Food vocabulary in Spanish

Do you want to expand your knowledge of Spanish? Dive into food vocabulary in Spanish to help you communicate with Spanish speakers. If you are taking your first steps in learning Spanish, or if you are planning a visit to a country like Spain or Mexico, in this post you will learn the key to Spanish vocabulary about food.

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Basic meals

The first step is to know how to distinguish the types of food in Spanish, i.e., the basic meals of a day. In addition, in Spain you will also hear about the “aperitivo” or “merienda”.

The first meal of the day: breakfast. After waking up, starting the day with energy is possible thanks to breakfast. You can say: “Me gusta empezar el día con un buen desayuno. Un café con leche y unas tostadas con jamón serrano” (“I like to start the day with a good breakfast. A coffee with milk and toast with serrano ham”).

The “aperitivo” (aperitif) is a typical meal in Mediterranean countries such as Spain or France. It is a light meal designed to whet the appetite before the main meal.

The midday lunch is the main time to savour delicious Spanish dishes. You can choose from a wide variety of food to try typical dishes from Galicia, Valencia or Madrid.

Also typical of Spanish-speaking countries, the “merienda” (snack) is a type of meal eaten mid-afternoon, before dinner. It is very common at this time to have some fruit or sweets.

Finally, dinner is the perfect occasion to enjoy lighter or more substantial dishes. It is even the ideal time to go out with friends to enjoy a delicious dinner and spend a quiet evening in good company.

Types of food

Now that you know the different times of the day to eat, it is time to start dividing foods into various types. To make it easier for you, we are going to divide them into: fruit; vegetables; meat, fish and eggs; milk and dairy products; legumes and nuts; and drinks.

This Spanish food vocabulary will be very useful in supermarkets, restaurants or conversations with friends.

Fruits

• Manzana (Apple)
• Plátano (Banana)
• Naranja (Orange)
• Pera (Pear)
• Piña (Pineapple)
• Fresa (Strawberry)
• Sandía (Watermelon)
• Uva (Grape)
• Limón (Lemon)
• Melón (Melon)
• Cereza (Cherry)
• Arándano (Blueberry)
• Coco (Coconut)
• Kiwi (Kiwi)
• Melocotón (Peach)
• Tomate (Tomato)

Vegetables:

• Lechuga (Lettuce)
• Brócoli (Broccoli)
• Zanahoria (Carrot)
• Aguacate (Avocado)
• Pepino (Cucumber)
• Cebolla (Onion)
• Pimiento (Pepper)
• Patata (Potato)
• Espinacas (Spinach)
• Ajo (Garlic)
• Apio (Celery)
• Espárrago (Asparagus)
• Guisantes (Peas)
• Maíz (Corn)
• Coliflor (Cauliflower)
• Calabacín (Courgette)
• Berenjena (Aubergine or Eggplant)
• Champiñón (Mushroom)

Meat, fish and eggs:

• Huevo (Egg)
• Pollo (Chicken)
• Jamón (Ham)
• Carne de vaca (Beef)
• Chorizo (Chorizo or Spicy pork sausage)
• Ternera (Veal)
• Cerdo (Pork)
• Cordero (Lamb)
• Pato (Duck)
• Beicon (Bacon)
• Pavo (Turkey)
• Salchichas (Sausages)
• Pescado (Fish)
• Marisco (Seafood)
• Salmón (Salmon)
• Atún (Tuna)
• Camarón (Shrimp)
• Gamba (Prawn)

Milk and dairy products:

• Leche (Milk)
• Mantequilla (Butter)
• Queso (Cheese)
• Yogur (Yoghurt)
• Nata (Cream)
• Helado (Ice cream)

Legumes and nuts:

• Arroz (Rice)
• Garbanzos (Chickpeas)
• Lentejas (Lentils)
• Judías (Beans)
• Fideos (Noodles)
• Nueces (Nuts)
• Anacardos (Cashew nuts)
• Pistachos (Pistachios)
• Almendras (Almonds)

Drinks:

• Agua (Water)
• Café (Coffee)
• Refresco (Soda)
• Vino (Wine)
• Cerveza (Beer)
• Batido (Milkshake)
• Té (Tea)
• Zumo (Juice)

Others:

• Pan (Bread)
• Pasta (Pasta)
• Avena (Oats)
• Mermelada (Jam)
• Mayonesa (Mayonnaise)
• Tortilla (Omelette)
• Azúcar (Sugar)
• Chocolate (Chocolate)
• Galletas (Cookies)
• Chuches (Candy)
• Tarta (Cake or pie)
• Palomitas (Popcorn)
• Cereales (Cereals)
• Miel (Honey)

Did you know all these foods in Spanish? Remember that the best way to learn Spanish food vocabulary is to practice. So, you can do the exercise of trying to incorporate these words into your daily life.

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