ingesta
/inˈxesta/feminine
In Spanish, the English phrase 'intake' is translated as ingesta.
Ingesta is a formal term referring to the act of consuming or taking in something, particularly food or beverages.
Meaning: quantity taken in (noun)
Which one should you use?
While ingesta is a technical term for the act of taking something into the body, consumo is a more general term used for both eating/drinking and the general act of using or consuming goods and services.
How does it change in a sentence?
Ingesta is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/inˈxesta/
Did you know?
- The root of ingesta comes from the Latin ingere, which means 'to carry into'. This is a distant relative of the English word 'gestate', as both involve the idea of carrying or bearing something internally.
- While ingesta is used in medical or nutritional contexts, you would never use it to describe 'taking in' a new employee or 'taking in' a piece of information. For those concepts, Spanish uses entirely different verbs like incorporar or asimilar.
- While ingesta describes the amount taken in, the word ingestión refers to the process of swallowing. In English, both are often translated as 'ingestion', but in Spanish, using ingestión to describe a nutritional quantity would be a mistake.
Examples in context
- El nutricionista medirá su ingesta diaria de caloríasThe nutritionist will measure your daily calorie intake
- El último informe muestra un aumento en el consumo de tabacoThe latest report shows an increase in tobacco intake/consumption
- La admisión en el hospital requiere una evaluación médicaHospital intake requires a medical evaluation
- La incorporación al equipo de investigación requiere un riguroso proceso de selecciónIntake into the research team requires a rigorous selection process
- No he tenido buena ingesta de líquidos hoy, debería tomar más aguaI haven't had a good intake of liquids today, I should drink more water
- La ingesta de sal debe ser limitada.Salt intake should be limited.
- La ingesta de sal debe ser moderada.Salt intake should be moderate.
- Debes reducir la ingesta de azúcar.You must reduce your sugar intake.
- La ingesta diaria de agua es vital.Daily water intake is vital.
Example conversation
A nutritionist is giving advice to a client.
- MaríaDebes controlar tu ingesta de grasa.You must control your fat intake.
- MateoLo siento, María, será difícil.I am sorry, Maria, it will be difficult.
- MaríaPuedo ayudarte con un plan, Mateo.I can help you with a plan, Mateo.
- MateoGracias, me vendría muy bien.Thank you, it would be very helpful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “intake” translations and entries ingesta, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
