Tasty Spanish Food Words To Accentuate Your Tastebuds (and Spanish, too)

Mediterranean diet, seafood, olive oil, rice, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, tortillas, tacos, the list goes on — the Spanish food wins.

Whether you want to visit Spain or any Spanish-speaking country, you must know food words, I mean a lot of Spanish food words. Food has strong ties to the culture; the same goes for Spanish food.

Hispanic and other Spanish-speaking countries take pride in their time cooking and eating food. During a normal workday, the lunch break does not only last for 30 minutes, it often goes beyond an hour. 

Before you land in any Spanish-speaking country, learn the basic Spanish vocabulary and extensive food vocabulary because “food is love.” 

Why Learn Spanish Food Words As A Language Learner

Learning Spanish becomes boring if done the traditional way. We need to cultivate immersive ways of learning a language. What other immersive way than learning a language through food words?

Food connects people and brings them to sit at a table — together. 

Learn Spanish faster with the immersive powers of Jolii. Jolii is a language learning app that uses the power of syncing videos of your choice and turning them into language lessons.

Useful Food Vocabulary In Spanish

These Spanish words are general food vocabulary anyone can use if they want to talk about food or order something.

Spanish Term	English Translation
comer	To eat
Beber / tomar	To drink
La mesa	The table
El camarero / La camarera	Waiter / Waitress
El menú / La carta	Menu
El aperitivo	Appetizer
El primer plato	First course
El segundo plato	Main course
El postre	Dessert
El desayuno	Breakfast
El almuerzo	Lunch
La cena	Dinner
Los cubiertos	Cutlery
El vaso	Glass

Spanish Phrases for Ordering Food

Now that you know the general food words, it is time to learn a few phrases in Spanish that will let you order your food in a restaurant.

Spanish Phrase	English Translation
Disculpe, ¿puede traer el menú?	Excuse me, can you bring the menu?
Quisiera pedir, por favor.	I would like to order, please.
Como aperitivo, quisiera unas croquetas.	As an appetizer, I would like some croquettes.
Como primer plato, tomaré gazpacho.	As a first course, I’ll have gazpacho.
Como segundo, me gustaría una paella y de acompañamiento una ensalada.	As a main course, I’d like a paella with a side salad.
¿Es posible pedir este plato sin cebolla/sin queso?	Is it possible to order this dish without onions/cheese?
¿Puede traer más pan, por favor?	Can you bring more bread, please?
Para el postre, quiero flan.	For dessert, I’d like flan.
Para beber, una botella de agua con gas, por favor.	To drink, a bottle of sparkling water, please.
¡Buen provecho!	Enjoy your meal

Asking for the Bill and Spanish Tipping Customs

Spanish Phrase	English Translation
La cuenta, por favor.	The bill, please.
¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta / en efectivo?	Can I pay by card / in cash?
¿Podemos dividir la cuenta?	Can we split the bill?
Aquí está la propina para el camarero.	Here is the tip for the waiter.

In Spain, tipping (la propina) is not mandatory but is always appreciated, usually around 5% to 10% of the bill total.

Common Food and Drinks In Spanish

In this section, you will learn the most common Spanish food and drink words. We’ll categorize them.

Fruits in Spanish

Spanish Term	English Translation
Manzana	Apple
Fresa	Strawberry
Mango	Mango
Cereza	Cherry
Plátano	Banana
Sandía	Watermelon
Uvas	Grapes
Aguacate	Avocado
Piña	Pineapple
Arándano	Blueberry
Guayaba	Guava
Albaricoque	Apricot
Chirimoya	Custard apple
Caña de azúcar	Sugar cane

Vegetables In Spanish

Spanish Term	English Translation
Zanahoria	Carrot
Papa	Potato
Cebolla	Onion
Coles de bruselas	Brussels Sprouts
Judías verdes	French beans
Ajo	Garlic
Jengibre	Ginger
Calabacín	Zucchini
Pepino	Cucumber
Tomate	Tomato
Espinaca	Spinach
Cebollitas	Green Onions
Pimiento	Bell Pepper
Nabo	Turnip
Camote	Sweet Potato
Rábano	Radish
Lechuga	Lettuce
Col	Cabbage
Col rizada	Kale
Brócoli	Broccoli
Coliflor	Cauliflower
Berenjena	Eggplant
Guisantes	Peas
Espárrago	Asparagus
Champiñón	Mushroom

Meats and Seafood in Spanish

Spanish Term	English Translation
Carne	Meat
Res	Beef
Cerdo	Pork
Cordero	Lamb
Pollo	Chicken
Pavo	Turkey
Jamón	Ham
Salchicha	Sausage
Tocino	Bacon
Carne molida	Ground Beef
Pescado	Fish
Salmón	Salmon
Atún	Tuna
Camarón	Shrimp
Cangrejo	Crab

General Food Items In Spanish

Here are a few general food words in Spanish that are commonly used as staples in a typical kitchen.

Spanish Term	English Translation
La fruta	Fruit
La verdura	Vegetable
El arroz	Rice
La pasta	Pasta
La sopa	Soup
La ensalada	Salad
El aceite	Oil
El vinagre	Vinegar
La sal	Salt
La pimienta	Pepper
El azúcar	Sugar
La leche	Milk
El agua	Water
El vino blanco / tinto	White / red wine
La cerveza	Beer
El refresco	Soft drink

Herbs and Spices In Spanish

Herbs have a special place in Spanish cuisine, They give the perfect aroma and a pleasing look to any Spanish dish. Here are some of the common herbs and spices with their Spanish names.

Spanish Term	English Translation
Albahaca	Basil
Orégano	Oregano
Tomillo	Thyme
Romero	Rosemary
Perejil	Parsley
Cilantro	Cilantro/coriander
Menta	Mint
Eneldo	Dill
Cebollino	Chives
Salvia	Sage
Cúrcuma	Turmeric
Canela	Cinnamon
Comino	Cumin
Pimentón	Paprika
Chile en polvo	Chili Powder
Pimienta negra	Black Pepper
Cayena	Cayenne Pepper

Spanish Idioms Using Food Words In Them

Idioms are the shortest possible way of saying ideas which otherwise would require longer sentences to convey. Here, you will get to know famous Spanish expressions/idioms to ace your speech. Below are more idioms that use food-related words in Spanish.

Spanish Idiom	English meaning	Sentence(Spanish)	Meaning(English)
Ser pan comido	Very easy piece of cake(literal meaning: to be eaten bread)	Aprobar este examen va a ser pan comido	Passing this exam will be a piece of cake
Estar de mala uva	To be in a bad mood, grumpy (literal meaning: to be in bad grape)	No le hables ahora, está de mala uva	Don’t talk to him now, he’s in a bad mood
Llorar sobre la leche derramada	To cry over spilled milk	No sirve de nada llorar sobre la leche derramada, ya pasó	It’s no use crying over spilled milk
Más largo que un día sin pan	Very long, endless, (literal meaning: Longer than a day without bread)	La espera se me hizo más larga que un día sin pan	The wait seemed endless to me
Pedirle peras al olmo	To ask for something impossible(literal meaning: To ask an elm tree for pears)	No le pidas que te preste dinero, es pedirle peras al olmo	Don’t ask him to lend you money, it’s like asking an elm tree for pears

8 Spanish Dishes That You Absolutely Need to Try in Spain

Eating in Spain is more than just satisfying hunger—it’s a social experience. Each region offers unique specialties, from “pulpo a la gallega” (Galician octopus) to “papas arrugadas” (wrinkled potatoes) from the Canary Islands. Here is a selection of dishes that you absolutely need to try while in Spain.

Spanish Dish	Description
Paella	A famous rice dish from Valencia, typically made with saffron, seafood, meats, and vegetables.
Tortilla Española	A Spanish omelet made with eggs and potatoes is often served as a tapa or main dish.
Gazpacho	A cold soup made from tomatoes, peppers, garlic, and bread, popular in summer.
Patatas Bravas	Fried potatoes are served with a spicy tomato sauce, commonly found in tapas bars.
Croquetas	Bite-sized balls filled with béchamel sauce and various ingredients like ham or chicken.
Pulpo a la Gallega	Octopus served on sliced potatoes, seasoned with paprika and olive oil, typical of Galicia.
Pimientos de Padrón	Small green peppers fried in olive oil and sprinkled with salt; some are spicy!
Gambas al Ajillo	Garlic shrimp cooked in olive oil is a popular tapa dish.

Conclusion: Learn Food Vocabulary With Jolii

As food feels immersive, learning Spanish with food words is cultural; such food words can be learned by watching The Great British Baking Show on Netflix and practicing your Spanish through subtitles and a native Spanish accent. You can import this show into Jolii and use it as your personalized Spanish language trainer.Download Jolii today and learn Spanish Food Words easily.