comer
/koˈmeɾ/
The Spanish phrase for "eat food" is comer.
This phrase is used to describe the act of consuming food by chewing and swallowing it.
How do you pronounce it?
/koˈmeɾ/
Did you know?
- The phrase comerse el coco literally means 'to eat the coconut' but is used idiomatically to mean 'to overthink something' or 'to obsess'.
- While comer is the standard verb, in some informal contexts, people use the word picar to describe eating small amounts of food or snacking between meals. It literally means 'to peck' like a bird.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, comer is used specifically to mean 'to have lunch', rather than just the general act of eating.
Examples in context
- No debo comer alimentos que contengan azúcar.I shouldn't eat food that has sugar in it.This sentence is useful for illustrating how to use comer when discussing food restrictions.Tatoeba #536694 by Leono, translation #252307 by CK
- Por favor, coma usted la comida.Please, eat the food.
- Por favor, coma usted la comida que le hemos preparado con cariño.Please, eat the food we have prepared for you with love.
- Come la deliciosa comida casera que te preparé.Eat the delicious home-cooked food I made for you.
- Tenga la bondad de comer la comida antes de que se enfríe.Kindly eat the food before it gets cold.
- Ponte a comer, que esta comida está para chuparse los dedos.Get to eating, this food is finger-licking good.
- Necesito comer algo ahora.I need to eat something now.
- Es hora de comer.It is time to eat.
Example conversation
María and Mateo are talking in the kitchen.
- MaríaMateo, ¿estás listo para comer?Mateo, are you ready to eat?
- MateoSí, tengo mucha hambre.Yes, I am very hungry.
- MaríaVamos a comer en la mesa.Let's eat at the table.
- MateoPerfecto, la comida huele muy bien.Perfect, the food smells very good.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry comer, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
