mango

noun MAHN-goh Rare

Origin: From Portuguese manga, itself from Tamil mānkāy via Malay mangga.

Also means

handle

Usage Note

Mango is both the tropical fruit (un mango maduro = a ripe mango) and, in a completely unrelated sense, the handle of a tool or utensil (el mango del cuchillo = the knife handle). These are two etymologically distinct words that happen to be homophones in Spanish. The fruit sense is the one learners encounter most; context always makes it clear which is meant.

Examples

"Comió un mango frío en la playa."

Natural Translation

She ate a cold mango on the beach.

Related Words

Explore Spanish by topic

SpanishNow

Spanish Subjunctive Explained Simply for Beginners

The Spanish subjunctive is a mood, not a tense — use it after a WEIRDO trigger plus que. Learn the one rule, the yo-form recipe, and the lines you already say.

June 9, 2026 5 min read

SpanishNow

The Spanish Cheek Kiss: Greeting Etiquette by Country

Two kisses in Spain, one in most of Latin America. Master the Spanish cheek kiss greeting — which cheek first, the air-kiss mechanics, and when to shake hands.

June 3, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

Spanish Diminutives: What -ito and -ita Really Mean

Spanish diminutives rarely mean 'little.' Learn what -ito and -ita really signal — warmth, softening, downplaying — plus the -cito and -ecito formation rules.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

Mexican Spanish Slang Every Traveler Should Know

Mexican Spanish slang decoded for travelers: what güey, mande, órale, and ahorita really mean, who you can safely say them to, and how rude each one is.

June 9, 2026 6 min read