masticar
/mastiˈkaɾ/
To chomp in Spanish is masticar.
masticar is the verb used to describe the act of chewing. While the English word 'chomp' often implies a loud or heavy sound, masticar is a more neutral term for the physical action of chewing food. To express the specific idea of eating greedily, you might instead use the phrase comer con avidez.
Meaning: to bite or munch loudly or heavily (verb)
Which one should you use?
While 'chomp' in English suggests a heavy or audible sound, masticar is the standard, neutral verb for 'to chew' and does not inherently imply that loudness unless you provide more context in your sentence.
How does it change in a sentence?
The third-person singular preterite form (to say 'he/she chomped') is masticó. The gerund form, used for 'munching' or 'chomping', is masticando.
How do you pronounce it?
/mastiˈkaɾ/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the phrase masticar las palabras literally means 'to chew the words' and is used to describe someone who mumbles or speaks unclearly.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the act of masticar loudly is seen as a significant social faux pas that often leads to a sharp reprimand from elders.
- The Spanish word masticar is a direct cousin to the English word 'masticate'. While 'masticate' is rarely used in casual English conversation, it is the direct linguistic relative of the common Spanish verb.
Examples in context
- Él mordió la manzana y la saboreóHe chomped into the apple and savored it
- Él mordió con fuerza el sándwichHe chomped powerfully into the sandwich
- El perro zampó la carne en segundosThe dog chomped the meat in seconds
- Ella engulló la hamburguesa con avidezShe chomped down the burger eagerly
- Él masticaba la comida ruidosamente.He was chomping the food loudly.
- El niño no deja de masticar la manzana.The boy won't stop munching on the apple.
- Me gusta masticar el hielo cuando hace calor.I like to chomp on ice when it's hot.
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are eating snacks while watching a movie.
- DanielElena, no muerdas así, prefiero que mastiques lento.Elena, don't bite like that, I prefer you to chomp slowly.
- ElenaLo siento, Daniel, es que estas manzanas están ricas.Sorry, Daniel, it's just that these apples are delicious.
- DanielPero masticar así hace mucho ruido.But chomping like that makes a lot of noise.
- ElenaEstá bien, trataré de no hacer ruido.Alright, I will try not to make noise.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry masticar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries masticar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
