Food Vocabulary in Spanish
Food is one of the best topics for learning Spanish, because you use it every day. Here are the most useful words grouped by category, with examples you can say at a market or at the table.
Quick answer
- Meals: el desayuno, el almuerzo, la cena
- Fruit: la manzana, el plátano, la naranja
- Drinks: el agua, el jugo, la leche
Meals and basics
The three main meals are el desayuno, el almuerzo (lunch), and la cena (dinner). In Mexico, the main meal is often la comida, eaten in the afternoon.
Examples
- Desayuno huevos con frijoles.I have eggs with beans for breakfast.Desayunar.
- Almorzamos a las dos.We have lunch at two.Almorzar.
- La cena está lista.Dinner is ready.La cena.
- ¿Qué hay de comer?What is there to eat?Common question.
Fruits and vegetables
Names are easy to learn if you group them. Most are masculine or feminine in a way that follows the ending.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la manzana | apple |
| el plátano | banana |
| la naranja | orange |
| la fresa | strawberry |
| el tomate | tomato |
| la cebolla | onion |
| la zanahoria | carrot |
| la papa | potato |
Examples
- Compro frutas y verduras en el mercado.I buy fruits and vegetables at the market.Frutas, verduras.
- Me gusta la sopa de tomate.I like tomato soup.Tomate.
- Necesito dos cebollas.I need two onions.Plural.
Meat, fish, and dairy
La carne is meat. El pollo is chicken, el pescado is fish, el queso is cheese, la leche is milk, and el huevo is egg.
Examples
- Hoy comemos pollo con arroz.Today we are eating chicken with rice.Pollo.
- No como carne.I do not eat meat.Vegetarian.
- Quiero un sándwich de queso.I want a cheese sandwich.Queso.
Drinks and tastes
Common drinks: el agua, el jugo, el café, el té, la cerveza, el vino. To describe taste, use dulce (sweet), salado (salty), picante (spicy), amargo (bitter), and rico (delicious).
Examples
- Quiero un jugo de naranja.I want an orange juice.Jugo.
- La salsa está muy picante.The salsa is very spicy.Picante.
- El postre es muy dulce.The dessert is very sweet.Dulce.
Spanish around the world
- For potato, Mexico and Latin America say papa and Spain says patata. For juice, Spain says zumo, and Latin America says jugo. For popcorn, Mexico says palomitas.
Common mistakes
Incorrect: Yo como desayuno.
Correct: Yo desayuno.
Use the verb desayunar.
Incorrect: Estoy hambriento de pan.
Correct: Tengo hambre.
Use tener hambre in everyday speech.
Incorrect: El pollo es rico. (while eating)
Correct: El pollo está rico.
For taste, use estar.
Incorrect: Una agua.
Correct: Un agua.
Agua takes el or un in the singular.
Remember the idea
- Meals: desayuno, almuerzo/comida, cena.
- Use estar rico for taste.
- Words differ by country: papa/patata, jugo/zumo.
Mini practice
5 quick questions. You get feedback right after each answer.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between comida and almuerzo?
Comida means food and, in Mexico, the main afternoon meal. Almuerzo means lunch in many countries.
How do I say ‘I am hungry’?
Tengo hambre.
How do I say ‘delicious’?
Rico, delicioso, or sabroso.
How do I say ‘vegetarian’?
Vegetariano or vegetariana.
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