Apple
A red apple. Use when you need to be specific about the color.
A green apple. Use when specifying this type of apple.
A little apple. This is a diminutive, used affectionately or to refer to a small apple or a crabapple.
I want an apple, please.
Apple is my favorite fruit.
How much does a kilo of apples cost?
This is a green apple. It's a little sour.
The word 'manzana' is universally used for the fruit 'apple' across the entire Spanish-speaking world. The main regional difference is its secondary meaning.
'Manzana' also commonly means 'city block'. For example, 'El café está a dos manzanas' means 'The café is two blocks away'. 'Cuadra' is also a common synonym for 'city block'.
'Manzana' is the standard word for the fruit. While it can also mean 'city block', it's less common than in Latin America. The concept is often just described differently.
'Manzana' is exclusively used for the fruit. For 'city block', the word 'cuadra' is used almost exclusively.
Using the wrong gendered article. The correct form is 'la manzana' (feminine), not 'el manzana'. Many nouns ending in '-a' in Spanish are feminine.
Mispronouncing the 'z'. In Latin American Spanish, the 'z' in 'manzana' sounds exactly like an 's' (mahn-SAH-nah), not like the English 'zz' sound.
Confusing the two meanings. A beginner might hear 'camina por esta manzana' and think 'walk through this apple', when it actually means 'walk on this city block'. Context is key.
Found this useful? Save it for later.