How do you say tomato in Spanish?

Tomato is tomate (el tomate). In Mexico specifically, jitomate refers to red tomatoes while tomate means the green tomatillo.

Is tomate masculine or feminine?

Tomate is masculine: el tomate, los tomates. This is one of those nouns ending in -e where the gender must be memorized.

Where does the word tomato come from?

Both English tomato and Spanish tomate come from Nahuatl tomatl, the language of the Aztecs. Spanish borrowed it first during the colonization of Mexico.

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

How to Say Tomato in Spanish: Tomate & Jitomate

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

Tomate · noun (masculine) · toh-MAH-teh

Tomato in Spanish is tomate — in fact, the English word tomato was borrowed from Spanish, which took it from Nahuatl (tomatl). In Mexico, jitomate refers specifically to the red tomato, while tomate can mean the green tomatillo.

toh-MAH-teh (tomate) · hee-toh-MAH-teh (jitomate)

Necesito tres tomates para preparar la salsa.

I need three tomatoes to make the sauce.

Tomato in Spanish: Quick Reference

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

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
tomate	tomato	toh-MAH-teh	Default, widely understood
jitomate	tomato		Mexico (red tomato)

How Native Speakers Use Tomate

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

At the market

Dame un kilo de tomates maduros, por favor.

Give me a kilo of ripe tomatoes, please.

Tomate is universally understood across all Spanish-speaking countries.

Mexican distinction

En México se usa jitomate para el rojo y tomate para el verde.

In Mexico they use jitomate for the red one and tomate for the green one.

This distinction is unique to Mexico and parts of Central America.

Cooking

La base de esta sopa es un sofrito de tomate con cebolla.

The base of this soup is a sautéed tomato and onion mixture.

Sofrito de tomate is a fundamental technique in Spanish cooking.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Tomate

Feminine article with tomate

Incorrect: La tomate está verde.

Correct: El tomate está verde.

Tomate is masculine (el tomate) despite ending in -e. Many learners incorrectly assume -e endings are feminine.

Using jitomate outside Mexico

Incorrect: Compré jitomates en el mercado de Madrid.

Correct: Compré tomates en el mercado de Madrid.

Jitomate is only used in Mexico. In Spain and the rest of Latin America, the word is simply tomate for all varieties.

Lock in Tomato 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 Tomate used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using tomate in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Necesito tres tomates para preparar la salsa. 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 Tomato in Spanish

How do you say tomato in Spanish?: Tomato is tomate (el tomate). In Mexico specifically, jitomate refers to red tomatoes while tomate means the green tomatillo.
Is tomate masculine or feminine?: Tomate is masculine: el tomate, los tomates. This is one of those nouns ending in -e where the gender must be memorized.
Where does the word tomato come from?: Both English tomato and Spanish tomate come from Nahuatl tomatl, the language of the Aztecs. Spanish borrowed it first during the colonization of Mexico.