Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| comestibles | /komesˈtibles/ | masculine, plural |
| abarrotes | /abarotes/ (from spelling rules) | masculine, plural |
| compras | /ˈkompɾas/ | feminine, plural |
| alimentos | /aliˈmentos/ | masculine, plural |
| ultramarinos | /ultɾamaɾinos/ (from spelling rules) | masculine, plural |
| víveres | /ˈbibeɾes/ | masculine, plural |
| vituallas | /biˈtwaʝas/ | feminine, plural |
The term for groceries varies depending on whether you are referring to the food items themselves, the act of shopping or the supplies kept in a home. While comestibles and alimentos refer to food items, víveres is often used specifically for provisions or food supplies, such as those stockpiled for emergencies. In an informal context, you might refer to your collection of groceries at home as la despensa, which literally translates to pantry.
Which one should you use?
Comestibles and alimentos are general terms for food and groceries. Abarrotes is used specifically to mean groceries or a grocery store in certain regions. Víveres is used when the focus is on provisions or supplies. Compras refers to the groceries purchased, while vituallas is another term for provisions.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Abarrotes is the standard term used in Mexico and parts of Central America to refer to groceries or a grocery store.
How does it change in a sentence?
Comestibles, abarrotes, alimentos, ultramarinos and víveres are masculine plural nouns. Compras and vituallas are feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/komesˈtibles/
Did you know?
- The word ultramarinos is used in Spain for groceries and comes from the phrase 'beyond the seas'. It refers to the historical import of colonial goods like coffee and sugar.
- While comestibles means groceries, the adjective comestible is used in technical contexts to describe whether a non-food object is safe to eat.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, the phrase hacer la compra describes the act of getting groceries, but using the singular 'la compra' refers to the groceries themselves.
Examples in context
- Tom sabía dónde compró Mary sus alimentos.Tom knew where Mary bought her groceries.This sentence shows how to use alimentos to refer to groceries.Tatoeba #5665197 by arh, translation #5660300 by CK
- Apenas tengo dinero suficiente para comestibles.I barely have enough money for groceries.This sentence demonstrates the use of comestibles regarding money for groceries.Tatoeba #2295346 by marcelostockle, translation #2293496 by CK
- Miro para comprar comestibles todas las mañanas.I shop for groceries every morning.This sentence illustrates the use of comestibles when discussing shopping for groceries.Tatoeba #5148192 by albrusgher, translation #430013 by witbrock
- Necesito comprar algunos alimentos para la semana.I need to buy some groceries for the week.
- Voy a hacer la compra en el supermercado ahora mismo.I'm going to do the grocery shopping at the supermarket right now.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Daniel are planning their weekly shopping.
- LucíaDaniel, ¿necesitamos comprar más comestibles?Daniel, do we need to buy more groceries?
- DanielSí, ya no quedan comestibles en la cocina.Yes, there are no groceries left in the kitchen.
- LucíaHaré una lista de los comestibles que faltan.I will make a list of the missing groceries.
- DanielPerfecto, Lucía, yo iré al supermercado luego.Perfect, Lucía, I will go to the supermarket later.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “groceries” translations and entries comestibles, abarrotes, compras, alimentos, ultramarinos, víveres, vituallas, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
