Food and drink, and shopping (Edexcel GCSE Spanish): Revision Notes
Food and drink, and shopping
This topic covers essential vocabulary for discussing food, drinks, and shopping in Spanish. You'll need to know these words for describing meals, ordering in restaurants, and shopping for clothes and other items.
Food and drink vocabulary
Understanding food and drink vocabulary is crucial for everyday conversations in Spanish. Pay attention to the gender of nouns - this affects the articles and adjectives you use with them.
Gender in Spanish Nouns
Every Spanish noun has a gender (masculine or feminine). This is essential to learn because it determines which articles (el/la, un/una) and adjective endings you use. In the tables below, (m) indicates masculine nouns and (f) indicates feminine nouns.
Basic foods and meals
| Spanish | English | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| agua | water | (f) |
| almuerzo | lunch | (m) |
| arroz | rice | (m) |
| azúcar | sugar | (m) |
| carne | meat | (f) |
| cena | dinner | (f) |
| chocolate | chocolate | (m) |
| fruta | fruit | (f) |
| huevo | egg | (m) |
| pan | bread | (m) |
Worked Example: Using Food Vocabulary in Sentences
- El almuerzo está listo - Lunch is ready
- Me gusta la fruta fresca - I like fresh fruit
- ¿Quieres agua o leche? - Do you want water or milk?
Notice how the articles (el/la) match the gender of the nouns.
Drinks and beverages
| Spanish | English | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| bebida | drink/beverage | (f) |
| café | coffee/café | (m) |
| leche | milk | (f) |
| té | tea | (m) |
| bocadillo | sandwich | (m) |
| botella | bottle | (f) |
Cooking and eating actions
Understanding these action verbs will help you describe cooking and eating activities in Spanish.
| Spanish | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| cocinar | to cook | |
| comer | to eat | |
| beber | to drink | |
| servir | to serve | |
| gustar | pleasure/taste | Used with "me gusta" |
Special Note: The Verb "Gustar"
The verb gustar works differently from English "to like." Instead of saying "I like," you say "it pleases me" (me gusta). This is why we say me gusta la comida (literally: "the food pleases me") rather than trying to translate "I like" directly.
Worked Example: Action Verbs in Context
- Mi madre cocina muy bien - My mother cooks very well
- Vamos a comer en el restaurante - We're going to eat at the restaurant
- Me gusta beber té por la mañana - I like to drink tea in the morning
Restaurant vocabulary
When dining out, these terms will help you navigate restaurant experiences effectively.
| Spanish | English | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| restaurante | restaurant | (m) |
| cuenta | bill/account | (f) |
| entrante | starter | (m) |
| plato | plate/course | (m) |
| postre | dessert | (m) |
| tenedor | fork | (m) |
| cuchillo | knife | (m) |
| cuchara | spoon | (f) |
Shopping vocabulary
Shopping vocabulary includes clothing items, shop types, and actions related to buying and selling. Remember that many clothing items have specific genders in Spanish.
Clothing and accessories
| Spanish | English | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| ropa | clothes | (f) |
| camiseta | T-shirt | (f) |
| sombrero | hat | (m) |
| zapato | shoe | (m) |
| vestido | dress | (m) |
| zapatillas de deporte | trainers | (fpl) |
| traje | suit/costume | (m) |
| talla | size of clothing | (f) |
Worked Example: Shopping for Clothes
- Esta camiseta es muy cara - This T-shirt is very expensive
- ¿Qué talla necesitas? - What size do you need?
- Me gustan estos zapatos - I like these shoes
Shopping actions and terms
These essential shopping verbs will help you navigate any shopping situation.
| Spanish | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| comprar | to buy | |
| vender | to sell | |
| costar | to cost | |
| pagar | to pay | |
| probar | to try on | |
| ahorrar | to save (money/time/energy) |
Money and prices
| Spanish | English | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| dinero | money | (m) |
| euro | euro | (m) |
| precio | price | (m) |
| barato/a | cheap | adj |
| caro/a | expensive | adj |
| tarjeta | credit card | (f) |
Worked Example: Money and Pricing
- ¿Cuánto cuesta esta bolsa? - How much does this bag cost?
- Es demasiado caro para mí - It's too expensive for me
- Voy a pagar con tarjeta - I'm going to pay by card
Shop types and shopping locations
| Spanish | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| cliente | customer | (m/f) |
| marca | brand/mark | (f) |
| moda | fashion | (f) |
| rebajas | sales | (fpl) |
| conjunto | outfit | (m) |
Shopping Culture Tip
In Spanish-speaking countries, las rebajas (sales) are major shopping events, typically occurring after Christmas and in summer. Learning these shopping terms will help you take advantage of great deals!
Translation practice
Translation Practice Exercise
Spanish to English:
- Voy a comprar una camiseta nueva en las rebajas
- ¿Te gusta este restaurante? La comida está muy buena
English to Spanish:
- I need to buy bread and milk
- The shoes are too expensive
Answers:
- I'm going to buy a new T-shirt in the sales
- Do you like this restaurant? The food is very good
- Necesito comprar pan y leche
- Los zapatos son demasiado caros
Pronunciation tips
Key Pronunciation Rules
- ll in cuchillo sounds like 'y' in English
- ñ in baño sounds like 'ny'
- rr in ahorrar is a rolled 'r' sound
- Silent h in words like huevo
Mastering these pronunciation patterns will significantly improve your spoken Spanish!
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
- Gender matters - learn nouns with their articles (el/la) to remember if they're masculine or feminine
- Adjectives agree - words like caro/cara change ending to match the gender of the noun
- Common phrases - memorise key shopping phrases like ¿Cuánto cuesta? (How much does it cost?)
- Plurals - add -s to words ending in vowels, -es to words ending in consonants
- Practice daily - use these words when describing your meals and shopping trips to help memorisation