# lime / lemon



## Mr. Bunions

Hopefully I can get this settled once and for all, this seems to be the place to do it.  How do you say lime in Spanish (small and green) and how do you say lemon (larger and yellow)... I'm guessing different countries will have different ways of saying it. I'm most interested in how Mexicans living in the U.S. would say it because of what I'm translating, but I'm curious about other countries too.  Thanks in advance!


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## Railway

Hi Mr. Bunions

In Spain, and as far as I know in the other Spanish-speaking countries, lime is lima and lemon is limón.


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## gecheverria

Hola,

I am Spanish and I have lived in Mexico, As Railway said

Lime == lima
Lemon == limón


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## Mr. Bunions

thanks!  i guess that settles it...


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## Jellby

But lime is also "tilo"


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## Txiri

The -on ending is an augmentative.  It makes the word for lemon in spanish look like "big lime".  

As to "tilo", I´ve never heard, seen that, but with at least three words for "banana", nothing surprises me anymore


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## gecheverria

Hola;

En español, el Tilo (Tilia platyphyllos) es un árbol. Aunque su traducción al ingles es "Lime Tree", no se trata de un limonero.

Las hojas de este árbol se llaman "Tila", que es utilizado como calmante en infusiones.

In Spanish, Tilo (Tilia platyphyllos) it is a tree. Although its translation to English is "Lime Tree" , it is not a lemon tree.

The leaf of this tree is call "Tila" that is used as sedative in infusions.


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## Txiri

I looked in the WR dict. and although it calls tila, lime blossom, that is not what we know this herb by in AmE.  (I don´t think ...)  it´s rather something along the lines of chamomile, growing on a small, perhaps woody, plant with herbal properties


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## mithrellas

Txiri said:
			
		

> The -on ending is an augmentative. It makes the word for lemon in spanish look like "big lime".


 
Limón:

m. Fruto del limonero, de color amarillo, forma ovoide y pulpa en gajos de sabor ácido.
Árbol que da este fruto.
Bebida refrescante realizada con zumo de limón:
ron con limón.
Lima:

f. Fruto del limero, de forma esferoidal aplanada, corteza lisa y amarilla y pulpa de sabor algo dulce dividida en gajos:
zumo de lima.
limero, árbol de la lima.
In this case 'ón' is not an augmentative. The same happens with words like 'melón', 'camión'... which are not augmentative.

Maybe someone else could explain it a little better, that is the best I can do in English.


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## mcmc

Hi, 

This could sound a little confusing but that is the way it is, and I hope that helps Mr. Buinions:

In Spain, lemon is the large and yellow fruit, and lime is the small and green one.

In Venezuela, lemon is the smaller and green fruit, and lime is the larger and yellow one.

Have a nice day,


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## Gaby B

In Mexico it is just the opposite as some people here have said:

"Limón" is small and green, which I have found in some places in the USA call Lime.

"Lima" is larger and yellow, which I have found some people in USA call Lemon.  

I hope this helps.


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## mariposita

In America, tila is *Linden flower or leaves*. It comes from a big tree (Tilo/Linden tree--I had one in my front yard growing up).


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## Jenbojens

I've also heard that lime and lemon are both "limon" ( el o con accento -- lo siento) is this true? You can just say limon and if it really matters you add verde or amarillo ..?


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## LucíayMiguel

Jenbojens said:
			
		

> I've also heard that lime and lemon are both "limon" ( el o con accento -- lo siento) is this true? You can just say limon and if it really matters you add verde or amarillo ..?


 
No. In Spain "lime" is "lima" and "lemon" is "limón", to different citrics that come from two different trees. They also taste different.


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## Gaby B

Also in México, "lime" (which is Limón) and Lemon (which is Lima) are very different and a mexican food that uses "limones" would not taste the same with "limas" at all... Lima for us is too sweet...


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## Moritzchen

I believe *Tilo* is *Linden. Lime *is *Lima *and* lemon* is *limón*


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## Maeron

I don't know if Mexicans in the U.S. would say it differently, but in Mexico, _limón_ is a small green lime (generally 3 to 6 cm long) which is more sour than what we know as a lime. You can substitute the juice for any North American recipe that calls for lemon juice. Although it looks like what we know as a lime, you can basically consider it a lemon. _Lima _is slightly larger, paler green, and although it's not what you would call really sweet, it is sweet enough to eat out of hand. The large, yellow lemons that we know in Canada and U.S. are not found in Mexico, at least not here in central Mexico.


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## lforestier

You aren't the only one to be confused.
In Puerto Rico, limon is yellow and lima is green and sour.
When I moved to Mexico, I discovered that the limon used for drinks, and cooking was small and green. I thought it was a different type of lemon. But one day at Walmart de Mexico, I saw nice yellow lemons with a big sign above advertising Limas.
So go figure.


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## Victorita

I agree with Maeron.  I am from El Salvador and to us limón is the small green and sour fruit and lima is a bigger, paler green, slightly sweet fruit.  I don't know if it is its own fruit or if it is a cross between a limón and an orange.  I'm glad to see there is someone else who shares these definitions!  

Victorita


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## Victorita

This is Victorita again.  I forgot why I even got into the Forum to begin with!  How would you translate limeade?  As a Salvadorean I would translate it as Limonada, but as someone from the US, I'm not sure. Help!  Thanks.

Vicktorita


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## Luzyg

Victorita said:
			
		

> I agree with Maeron. I am from El Salvador and to us limón is the small green and sour fruit and lima is a bigger, paler green, slightly sweet fruit. I don't know if it is its own fruit or if it is a cross between a limón and an orange. I'm glad to see there is someone else who shares these definitions!
> 
> Victorita


 
In Colombia, we use these terms as in El Salvador, according to Victorita´s explanation:


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## mazbook

The _limón_ of México is the small, green fruit known as a "key lime" in the U.S.  Also, in México there are other, larger limes, usually sold as _limón (varios nombres)_, these are like the limes most commonly sold in the U.S.  The fruit sold as lemons in the U.S. (larger and yellow) is rarely seen in México and, when seen, is called either _lima_ or _limón amarillo_.

limeade = _limonada_
lemonade = _no hay, no existe en México_


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## loladamore

I know it's confusing, as it depends on the country what is called which (or which is called what?). You can look at limón and lime if you want to get even more confused. I suppose you need to know exactly what kind of citrus fruit you are referring to in each case, and then know what it is called in the country you are translating for!  

My own personal summary would be:

lemon = large, yellow fruit; use juice, couldn't eat a whole one
limón = small, green fruit; use juice, couldn't eat a whole one

lime = medium green fruit, much sweeter than lemon, can eat a whole one 
lima = large yellow fruit, much sweeter than _limón_, can eat a whole one 

Does that help at all???


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## Juliomelecio

Hola
In Vzla, lemon (limón) is small and sour, may be either yellow or green, however lima is very rare, and the ones I've known are imported, are larger and greenish.
Julio


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## aurilla

Moritzchen said:
			
		

> I believe *Tilo* is *Linden. Lime *is *Lima *and* lemon* is *limón*


 
I agree with these three translations. However, in Puerto Rico most people make no distinction between lemons and limes. They will usually call limes "lemons," and limes are abundant throughout the island. When referring to "lemons" they will frequently call them "big lemons."


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## mazbook

loladamore, 





> lemon = large, yellow fruit; use juice, couldn't eat a whole one
> limón = lime = small, green fruit; use juice, couldn't eat a whole one


Those first two, with the slight change I made, is what is true in México and Central America.  I definitely don't agree with the last two, as everything I know as lemon, limón, lime, and lima *definitely isn't* sweet and I don't think I (or most anyone) could EVER eat one.


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## karitoVT

In Argentina also Lime means lima and lemon limon as in US, the first one is small and green and the second bigger an yellow. Limeade es un jugo de lima exprimida, y no es comun como la limonada q es un jugo de limon exprimido, dos cosas distintas!!!


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## silviantonia

En Cuba, mis queridos colegas, we had very small limones verdes, which I found again in Mexico lindo y querido.  The yellow limones were gringo limones... we also had large, orange size limas (limes) which were not as sour by half as the limones verdes (or green lemons) of my beautiful islita.  So I still call, to confound my five children and my friends, all small green round sour objects green lemons... I have never again seen a lima (green lime) such as I saw in Cuba in these United States of Torture.


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## micafe

In Spanish we don't differentiate between 'limes' and 'lemons'. We call them both *'limones'*. They taste very similar, but look different. 

Incidentally, in the tropics we have many types of *'limones'*, it would be a problem to have a different name for each one. The thing is, that they all taste similar, very sour, some more than others. 

'Lima' is a completely different fruit, more similar to an orange but less tasty.


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## Vinaigre

I´m a chef working in Venezuela, and this seems to be the general usage here:

limon: small, green, sour, ubiquitous (English "lime", "lima" in Spain)
lima: larger, yellow, sweeter, rare (English "lemon",  "limon" in Spain)

Lemons ("limones" in Spain) are sometimes known as "limon frances" ("French lemon"). We received a shipment recently from Merida (in the Andes) and processed them immediately in the style of Moroccan preserved lemons.

Maybe this is helpful.


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## jogoro

Hola amigos:

Espero que esto clarifique de una vez por todas.

Limon:  Hay dos clases; 1.-con semilla (limon mexicano o limon agrio)
                                 2.-sin semilla (limon persa o seedless)
                                 ambos son verdes.  El persa o sin semilla es                                   mas grande que el mexicano o agrio. En Estados Unidos lo llaman equivocadamente Lime.

Limon Amarillo (o Italiano): Es el limon que mas se usa en Estados Unidos y perdiendo terreno.

Lima:  Es una fruta completamente distinta aunque de la misma familia.

Es mas grande que todos los limones mencionados arriba.  Su sabor es neutro, no sabe a nada. No es dulce ni agrio o acido.  Su carne es blanca, no amarilla ni verde.  La cascara es amarilla palida.  Se usa mucho en Yucatan para preparar la SOPA DE LIMA.  ! Sí sopa ¡

Saludos

Jogoro


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## jlcolmaster

Here in Colombia Limón is small and green.and Lima is big and yellow.


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## JosMex

I agree with jlcolmaster, in Mexico, Lime (small and green) is LIMON, in the other case; Lemon (larger and yellow) is LIMA. But in this forum we colud see that we have different definitions and depends in what country we lived.


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## Zeprius

Moritzchen said:


> I believe *Tilo* is *Linden. Lime *is *Lima *and* lemon* is *limón*




Agree


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## ItalianGuyinUSA

OK. There seems to be some controversy over the definitions of the English words "Lime" and "Lemon" in Spanish. Let's get the absolute correct definitions here: they are the _opposite_ of what one would expect in English: namely "Limón" is not lemon, but lime, the smaller green, citrus fruit; "Lima" is not lime, but the larger, yellow citrus fruit. There it is, plain and simple.


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## Jeromed

ItalianGuyinUSA said:


> OK. There seems to be some controversy over the definitions of the English words "Lime" and "Lemon" in Spanish. Let's get the absolute correct definitions here: they are the _opposite_ of what one would expect in English: namely "Limón" is not lemon, but lime, the smaller green, citrus fruit; "Lima" is not lime, but the larger, yellow citrus fruit. There it is, plain and simple.


 
Not so easy.  Read here.


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## ItalianGuyinUSA

Thanks for the link, which I read. If you are going to have bilingual descriptions on different grocery articles, for example, then you have to pick one term for each fruit -- there is no either or. If you have something describing a flavour, it can only be one term. I stand by what I say. However, I am very grateful that you took the time to let me share your views. I spent a lot of time in Spain, and it took me a while to get used to the names being (basically) the opposite of those in English. Furthermore, I also learnt how the indefinite article in English used before nouns beginning with a vowel (an, instead of a) was due in part to the Spanish word for orange (Naranjo), and it was orginally called a norange! Thanks again, Luigi.


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## Jeromed

Thanks for the message. 
I had to look up the term _lima_ because in Latin America it often refers to a citrus that resembles a yellow-colored orange, and is very different from the USA and British _lime_ or _lemon_. It's not sour at all, but blandly sweet. 
This notwithstanding, the descriptor _lemon-lime_ is always translated as _lima-limón_ on this side of the pond.
According to the article, the confusion with the names in Spanish started right after all these citrus varieties were introduced in Europe!


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## Victorita

Creo por todas las respuestas que no en todos los países existe la lima como la conozco yo, por lo tanto no existe la definición para dicha fruta.  Definitivamente limas y limones son diferentes y depende de la región donde uno vive.  

Gracias por un interesante hilo.

Victorita


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## luisdiazyo

In Venezuela it's the same, just that, from what I thought, limes were the yellow and larger ones and lemons were the green and smaller ones.

In any case:
Lime = Lima.
Lemon = Limón.


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## photosilva

first of all i have to tell people that when margarita was invented in 1934 and all the invections that were made after that year were in fact all done with lime juice and never with lemon juice.the fact that the latin american people call lime fruit of limon which means lemon in european standards,doesnt mean that we have to go all stupid and think that actually margarita is made from lemon juice rather than lime juice.if you want to know the reality try to find out when actually lemon were intruduced in mexico because at that time was really dificult to find lemons in mexico.
yes,its true ,everything was made of limes and even today lime is the actual prencipal fruit.limon is lime and lima is lemon,the other way around applies in europe,even the brasilians have the same method as the mexicans.hopefully this will help


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## trefall123

I hope I can help future viewers of this thread with a few simple points. Since the original post asked about 'Mexicans' I'll restrict my response to Mexico. #1 - limon is lime as you would see in US/Can. Seeded or seedless varieties. #2 - limon real is the standard version of the US/Can lemon and is rare in most of Mexico unless there is a large population base with many chain-stores and a lot of Americans or Canadians or in DF. #3 - lima is the 'blandy' 'watery' orangish-flavored citrus fruit someone else referred to. The outside is normally green-yellow as with most Mexican oranges. You will never forget the flavor of a lima if you taste one. [Just so you have an idea - smash 30 green oranges and put them in a bucket for 2 weeks. Then rinse the bucket well. several times. Wait 6 months, then put water in the bucket and drink. That water with some sort of orange taste is the flavor of a lima. As with most modern Mexican words, it depends on where you are when you ask, as to the response you receive.


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## plgol

He notado que en muchos lugares de America Latina no se distingue entre lima y limon, que la gente casi siempre dice limon para limon y lima. Por ejemplo, en Mexico se toma tequila con limon, pero en realidad botanicamente es una lima, no limon. Solo en los mercados he visto el uso de lima. Por que sera? En ingles, se mantiene la distincion siempre entre "lime" y "lemon". Es verdad lo que he observado?


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## MAGUANÁ

Te puedo decir que en España se distingue entre lima y limón. 
Quizá sea un fenómeno exclusivo de México. Habría que ver lo que sucede en otros paises, pero me parece que la confusión no es tan generalizada como supones.

Saludos


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## spodulike

Piensan Uds. que tendre a ver con "-ón" (grande)   -   (???'tendre' existe???  qiero decir "tener")

Lima -> Limón

Lime -> Big lime

?Vale? o ?es un poco imaginario?


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## mgortiz

Okay, 
this maybe a little confusing,  I am from Mexico, Michoacan to be exact. In Michoacan we have Limon verde and Limon Amarilli and we have Limas. Lemon Verde is what in the U.S. they call Lime, Limon Amarillo is what in the U.S. they call Lemon. Now, Lima in Michoacan is a complete different thing, is a sweet light green big in size fruit. so in conclusion i think it depends where your from and what's available to you.

Lime = Limon Verde
Lemon = Limon Amarillo

Lima is a whole different thing..

Hope this helps..


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## jessi330

I always had this lime/lemon confusion.  

In the US, there is lemonade from lemons (large yellow) and usually with added sugar. It's a sweet drink. 
Limeade in the US is made from limes (small green) and is usually more sour.


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## Todd The Bod

In the restaurants in my city the Latinos always use "limon" for lemon and lime.  Is there no distinction in Spanish, or is the usage I'm always seeing incorrect?


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## luispezglobo

as far as i know limon and lime are 2 different fruits, yes there is a distinction in spanish, would  be limon for lemon, lima for lime


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## HermanaHondureña

Todd, I am guessing you are from the Chicago area since you have the "Da Bears" quote by your name  I am also from the Chicago area and I can't think of a time that I have heard anyone say lima. 

When I have asked people to differentiate, the Spanish speakers I know have just said "limón verde" to mean lime.


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## luispezglobo

someone who has seen both would be able to distinguish it in a sec....specially because of its skin, lime's skin is a bit more softer and thinner, shape sometimes and of course the taste of it


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## crismi

In Ecuador we call "limón" to the green one, and "lima" to the yellow one, but here in the States, at least where I'm at, the green one it's called lime and the yellow one lemon.....weird!


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## HermanaHondureña

I know it's weird because they surely are different fruits. 

I have definitely heard people in this area say limón (amarillo) and limón verde when saying lemon vs. lime. 

I don't know why they say it like that, then again I never did ask why they don't use the word "lima" for "lime." If I come across the situation again I will ask them why and if there is a good reason I'll post the response


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## Todd The Bod

Thanks Hermanita.  I wonder if that's everyone else's experience as well (I'd guess it is though since I've never heard anyone use the word "lima" either).  Oh, and actually I've come into contact with people from all over the midwest that pronounce "the Bears" that way.  I just used "Da Bears" because it was the most perfect representation of typical "Midwestern" speech I could think of.


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## HermanaHondureña

What Crismi says makes it all make a little more sense. 

English speakers say "limón" and point to a yellow lemon and depending on the area the Spanish speakers are from they may be thinking of a green lime not a lemon. 

It's easy to see how it could all get mixed up in translation.


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## Dario de Kansas

I've heard both lemons and limes referred to as "limón" in Mexico. Very confusing.


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## crismi

It freaked me out at first, I thought the world was up side down, well not that bad but still, I was used to call it lemon, and even now I still do, but limes are sweeter and I don't remember ever saying green lime, it's always just lime and they're always yellow, and lemons ALWAYS green, but again that's in Ecuador.


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## jimmyxendrix

En Perú no lo vemos desde el punto de vista de tamaño. Para nosotros el limón es pequeño, de color predominante verde que se una más para dar sabor a los refrescos, ensaladas, mayonesa, aliños, etc. Sin embargo la lima es amarilla y más grande y con una puntilla en uno de sus extremos, se puede pelar con la mano lo que no sucede con el limón. 
Sin embargo en ingles creo que funciona al revés Lime es de color verde y Lemon es de color amarillo.


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## cacarulo

jimmyxendrix said:


> En Perú no lo vemos desde el punto de vista de tamaño. Para nosotros el limón es pequeño, de color predominante verde que se una más para dar sabor a los refrescos, ensaladas, mayonesa, aliños, etc. Sin embargo la lima es amarilla y más grande y con una puntilla en uno de sus extremos, se puede pelar con la mano lo que no sucede con el limón.
> Sin embargo en ingles creo que funciona al revés Lime es de color verde y Lemon es de color amarillo.


 
En el español de la Argentina se usa limón para el amarillo (el de las ensaladas), y lima (la cual se encuentra bastante poco en las verdulerías y demás lugares donde se venden frutas) nombra a la fruta verde, más pequeña y de forma más cercana a una esfera, cuyo uso característico es acompañar a la cashasha en la caipirinha.


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## Cebolleta

cacarulo said:


> En el español de la Argentina se usa limón para el amarillo (el de las ensaladas), y lima (la cual se encuentra bastante poco en las verdulerías y demás lugares donde se venden frutas) nombra a la fruta verde, más pequeña y de forma más cercana a una esfera, cuyo uso característico es acompañar a la cashasha en la caipirinha.



En España es lo mismo que en Argentina.


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## Marcela

¡Interesantísimo este hilo! No sabía que en español había limones maduros verdes y limas amarillas.

lemon = el limón (el amarillo y ácido, pueden ser grandes)
lime = la lima (verde y de sabor suave,más bien chicas). Casi no hay en Uruguay.
??? = el limón brasilero (verde y levemente ácido, tamaño más bien chico) indispensable para hacer la _caipirinha_


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## nelliot53

aurilla said:


> I agree with these three translations. However, in Puerto Rico most people make no distinction between lemons and limes. They will usually call limes "lemons," and limes are abundant throughout the island. When referring to "lemons" they will frequently call them "big lemons."



I agree with *Aurilla*.  In Puerto Rico, lemons (limones) are the acid ones and limes are the sweet ones. They are both green until ripe, with the lime (lima) being the bigger of the two.  Usually, and to distinguish between the two, we call the *limes* "limones dulces" (sweet lemons).


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## Aviador

At least in Chile, it is like this:


_*limón*_
_*lima*_
_Limas_ are not usual here though.

Saludos.


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## asm

nelliot53 said:


> I agree with *Aurilla*.  In Puerto Rico, lemons (limones) are the acid ones and limes are the sweet ones. They are both green until ripe, with the lime (lima) being the bigger of the two.  Usually, and to distinguish between the two, we call the *limes* "limones dulces" (sweet lemons).


En estados unidos lime es verde, pequeño y ácido, lemon es más grande, menos agrio (no enteramente dulce) y más amarillo.

Yo creo que en español tenemos los nombres cruzados entre nosotros mismos. En unos lugares le dicen limón a lo que en otros le dicen lima, y visceversa.

Yo pensaba que este problema era solo en español, pero no sé cómo sea en el inglés de Puerto Rico. Yo viviendo en Nueva Inglaterra puedo jurar que si voy por "lemons" me van a dar unas frutas más grandes, menos agrias y amarillas.


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## asm

asm said:


> En estados unidos lime es verde, pequeño y ácido, lemon es más grande, menos agrio (no enteramente dulce) y más amarillo.
> 
> Yo creo que en español tenemos los nombres cruzados entre nosotros mismos. En unos lugares le dicen limón a lo que en otros le dicen lima, y visceversa.
> 
> Yo pensaba que este problema era solo en español, pero no sé cómo sea en el inglés de Puerto Rico. Yo viviendo en Nueva Inglaterra puedo jurar que si voy por "lemons" me van a dar unas frutas más grandes, menos agrias y amarillas.




Para este hilo, lo mejor es aceptar la discrepancia y hacer un mapa de usos cítricos, dónde se dice cómo.


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## nelliot53

Creo que este artículo en Wikipedia explica un poco mejor este asunto y, como dije anteriormente, el limón es el pequeño y ácido y la lima es la más grande y dulce.

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lima_(fruta)


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## Aviador

Casualmente, revisando antiguas participaciones mías en estos foros, me encontré con esta intervención de nelliot53 en la que incluye un enlace a Wikipedia que no funciona. Como Wikipedia me parece interesante en este caso como un referente imparcial para dirimir la controversia, incluyo aquí los enlaces correctos a los artículos sobre los cítricos que nos interesan. Estos artículos coinciden con lo que entendemos en Chile como _lima_ y _limón_ respectivamente: _*lima*_; _*limón*_.


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## mrgshelton

Gaby B said:


> In Mexico it is just the opposite as some people here have said:
> 
> "Limón" is small and green, which I have found in some places in the USA call Lime.
> 
> "Lima" is larger and yellow, which I have found some people in USA call Lemon.
> 
> I hope this helps.



Gaby B, This is what we hear here in the Los Angeles area, too, and is what Mr. Bunions actually wants to know...what Mexicans in the U.S. call those things.  Lima = Lemon, limón = lime.  Go to a Mexican restaurant around here and order a glass of _te helado con *limón*_ and it'll have a slice of *lime* in it.  Order it with *lima*, it'll be served with a slice of *lemon*.  Go figure!


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## Gatuna

nelliot53 said:
			
		

> Creo que este artículo en Wikipedia explica un poco mejor este asunto y,  como dije anteriormente, el limón es el pequeño y ácido y la lima es la  más grande y dulce.
> 
> http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lima_(fruta)



Estoy de acuerdo. En México yo siempre conocí como lima a una fruta cítrica más bien dulce. Aquí, la autora mexicoestadounidense de un blog habla precisamente sobre esta confusión:

http://www.themijachronicles.com/2012/04/strawberry-lima-mexican-sweet-lime-agua-fresca/

Lo que yo probé en EE.UU. como 'lime' es lo que conozco aquí como limón. También está esta liga, donde lo llaman "limón sutil o lima mexicana":
http://portal.veracruz.gob.mx/pls/p...SDIFUSION/TAB4003236/MONOGRAFIA LIMON2011.PDF


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## usaginimoy

I live in Mexico NOW and it is definitely NOT that way, the green ones here are "limones" and the larger yellow ones, which are very rare to find, are "limas"


gecheverria said:


> Hola,
> 
> I am Spanish and I have lived in Mexico, As Railway said
> 
> Lime == lima
> Lemon == limón


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## usaginimoy

mrgshelton said:


> Gaby B, This is what we hear here in the Los Angeles area, too, and is what Mr. Bunions actually wants to know...what Mexicans in the U.S. call those things.  Lima = Lemon, limón = lime.  Go to a Mexican restaurant around here and order a glass of _te helado con *limón*_ and it'll have a slice of *lime* in it.  Order it with *lima*, it'll be served with a slice of *lemon*.  Go figure!


you are correct 
I live in Mexico NOW and it is definitely the way, the green ones  here are "limones" and the larger yellow ones, which are very rare to  find, are "limas"


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## Gatuna

usaginimoy said:


> I live in Mexico NOW and it is definitely NOT that way, the green ones  here are "limones" and the larger yellow ones, which are very rare to  find, are "limas"



Well, I am Mexican AND have been living in Mexico all my life. Do you have ANY reference other than what you have gotten in the time you have been living here? Again, here limón is the sour one (regardless of the size) and lima is the bittersweet fruit.

The difference in Mexico is in the flavor, not the size, since there are also sour 'limones' that are bigger than the regular, small ones.


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## VAMP76

Limeade seria como hacer limonada, pero en vez de usar limones (los chiquitos verdes) usas las limas (grandes y amarillas)

In the northern area of Mexico (Monterrey) we call *limon* to the small and green fruit that here in USA is called *lime*, and *lima*, to the bigger and yellow fruit you call *lemon*.


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## Aserolf

Gatuna said:


> Estoy de acuerdo. En México yo siempre conocí como lima a una fruta cítrica más bien dulce. Aquí, la autora mexicoestadounidense de un blog habla precisamente sobre esta confusión:
> 
> *http://www.themijachronicles.com/2012/04/strawberry-lima-mexican-sweet-lime-agua-fresca/
> *
> Lo que yo probé en EE.UU. como 'lime' es lo que conozco aquí como limón. También está esta liga, donde lo llaman "limón sutil o lima mexicana":
> http://portal.veracruz.gob.mx/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/COVECAINICIO/IMAGENES/ARCHIVOSPDF/ARCHIVOSDIFUSION/TAB4003236/MONOGRAFIA%20LIMON2011.PDF


De acuerdo con mi compatriota Gatuna. 
A lo que muchos en este foro conocen como: 
*LEMON *(EEUU)
*LIMA *(Otros países) 
*LIMÓN REAL *(México) 

En México, la mayoría los conocemos como *Limón Real *(clic)

Para la mayoría de los mexicanos, la *LIMA *es algo completamente distinto! Un fruto mezcla entre naranja y limón, con un sabor más bien dulce (inconfundible) de cáscara delgada y color verde-amarillo. La pulpa es blanquecina con un toque de verde. ¡Riquísimo!

En cuanto al *limón*, de ellos hay dos variedades:
*Limón mexicano* (_key lime - _con semillas)
*Limón persa* (_lime - _sin semilla)

Sin embargo, y para que quede por sentado que los mexicanos fuimos quienes "metimos la pata" en esta confusión, en este artículo del periódico El Economista de México nos habla de que inicialmente les comenzamos a llamar limones -siendo técnicamente 'limas ácidas'- porque en México no se cultivaban ni se conocían los verdaderos "limones". 

*Limas o limones*  (clic) 

Quizás ahora y por la afluencia de turistas, existan lugares donde a esos 'limones reales' les llamen ahora "limas", pero anteriormente en cualquier supermercado los encontrabas con el nombre de 'limón real'. A la otra variedad sólo se les conocía como limón con o sin semilla. 

El estado de Colima, como muchos mexicanos sabrán, es un gran productor de limones. Allí, un familiar se dedicaba al cultivo y venta de sólo dos variedades de limones: el mexicano y el persa. Un día, comentando sobre el tema, me platicó que no cultivaba el "limón real" (_lemon _para EEUU) porque no le resultaba redituable, y es que su uso no es tan común como en otros lados. 

Y para nosotros los mexicanos, la limonada la conocemos simplemente como "Agua de Limón", aunque si vas a un restaurante lo normal es que pidas una 'limonada' y no un 'agua de limón'. 

~Saludos... y espero que mi aporte no cause más confusión.


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## usaginimoy

these are called LEMONS in English
They call these limas.
these are called LIMES in EnglishThey call these, even when they get old, hard and dried out yellow, they still call them LIMONES
go to ANY fruit store or Soriana, or Comercial Mexicana or Walmart or Chedraui or Oxxo or, wherever in MEXICO and those are the  names ...ok
stop confusing people with your half knowledge.



Gatuna said:


> Well, I am Mexican AND have been living in Mexico all my life. Do you have ANY reference other than what you have gotten in the time you have been living here? Again, here limón is the sour one (regardless of the size) and lima is the bittersweet fruit.
> 
> The difference in Mexico is in the flavor, not the size, since there are also sour 'limones' that are bigger than the regular, small ones.


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## Gatuna

Aserolf said:


> De acuerdo con mi compatriota Gatuna.
> A lo que muchos en este foro conocen como:
> *LEMON *(EEUU)
> *LIMA *(Otros países)
> *LIMÓN REAL *(México)
> 
> En México, la mayoría los conocemos como *Limón Real *(clic)
> 
> (...)
> 
> ~Saludos... y espero que mi aporte no cause más confusión.



Buenísima tu explicación tan amplia (toda). 

Al tal *usaginimoy*, bueno, ni me molesto en refutar su intento de comentario.


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## nelliot53

Esta página explica todo esto muy bien.  Al parecer, los árabes englobaron todas estas frutas cítricas con la palabra "*lima*".   Yo tengo un árbol de limas en mi terreno, pero no de limones, aunque cerca hay varios.

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lima_(fruta)

Este enlace te lleva directo a la diferencia entre ambas frutas.


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## Oldy Nuts

nelliot53 said:


> Esta página explica todo esto muy bien.  Al parecer, los árabes englobaron todas estas frutas cítricas con la palabra "*lima*".   Yo tengo un árbol de limas en mi terreno, pero no de limones, aunque cerca hay varios.
> 
> http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lima_(fruta)
> 
> Este enlace te lleva directo a la diferencia entre ambas frutas.



Of course, we all know that nobody reads message #66...


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## Damnjoe

http://www.spanishdict.com/answers/162219/lime-limn-or-lima

As you can see, every country is different, as is pretty common with food.

Here in Peru there are no true lemons (yellow like in the US) but I don't know the official name in English of what they call "lima". I'm referring to the large sweet fruit that can be eaten like an orange and is common in Peru, Brazil, etc. I _think_ it is called a "lima dulce" in Spanish.


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## Damnjoe

Victorita said:


> I agree with Maeron.  I am from El Salvador and to us limón is the small green and sour fruit and lima is a bigger, paler green, slightly sweet fruit.  I don't know if it is its own fruit or if it is a cross between a limón and an orange.  I'm glad to see there is someone else who shares these definitions!
> 
> Victorita



What do you call this orange-lime cross in English?


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## Aserolf

Maeron said:


> I don't know if Mexicans in the U.S. would say it differently, but in Mexico, _limón_ is a small green lime (generally 3 to 6 cm long) which is more sour than what we know as a lime. You can substitute the juice for any North American recipe that calls for lemon juice. Although it looks like what we know as a lime, you can basically consider it a lemon. _Lima _is slightly larger, paler green, and although it's not what you would call really sweet, it is sweet enough to eat out of hand. *The large, yellow lemons that we know in Canada and U.S. are not found in Mexico, at least not here in central Mexico.*


 Es exactamente lo que había mencionado. Ese _"Yellow Lemon"_ como se conoce y se ve en EEUU y Canadá, se llama "Limón Real", pero su uso no es generalizado, así que casi no se encuentra. 
Y sí, la "Lima" es más grande que cualquier limón (de cualquier tipo: mexicano, persa o real). Es dulce y sabe a una mezcla de naranja y limón.


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## Oldy Nuts

Tengo la impresión de que estamos repitiendo cosas ya publicadas en esta discusión...


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## Damnjoe

Si, pero nadie ha respondido con una buena traducción de este fruta. I have read this entire forum and some others, the wikipedia page on lemons and limes, etc. but I cant find a good answer. What do you call this fruit in English? Es una lima persa? Persian lime? lima dulce? Qué es la "lima" que se come en Peru (en verdad no hay tanto acá pero si hay)


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## Oldy Nuts

La pregunta original ya está respondida varias veces: cómo llaman *los mexicanos* a lo que en Estados Unidos se llama _lime_ y _lemon_. El problema es que _lima_ y _limón_ no significan lo mismo en distintos países de habla hispana.


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## mariposita

I believe that the sweet lime you are referring to is Citrus limetta:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citrus_limetta

It is called mosambi in India. You can occasionally find it in the US in Middle Eastern and Indian groceries.


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## Damnjoe

mariposita said:


> I believe that the sweet lime you are referring to is Citrus limetta:
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citrus_limetta
> 
> It is called mosambi in India. You can occasionally find it in the US in Middle Eastern and Indian groceries.


Thank you very much, that's what I was looking for.


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## Bosnia95

I can't say precisely when the great citrus definition diaspora took place in colonies of the Spanish Empire.  Spaniards would argue on the side of the limes being green and lemons yellow. Limun being the Persian antecedent to the Medeival Latin lemonium that the famous traveler Christopher Columbus would have used to describe the seeds he brought to Hispaniola in 1492.  It is interesting to note that these sorts of shifts in meaning are fairly common (such as cojer, a common verb for grab or get in European Spanish, which has obscene implications in Mexico).  Purists will continue to point to the Diccionario de la lengua española de la Real Academia Española (Dictionary of the Spanish Language of the Royal Spanish Academy or DRAE), as the authoritative source, which plainly chooses yellow for lemon and green for lime in the common interpretation (less genus and species with unique characteristics producing green lemons, etc.)  Either way, of the existing 21 Hispanophonic academies, roughly 17 of them err towards limes being green and lemons yellow, regardless of local tradition in the new world.


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## EddieZumac

Bosnia95 said:


> I can't say precisely when the great citrus definition diaspora took place in colonies of the Spanish Empire.  Spaniards would argue on the side of the limes being green and lemons yellow. Limun being the Persian antecedent to the Medeival Latin lemonium that the famous traveler Christopher Columbus would have used to describe the seeds he brought to Hispaniola in 1492.  It is interesting to note that these sorts of shifts in meaning are fairly common (such as cojer, a common verb for grab or get in European Spanish, which has obscene implications in Mexico).  Purists will continue to point to the Diccionario de la lengua española de la Real Academia Española (Dictionary of the Spanish Language of the Royal Spanish Academy or DRAE), as the authoritative source, which plainly chooses yellow for lemon and green for lime in the common interpretation (less genus and species with unique characteristics producing green lemons, etc.)  Either way, of the existing 21 Hispanophonic academies, roughly 17 of them err towards limes being green and lemons yellow, regardless of local tradition in the new world.


Welcome to the WR forum, Bosnia95, and thank you for your contribution.


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