How to Say "Have You Eaten?" in Spanish

¿ya comiste?

The English phrase "have you eaten?" can be translated into Spanish as ¿ya comiste?

This phrase is a question used to ask if someone has already had a meal. While English uses the present perfect ("have you eaten"), Spanish speakers frequently use the simple past to express this same idea.

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase literally translates to "already you ate".

Is it said differently in some regions?

In some regions, especially in Latin America, it is common to use the past tense ¿Ya comiste? to ask if someone has eaten informally. In some Latin American countries like Mexico, people might specifically ask ¿Ya almorzaste? to refer to the midday meal.

How does it change in a sentence?

The phrase ¿ya comiste? uses the informal "tú" form, whereas ¿ya ha comido? uses the formal "usted" form. If you want to ask specifically about dinner, you can use ¿Ya has cenado?

When do people say it?

In many Spanish-speaking cultures, asking ¿ya comiste? is a common way to show care or affection, similar to a greeting. If someone asks you this, common responses include "Sí, ya comí" (Yes, I already ate) or "No, todavía no" (No, not yet).

Did you know?

Using the simple past ¿ya comiste? instead of the present perfect ¿ya has comido? is a distinct regional marker that separates most Latin American dialects from Peninsular Spanish.
Because food is central to hospitality, failing to answer ¿ya comiste? with a detailed response can sometimes be perceived as cold or dismissive.
The word ya shares a common ancestor with the Italian word già, both tracing back to the Latin iam.

Examples in context

Buenas tardes, señora Martínez. ¿Ha comido usted?
Good afternoon, Mrs. Martínez. Have you eaten?
Don Roberto, ¿ya has comido?
Mr. Roberto, have you eaten already?
Disculpe, ¿ha tenido la oportunidad de comer?
Excuse me, have you had the chance to eat?
Hola Juan, ¿has comido?
Hi Juan, have you eaten?
Mamá, ¿ya comiste?
Mom, have you eaten already?
Tomás, ¿ya has cenado?
Tomás, have you had dinner already?

Example conversation

Lucía and Javier are talking on the phone during a lunch break.

Lucía

Hola Javier, ¿ya comiste?
Hi Javier, have you eaten already?
Javier

No, todavía no he tenido tiempo.
No, I haven't had time yet.
Lucía

Entonces, ¿quieres ir a un restaurante conmigo?
Then, do you want to go to a restaurant with me?
Javier

Sí, me parece una excelente idea.
Yes, that sounds like an excellent idea.

Sources

Word origins: Wiktionary entries ya, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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How to Say “Have You Eaten?” in Spanish