Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say "Onions" in Spanish: Cebollas and Onion Varieties
Cebollas · noun (feminine, plural) · seh-BOH-yahs
Onions in Spanish is cebollas (plural of cebolla). The base word covers standard yellow/white onions. For varieties: cebolla morada (red onion), cebolleta/cebollín (scallion/spring onion), and cebolla dulce (sweet onion).
seh-BOH-yahs — three syllables, stress on BOH. The ll is pronounced like y in most regions.
Pica las cebollas en cubitos pequeños para el sofrito.
Dice the onions into small cubes for the sofrito.
Onions in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for onions, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| cebollas | onions | seh-BOH-yahs | Default, widely understood |
| cebolla morada | onions | Universal (red/purple onion) | |
| cebolleta | onions | Spain (spring onion / scallion) | |
| cebolla de verdeo | onions | Argentina (spring onion) |
How Native Speakers Use Cebollas
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Cooking instruction
Sofríe las cebollas a fuego lento hasta que estén transparentes.
Sauté the onions over low heat until they're translucent.
The most common context — cebollas in recipes and cooking directions.
At the market
Deme un kilo de cebollas blancas y medio de moradas.
Give me a kilo of white onions and half a kilo of red ones.
Specifying onion types by color: blanca (white), morada (red/purple), amarilla (yellow).
Spring onions (regional)
Corta las cebolletas en rodajas finas para la ensalada.
Slice the spring onions into thin rounds for the salad.
Cebolleta (Spain) or cebolla de verdeo (Argentina) refers to green/spring onions.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Cebollas
Making cebolla masculine
Incorrect: El cebolla está en la bolsa.
Correct: La cebolla está en la bolsa.
Cebolla is feminine (la cebolla, las cebollas). Despite onions having no gender association, the grammatical gender is always feminine in Spanish.
Confusing cebolleta with cebollino
Incorrect: Using cebolleta and cebollino interchangeably everywhere.
Correct: Know your region's terminology.
In Spain, cebolleta is a spring onion (green onion). In Mexico, cebollín is a spring onion. Cebollino in some regions means chives. The terminology varies enough to cause confusion across countries.
Lock in Onions 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 Cebollas used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using cebollas in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Pica las cebollas en cubitos pequeños para el sofrito. 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 Onions in Spanish
- How do you say onions in Spanish?
- Onions is cebollas (singular: cebolla). For red onions, say cebolla morada. For spring onions/scallions, options include cebolleta (Spain), cebollín (Mexico), or cebolla de verdeo (Argentina).
- How do you say to chop onions in Spanish?
- Picar cebollas is the standard phrase for chopping onions. Cortar cebollas means to cut onions. You can also say trocear (to cut into pieces) or rebanar (to slice).
- How do you say onion rings in Spanish?
- Onion rings is aros de cebolla in Spanish (literally rings of onion). You'll see this on restaurant menus across the Spanish-speaking world: Aros de cebolla fritos (fried onion rings).