🥕 Vegetables

⏱ 15 min read

In this section you'll learn useful English vocabulary for common vegetables, along with words for describing and preparing vegetables, shopping at the market, and talking about the vegetables you like. Each English word or phrase includes a simple meaning plus translations in several languages.

🟢 Common Vegetables

🥕 Carrot
a long orange vegetable
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Zanahoria
🇫🇷 French: Carotte
🇩🇪 German: Karotte
🇮🇹 Italian: Carota
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Cenoura
🥔 Potato
a round vegetable that grows in the ground
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Papa / Patata
🇫🇷 French: Pomme de terre
🇩🇪 German: Kartoffel
🇮🇹 Italian: Patata
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Batata
🍅 Tomato
a red fruit used like a vegetable
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Tomate
🇫🇷 French: Tomate
🇩🇪 German: Tomate
🇮🇹 Italian: Pomodoro
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Tomate
🥬 Lettuce
green leaves used in salad
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Lechuga
🇫🇷 French: Laitue
🇩🇪 German: Salat
🇮🇹 Italian: Lattuga
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Alface
🧅 Onion
a vegetable with a strong smell
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Cebolla
🇫🇷 French: Oignon
🇩🇪 German: Zwiebel
🇮🇹 Italian: Cipolla
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Cebola
🌽 Corn
yellow kernels on a cob
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Maíz
🇫🇷 French: Maïs
🇩🇪 German: Mais
🇮🇹 Italian: Mais
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Milho
🥦 Broccoli
a green vegetable that looks like a small tree
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Brócoli
🇫🇷 French: Brocoli
🇩🇪 German: Brokkoli
🇮🇹 Italian: Broccoli
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Brócolis
🥒 Cucumber
a long green vegetable, often eaten raw
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Pepino
🇫🇷 French: Concombre
🇩🇪 German: Gurke
🇮🇹 Italian: Cetriolo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Pepino

🟡 More Vegetable Vocabulary

🌶️ Bell pepper
a sweet pepper that can be red, green, or yellow
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Pimiento / Pimentón
🇫🇷 French: Poivron
🇩🇪 German: Paprika
🇮🇹 Italian: Peperone
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Pimentão
🧄 Garlic
a small white bulb with a strong taste
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Ajo
🇫🇷 French: Ail
🇩🇪 German: Knoblauch
🇮🇹 Italian: Aglio
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Alho
🍄 Mushroom
a small fungus used as food
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Champiñón
🇫🇷 French: Champignon
🇩🇪 German: Pilz
🇮🇹 Italian: Fungo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Cogumelo
🥬 Spinach
dark green leaves used in cooking or salad
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Espinaca
🇫🇷 French: Épinards
🇩🇪 German: Spinat
🇮🇹 Italian: Spinaci
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Espinafre
🍆 Eggplant
a purple vegetable, also called aubergine
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Berenjena
🇫🇷 French: Aubergine
🇩🇪 German: Aubergine
🇮🇹 Italian: Melanzana
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Berinjela
🫛 Peas
small green seeds eaten as a vegetable
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Guisantes / Arvejas
🇫🇷 French: Petits pois
🇩🇪 German: Erbsen
🇮🇹 Italian: Piselli
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Ervilhas
🫘 Beans
seeds cooked as food
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Frijoles / Judías
🇫🇷 French: Haricots
🇩🇪 German: Bohnen
🇮🇹 Italian: Fagioli
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Feijão
🥗 Salad
a mix of raw vegetables, often with lettuce
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Ensalada
🇫🇷 French: Salade
🇩🇪 German: Salat
🇮🇹 Italian: Insalata
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Salada

🔪 Preparing Vegetables

💧 To wash
to clean with water
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Lavar
🇫🇷 French: Laver
🇩🇪 German: Waschen
🇮🇹 Italian: Lavare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Lavar
🥕 To peel
to take the skin off
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Pelar
🇫🇷 French: Éplucher
🇩🇪 German: Schälen
🇮🇹 Italian: Sbucciare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Descascar
🔪 To cut
to divide with a knife
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Cortar
🇫🇷 French: Couper
🇩🇪 German: Schneiden
🇮🇹 Italian: Tagliare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Cortar
🧅 To chop
to cut into small pieces
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Picar
🇫🇷 French: Hacher
🇩🇪 German: Hacken
🇮🇹 Italian: Tritare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Picar
🍲 To boil
to cook in hot water
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Hervir
🇫🇷 French: Bouillir
🇩🇪 German: Kochen
🇮🇹 Italian: Bollire
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Ferver
🍳 To fry
to cook in hot oil
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Freír
🇫🇷 French: Frire
🇩🇪 German: Braten
🇮🇹 Italian: Friggere
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Fritar
👨‍🍳 To cook
to prepare food with heat
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Cocinar
🇫🇷 French: Cuisiner
🇩🇪 German: Kochen
🇮🇹 Italian: Cucinare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Cozinhar
🥗 To mix
to put things together
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Mezclar
🇫🇷 French: Mélanger
🇩🇪 German: Mischen
🇮🇹 Italian: Mescolare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Misturar

🥗 Describing Vegetables

✨ Fresh
not old; recently picked
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Fresco / Fresca
🇫🇷 French: Frais / Fraîche
🇩🇪 German: Frisch
🇮🇹 Italian: Fresco / Fresca
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Fresco / Fresca
🥒 Crunchy
firm and making a sound when you bite
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Crujiente
🇫🇷 French: Croquant
🇩🇪 German: Knackig
🇮🇹 Italian: Croccante
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Crocante
🌶️ Spicy
hot in the mouth
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Picante
🇫🇷 French: Épicé
🇩🇪 German: Scharf
🇮🇹 Italian: Piccante
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Picante
🧅 Strong
a big smell or taste
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Fuerte
🇫🇷 French: Fort
🇩🇪 German: Stark
🇮🇹 Italian: Forte
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Forte
🍅 Ripe
ready to eat
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Maduro / Madura
🇫🇷 French: Mûr / Mûre
🇩🇪 German: Reif
🇮🇹 Italian: Maturo / Matura
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Maduro / Madura
😋 Delicious
tastes very good
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Delicioso / Deliciosa
🇫🇷 French: Délicieux / Délicieuse
🇩🇪 German: Lecker
🇮🇹 Italian: Delizioso / Deliziosa
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Delicioso / Deliciosa

🛒 Buying Vegetables at the Market

🍅 I'd like a kilo of tomatoes, please.
I want one kilo of tomatoes
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Quisiera un kilo de tomates, por favor.
🇫🇷 French: Je voudrais un kilo de tomates, s'il vous plaît.
🇩🇪 German: Ich hätte gern ein Kilo Tomaten, bitte.
🇮🇹 Italian: Vorrei un chilo di pomodori, per favore.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Gostaria de um quilo de tomates, por favor.
🥕 How much are the carrots?
what is the price of the carrots?
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Cuánto cuestan las zanahorias?
🇫🇷 French: Combien coûtent les carottes ?
🇩🇪 German: Wie viel kosten die Karotten?
🇮🇹 Italian: Quanto costano le carote?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Quanto custam as cenouras?
🥬 Do you have fresh lettuce?
is there lettuce that is not old?
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Tiene lechuga fresca?
🇫🇷 French: Avez-vous de la laitue fraîche ?
🇩🇪 German: Haben Sie frischen Salat?
🇮🇹 Italian: Avete della lattuga fresca?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Você tem alface fresca?
🥔 I need two kilos of potatoes.
I want two kilos of potatoes
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Necesito dos kilos de papas.
🇫🇷 French: J'ai besoin de deux kilos de pommes de terre.
🇩🇪 German: Ich brauche zwei Kilo Kartoffeln.
🇮🇹 Italian: Ho bisogno di due chili di patate.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Preciso de dois quilos de batatas.
🥦 I'll take this broccoli.
I will buy this broccoli
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Me llevo este brócoli.
🇫🇷 French: Je prends ce brocoli.
🇩🇪 German: Ich nehme diesen Brokkoli.
🇮🇹 Italian: Prendo questo broccolo.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Vou levar este brócolis.
🧅 Please give me three onions.
I want three onions
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Deme tres cebollas, por favor.
🇫🇷 French: Donnez-moi trois oignons, s'il vous plaît.
🇩🇪 German: Geben Sie mir bitte drei Zwiebeln.
🇮🇹 Italian: Mi dia tre cipolle, per favore.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Dê-me três cebolas, por favor.

🧠 Useful Language Tip

English nouns change form to show singular and plural.
I need one onion.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Necesito una cebolla.
🇫🇷 J'ai besoin d'un oignon.
🇩🇪 Ich brauche eine Zwiebel.
🇮🇹 Ho bisogno di una cipolla.
🇵🇹 Preciso de uma cebola.
For more than one vegetable, use the plural form.
I need three onions.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Necesito tres cebollas.
🇫🇷 J'ai besoin de trois oignons.
🇩🇪 Ich brauche drei Zwiebeln.
🇮🇹 Ho bisogno di tre cipolle.
🇵🇹 Preciso de três cebolas.
English adjectives do not change for singular, plural, masculine, or feminine nouns.
The tomato is ripe. The carrots are fresh.

Beginner Tip: Unlike Spanish, English adjectives stay the same. We say fresh tomato and fresh carrots; the adjective never changes.

🌎 English Usage Tip

English uses the word potato everywhere. Unlike Spanish, there aren't different standard regional words such as papa and patata.
Some vegetable names differ between American and British English. For example, Americans usually say eggplant, while British English commonly uses aubergine.
When shopping, English speakers commonly ask for vegetables by weight ("a kilo of tomatoes" or "a pound of potatoes") or by quantity ("three onions" or "two cucumbers").

💬 Everyday Vegetable Phrases

🥗 The salad is fresh and delicious.
the salad tastes very good
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: La ensalada está fresca y deliciosa.
🇫🇷 French: La salade est fraîche et délicieuse.
🇩🇪 German: Der Salat ist frisch und lecker.
🇮🇹 Italian: L'insalata è fresca e deliziosa.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: A salada está fresca e deliciosa.
🍅 I need ripe tomatoes for the sauce.
I need tomatoes that are ready to eat
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Necesito tomates maduros para la salsa.
🇫🇷 French: J'ai besoin de tomates mûres pour la sauce.
🇩🇪 German: Ich brauche reife Tomaten für die Soße.
🇮🇹 Italian: Ho bisogno di pomodori maturi per la salsa.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Preciso de tomates maduros para o molho.
🥕 I'm going to cut the carrots.
I will use a knife on the carrots
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Voy a cortar las zanahorias.
🇫🇷 French: Je vais couper les carottes.
🇩🇪 German: Ich werde die Karotten schneiden.
🇮🇹 Italian: Taglierò le carote.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Vou cortar as cenouras.
🧅 I need to chop an onion.
I must cut an onion into small pieces
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Necesito picar una cebolla.
🇫🇷 French: Je dois hacher un oignon.
🇩🇪 German: Ich muss eine Zwiebel hacken.
🇮🇹 Italian: Devo tritare una cipolla.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Preciso picar uma cebola.
🥒 The cucumber is fresh and crunchy.
the cucumber is new and firm
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: El pepino está fresco y crujiente.
🇫🇷 French: Le concombre est frais et croquant.
🇩🇪 German: Die Gurke ist frisch und knackig.
🇮🇹 Italian: Il cetriolo è fresco e croccante.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: O pepino está fresco e crocante.
🥔 First, you have to peel the potatoes.
take the skin off the potatoes first
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Primero hay que pelar las papas.
🇫🇷 French: D'abord, il faut éplucher les pommes de terre.
🇩🇪 German: Zuerst muss man die Kartoffeln schälen.
🇮🇹 Italian: Prima bisogna sbucciare le patate.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Primeiro é preciso descascar as batatas.

💬 Everyday Conversations

At the market
asking the price of tomatoes
A: How much are the tomatoes?
B: They're two euros per kilo.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 A: ¿Cuánto cuestan los tomates?
🇪🇸 B: Cuestan dos euros el kilo.

🇫🇷 A: Combien coûtent les tomates ?
🇫🇷 B: Elles coûtent deux euros le kilo.

🇩🇪 A: Wie viel kosten die Tomaten?
🇩🇪 B: Sie kosten zwei Euro pro Kilo.

🇮🇹 A: Quanto costano i pomodori?
🇮🇹 B: Costano due euro al chilo.

🇵🇹 A: Quanto custam os tomates?
🇵🇹 B: Custam dois euros o quilo.
Making a salad
listing salad ingredients
A: What do we need for the salad?
B: We need lettuce, tomato, and cucumber.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 A: ¿Qué necesitamos para la ensalada?
🇪🇸 B: Necesitamos lechuga, tomate y pepino.

🇫🇷 A: De quoi avons-nous besoin pour la salade ?
🇫🇷 B: Nous avons besoin de laitue, de tomates et de concombre.

🇩🇪 A: Was brauchen wir für den Salat?
🇩🇪 B: Wir brauchen Salat, Tomaten und Gurken.

🇮🇹 A: Di cosa abbiamo bisogno per l'insalata?
🇮🇹 B: Abbiamo bisogno di lattuga, pomodoro e cetriolo.

🇵🇹 A: O que precisamos para a salada?
🇵🇹 B: Precisamos de alface, tomate e pepino.
Preparing dinner
asking someone to cut vegetables
A: Can you cut the vegetables?
B: Yes. I'm going to cut the carrots and the onion.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 A: ¿Puedes cortar las verduras?
🇪🇸 B: Sí. Voy a cortar las zanahorias y la cebolla.

🇫🇷 A: Peux-tu couper les légumes ?
🇫🇷 B: Oui. Je vais couper les carottes et l'oignon.

🇩🇪 A: Kannst du das Gemüse schneiden?
🇩🇪 B: Ja. Ich schneide die Karotten und die Zwiebel.

🇮🇹 A: Puoi tagliare le verdure?
🇮🇹 B: Sì. Taglierò le carote e la cipolla.

🇵🇹 A: Você pode cortar os legumes?
🇵🇹 B: Sim. Vou cortar as cenouras e a cebola.

📝 Example Sentences

🥦 I'm going to cook the broccoli for dinner.
I will cook broccoli this evening
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Voy a cocinar el brócoli para la cena.
🇫🇷 French: Je vais cuisiner le brocoli pour le dîner.
🇩🇪 German: Ich werde den Brokkoli zum Abendessen kochen.
🇮🇹 Italian: Cucinerò i broccoli per cena.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Vou cozinhar o brócolis para o jantar.
🧅 The onion has a strong flavor.
the onion tastes strong
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: La cebolla tiene un sabor fuerte.
🇫🇷 French: L'oignon a une saveur forte.
🇩🇪 German: Die Zwiebel hat einen starken Geschmack.
🇮🇹 Italian: La cipolla ha un sapore forte.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: A cebola tem um sabor forte.
🥒 The cucumber is fresh and crunchy.
the cucumber is new and firm
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: El pepino está fresco y crujiente.
🇫🇷 French: Le concombre est frais et croquant.
🇩🇪 German: Die Gurke ist frisch und knackig.
🇮🇹 Italian: Il cetriolo è fresco e croccante.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: O pepino está fresco e crocante.
🧄 I use fresh garlic for cooking.
I cook with garlic that is not old
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Uso ajo fresco para cocinar.
🇫🇷 French: J'utilise de l'ail frais pour cuisiner.
🇩🇪 German: Ich verwende frischen Knoblauch zum Kochen.
🇮🇹 Italian: Uso aglio fresco per cucinare.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Uso alho fresco para cozinhar.
🥕 First, I wash and cut the carrots.
I clean the carrots, then I cut them
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Primero lavo y corto las zanahorias.
🇫🇷 French: D'abord, je lave et coupe les carottes.
🇩🇪 German: Zuerst wasche und schneide ich die Karotten.
🇮🇹 Italian: Prima lavo e taglio le carote.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Primeiro lavo e corto as cenouras.
🥗 We prepare a salad to go with dinner.
we make a salad to eat with dinner
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Preparamos una ensalada para acompañar la cena.
🇫🇷 French: Nous préparons une salade pour accompagner le dîner.
🇩🇪 German: Wir bereiten einen Salat als Beilage zum Abendessen zu.
🇮🇹 Italian: Prepariamo un'insalata per accompagnare la cena.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Preparamos uma salada para acompanhar o jantar.

🏆 Final Practice

English in the Real World:

Read the situation. Choose the word or phrase that fits best. Do not pick a close vegetable word if a more precise one is on the page.
Question 1 of 8
✅ Correct: 0
❓ Questions: 0
🎯 Accuracy: 0%