apple
IPA: /ˈæpəl/
a round fruit with red, green or yellow skin
English vocabulary by topic
Fruit and vegetables in English
Familiar food words for shopping, menus, recipes and conversations about what you like to eat.
Go to the wordsCommon fruit and vegetable words
The collection includes familiar fruit such as apple, banana, orange, grape, lemon, strawberry and watermelon, together with carrot, cucumber, onion, potato and tomato. These words are useful at the supermarket, in a café and in the kitchen.
Most of these nouns are countable: one apple becomes two apples. Pay attention to potatoes and tomatoes, which add -es in the plural.
Vocabulary
Words in this topic
Use the speaker icon to hear each word in British English.
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banana
IPA: /bəˈnɑːnə/
a long curved fruit with yellow skin
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carrot
IPA: /ˈkærət/
a long orange root vegetable
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cucumber
IPA: /ˈkjuːˌkʌmbə/
a long green vegetable often eaten raw
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grape
IPA: /ɡreɪp/
one of the small fruits that grow together in bunches
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lemon
IPA: /ˈlɛmən/
a yellow citrus fruit with a sour taste
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onion
IPA: /ˈʌnjən/
a round vegetable with layers and a strong smell
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orange
IPA: /ˈɒrɪndʒ/
a round citrus fruit with orange skin
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potato
IPA: /pəˈteɪtəʊ/
a round root vegetable cooked in many different ways
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strawberry
IPA: /ˈstrɔːbərɪ/
a soft red fruit with seeds on its surface
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tomato
IPA: /təˈmɑːtəʊ/
a soft red fruit commonly used as a vegetable
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watermelon
IPA: /ˈwɔːtəˌmɛlən/
a large fruit with green skin and sweet red flesh
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How to remember these words
- Sort the cards into fruit and vegetables, then name them without help.
- Write a six-item shopping list in English.
- Add a colour or taste: a green cucumber or a sour lemon.
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Useful phrases
We need tomatoes, onions and potatoes.
This watermelon is very sweet.
I usually eat a banana for breakfast.
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
What are the plurals of tomato and potato?
Add -es: tomatoes and potatoes. Most of the other words simply add -s, as in apples, carrots and lemons.
Is fruit countable or uncountable?
Fruit is often uncountable when it means food in general. Use fruits when referring to several different kinds of fruit.
Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable?
Botanically, a tomato is a fruit. In everyday cooking and conversation, it is usually grouped with vegetables.
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