Food is a central part of every society, and being able to talk about it in Spanish opens up new ways to learn about other cultures, enjoy meals, recipes and conversations. Whether you’re shopping at a market, ordering at a restaurant or cooking your favorite dishes, the vocabulary about food in Spanish is essential for making these experiences more authentic and enjoyable.
On this page you will find simple, interactive and comprehensive lessons on Spanish food vocabulary that cover everything from common ingredients to specific dishes and common phrases.
What will you learn with lessons about food in Spanish?
- Basic food vocabulary: learn common Spanish words for foods like “pan” (bread), “queso” (cheese), “fruta” (fruit), “verduras” (vegetables) and more. These lessons will introduce you to the essential vocabulary you need for everyday conversations about food.
- Fruits, vegetables and grains: expand your vocabulary by learning the names of different fruits (“manzana,” “naranja”, etc.), vegetables (“zanahoria” “lechuga”) and grains (“arroz”, “trigo”). This way you will write and talk about ingredients easily.
- Meats, seafood and protein sources: understand how to talk about different types of meat (“pollo” – chicken, “carne de res” – beef), seafood (“pescado”, “merluza”) and other proteins (“huevos”, “frijoles” or “alubias”).
- Dishes and meals: Learn the names of traditional Spanish and Latin American dishes, along with how to describe meals throughout the day (“desayuno” – breakfast, “almuerzo” – lunch, “cena” – dinner).
- Beverages and desserts: learn the vocabulary for drinks (“agua”, “zumo”, “café”) and desserts (“pastel”, “helado”), along with phrases for ordering drinks and sweet treats.
- Food shopping and cooking vocabulary: lessons that provide practical vocabulary by exploring phrases, verbs and words related to buying food and cooking, such as “mercado” (market), “ingredientes” (ingredients), “receta” (recipe) and “cocinar” (to cook).
- Common phrases: learn common phrases related to food in the different Spanish-speaking countries.