce.

"Nueces de la India" literally translates to "nuts from India," reflecting the historical trade route of cashews.

Ordering in Central America

Me encanta la leche de marañón; es mi favorita de todas las leches vegetales.

I love cashew milk; it's my favorite of all the plant milks.

"Marañón" refers to both the cashew nut and the cashew fruit (also called the cashew apple) in countries like Honduras and El Salvador.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Anacardos

Using anacardos in Mexico

Incorrect: Compré anacardos en el mercado. (in Mexico City)

Correct: Compré nueces de la India en el mercado.

"Anacardos" is the Spanish (Spain) term. In Mexico, cashews are known as "nueces de la India," and using the European term may cause confusion.

Confusing nuez with nueces de la India

Incorrect: Dame unas nueces. (expecting cashews in Mexico)

Correct: Dame unas nueces de la India.

"Nueces" alone typically means walnuts in Mexican Spanish. You must specify "nueces de la India" to refer to cashews.

Lock in Cashews 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 Anacardos used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using anacardos in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear ¿Le pongo anacardos a 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 Cashews in Spanish

Why are there so many different words for cashews in Spanish?: Cashews are native to Brazil and spread through different colonial trade routes, picking up local names along the way. The Portuguese brought "cajú" to South America, while the Spanish colonial path through Asia gave Mexico "nueces de la India" (nuts from India).
Is there one word for cashews that everyone understands?: Not really. Your safest strategy is to learn the word for the region you are visiting. If forced to pick one, "anacardos" is the term found in most dictionaries and formal contexts.
What is the cashew fruit called in Spanish?: The cashew apple is often called "marañón" in Central America and "merey" in Venezuela. In other regions, you might hear "fruta del cajú" or "manzana de anacardo," though these are less common in everyday speech.