Food and eating out - CCEAGet started

Food plays an important part in Spanish culture. Revise vocabulary to talk about foods, discuss restaurants and cooking, and order meals.

Part ofSpanishLearning, lifestyle and culture

Get started

The Spanish usually eat much later than other Europeans, with lunch normally being eaten between 2pm and 4pm and dinner between 9pm and 11pm.

Here is some useful vocabulary to talk about meals:

el almuerzo/la comidalunch
la bebidadrink
la cenaevening meal
la comidameal/lunch
el desayunobreakfast
la meriendasnack
el primer plato/los entrantesstarter
el segundo plato/el plato principalmain course
el postredessert
el almuerzo/la comida
lunch
la bebida
drink
la cena
evening meal
la comida
meal/lunch
el desayuno
breakfast
la merienda
snack
el primer plato/los entrantes
starter
el segundo plato/el plato principal
main course
el postre
dessert
Hands taking tapas from table

Here are some useful verbs to talk about food:

almorzarto have lunch
beberto drink
cenarto have dinner
comerto eat
desayunarto have breakfast
merendarto have a snack
probarto taste/try
tener hambre/sedto be hungry/thirsty
tomarto take/have
almorzar
to have lunch
beber
to drink
cenar
to have dinner
comer
to eat
desayunar
to have breakfast
merendar
to have a snack
probar
to taste/try
tener hambre/sed
to be hungry/thirsty
tomar
to take/have

Question

Translate the following information about meal times into Spanish:

The biggest meal of the day is lunch, which is, normally, between two and three in the afternoon. There is a starter, for example, a soup, salad or vegetables; a main course with meat or fish and, then, a dessert. The drink is normally wine for the adults and water for the children.

Yesterday, I had dinner with my parents at a local restaurant. The food was delicious but very expensive. Next week, I would like to try Spanish food. My friend’s mum is from Malaga and she prepares paella every Saturday.

Next page
Get listening

More guides on this topic

Related links