Food and drink (Edexcel GCSE Spanish): Revision Notes
Food and drink
Essential food vocabulary
Understanding food vocabulary is crucial for expressing preferences and discussing meals in Spanish. Here are the key terms you need to know:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el arroz | rice |
| el chocolate | chocolate |
| el entrante | starter |
| el helado | ice cream |
| el huevo | egg |
| el pescado | fish |
| el postre | dessert |
| el queso | cheese |
| la carne | meat |
| la hamburguesa | burger |
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la mesa | table |
| la naranja | orange |
| la paella | paella |
| la pasta | pasta |
| la tortilla | omelette |
| las tapas | tapas |
| principal | main |
| reservar | to reserve, book |
| el plato | plate, dish, course |
Example sentences in context
- Me gusta mucho el chocolate español. (I really like Spanish chocolate.)
- ¿Quieres compartir una paella? (Do you want to share a paella?)
- El pescado está muy rico hoy. (The fish is very tasty today.)
- Vamos a reservar una mesa para dos. (We're going to book a table for two.)
Learning Strategy: Try grouping vocabulary by meal type (entrantes, principal, postre) or by your personal preferences. This makes the words more memorable and practical for real conversations.
Using "gustar" correctly
The verb gustar works differently from English "to like". In Spanish, the thing you like is the subject, and you are the object. Think of it as "something pleases me" rather than "I like something".
Key Concept: With gustar, the thing being liked is the grammatical subject, not the person doing the liking. This is why the verb form changes based on whether you like one thing (gusta) or multiple things (gustan).
Key patterns to remember
For singular nouns or verbs:
- Me gusta el pescado. (I like fish.)
- Me gusta cocinar. (I like cooking.)
For plural nouns:
- Me gustan las naranjas. (I like oranges.)
All persons with "gustar"
When talking about different people's likes and dislikes:
| Person | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I like | me gusta(n) | Me gusta la paella |
| you like (informal) | te gusta(n) | Te gustan los huevos |
| he/she likes | le gusta(n) | Le gusta el chocolate |
| we like | nos gusta(n) | Nos gusta la carne |
| you like (plural) | os gusta(n) | Os gustan las tapas |
| they like | les gusta(n) | Les gusta el helado |
Using "encantar"
Encantar (to love/adore) follows exactly the same pattern as gustar:
- Me encanta la paella. (I love paella.)
- Me encantan los pasteles. (I love cakes.)
Common restaurant phrases
Learning these expressions will help you navigate restaurant situations with confidence:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ¿Qué vas a tomar? | What are you going to have? |
| ¿Qué hay en...? | What is there in...? |
| Quisiera... | I would like... |
| Me gustaría... | I would like... |
| Soy alérgico/a a... | I'm allergic to... |
Example restaurant dialogue
- ¿Tomamos entrantes? (Shall we have starters?)
- Buena idea. Como plato principal, voy a tomar una tortilla de queso. (Good idea. As a main course, I'm going to have a cheese omelette.)
- ¿No quieres compartir una paella? (Don't you want to share a paella?)
- No me gusta mucho el pescado. (I don't really like fish.)
Practical Tip: Notice how the dialogue flows naturally from suggestions to responses. Practice these conversational patterns rather than just memorising individual phrases.
Exam listening strategies
When tackling listening exercises about food and restaurants, these strategies will help you maximise your performance:
Before listening
Preparation is key: Read the questions carefully to understand what information you need. Predict possible answers based on the context and look for key vocabulary that might appear.
- Read the questions carefully to understand what information you need
- Predict possible answers based on the context
- Look for key vocabulary that might appear
During listening
Stay calm and focused: Listen three times - you'll hear each extract multiple times in the exam. Write notes during pauses between listenings. Don't panic if you miss something - you have multiple chances.
- Listen three times - you'll hear each extract multiple times in the exam
- Write notes during pauses between listenings
- Don't panic if you miss something - you have multiple chances
Key exam tip
Listen for context, not just words: You won't always hear straightforward statements. For example, instead of hearing "We like dessert", you might hear someone suggest having dessert, and then another person agrees. Listen for the overall meaning, not just individual words.
Practice translation exercises
Translation Practice: Food and Preferences
Spanish to English:
- Me gustan las hamburguesas pero no me gusta el pescado.
- ¿Quieres compartir una tortilla de queso?
English to Spanish:
- I would like to book a table for four people.
- We love Spanish food, especially paella.
Answers:
- I like burgers but I don't like fish.
- Do you want to share a cheese omelette?
- Quisiera reservar una mesa para cuatro personas.
- Nos encanta la comida española, especialmente la paella.
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
- Gustar works backwards from English - the thing you like is the subject
- Use "gusta" with singular nouns and "gustan" with plural nouns
- Learn food vocabulary in groups (starters, mains, desserts) to help memorisation
- Practice restaurant role-plays to build confidence with real situations
- Listen for context clues in exam questions, not just direct statements