You can spend years studying a language and end up having problems understanding native speakers. This is because native speakers mostly use everyday language or colloquial language. Talking about food is no different. Due to this, we can create a group named: colloquial Spanish food vocabulary.
Food is very important in Spanish culture and consequently, they posses a large food related vocabulary. For this reason, if you really want to get along with someone in Spain, talk about food, they love their food! But above all, if you truly want to make them happy, speak their language colloquially!
Below, I put together some of the most common colloquial Spanish food vocabulary, including expressions, nouns and verbs.
CONTENTS
Spanish Food Vocabulary: Expressions
COMER DE GORRA
Literal translation: To eat of hat.
Meaning: To eat for free.
Example
- Hoy he comido de gorra, mi jefe ha pagado la comida.
COMER COMO UN CERDO, PONERSE HASTA EL CULO O PONERSE LAS BOTAS
Literal translation:
- To eat like a pig.
- To put yourself until the butt or the boots on.
Meaning: To pig out.
Examples
- Siempre como como un cerdo en casa de mi madre.
- Me he puesto hasta el culo de gambas.
- Me puse las botas en el buffet.
ESTAR PIRIPI
Literal translation: To be piripi.
Meaning: To be drunk.
Example
- Con solo dos cervezas ya estoy piripi.
ESTAR BORRACHO COMO UNA CUBA
Literal translation: To be drunk as a barrel.
Meaning: To be drunk as a skunk.
Example
- Ha bebido mucho en la fiesta, está borracho como una cuba.
ESTAR DE MUERTE, ESTAR PARA CHUPARSE LOS DEDOS O ESTAR DE RECHUPETE
Literal translation:
- To be of death or of rechupete.
- To be for licking the fingers.
Meaning:
- To be out of this world.
- To be finger lickin’ good.
- A meal is exquisite.
Examples
- Esta paella está de muerte.
- La tortilla de patata que me hizo mi madre estaba para chuparse los dedos.
- El cocido está de rechupete.
IR/SE DE TAPAS O CAÑAS
Literal translation: To go of tapas or cañas.
Meaning: To go around the bars and have some tapas and cañas.
Example
- ¡Vámonos de tapas/cañas por Barcelona!
SALIR DE TAPAS O CAÑAS
Literal translation: To go out of tapas or cañas.
Meaning: To go around the bars and have some tapas and cañas.
Example
- ¿Quieres salir de tapas/cañas por Barcelona?
TOMAR EL VERMUT O VERMÚ
Literal translation: To drink the vermouth.
Meaning: To get a snack before the big meal of the day (around 2-3pm). Normally a drink with tapas.
Example
- Vamos al bar a tomar el vermut/vermú
Spanish Food Vocabulary: Nouns
EL BOCATA
Meaning: A sandwich.
Example
- Me encantan los bocatas de lomo.
EL BOTELLÓN
Meaning: Drinking in the street.
Example
- Esos chicos siempre hacen botellón en el parque.
LA TAJADA
Meaning: Smashed, wasted, blotted, drunk, plastered or blacked out.
Example
- Menuda tajada que lleva ese chico después de beberse toda la sangría.
EL TAPEO
Meaning: Eating tapas.
Example
- ¡Vámonos de tapeo!
LA BIRRA
Meaning: A beer.
Example
- Quiero una birra.
EL CUBATA
Meaning: A rum and coke cocktail.
Example
- Prefiero un cubata a una birra.
Spanish Food Vocabulary: Verbs
TAPEAR
Meaning: To eat tapas in a bar.
Example
- Tapeo todos los fines de semana con mis amigos.
JALAR
Meaning: To eat when you are starving.
Example
- ¡Vamos a jalar que me muero de hambre!
Final Thoughts
I encourage you to get familiar with colloquial Spanish food vocabulary to make your cultural immersion and language learning experience easier.
I advise you to not get obsessed with the way you speak a language. Normally, people during their everyday life do not really speak strictly formal, or use what is considered grammatically correct. For this reason, you also need to learn the colloquial way.
Besides attending courses, practicing with native speakers is essential. Thus, you will learn the “real language”, all the words and expressions that people use in their daily lives.
Colloquial Spanish is one part of the language we focus on with our online Spanish classes. We want you to get the real experience of what it is like to talk as a Spanish speaker. In addition, make your Spanish cultural adventure much simpler and enjoyable.
Now, I would love to hear from you.
- Had you ever heard this vocabulary before?
- What other colloquial Spanish food vocabulary do you know?
Share your answers in the comment section below!
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