pedido
/peˈdido/
The Spanish word for ordering (in the sense of a commercial request) is pedido.
pedido refers to the act of requesting goods or services from a supplier. To express the action of 'placing an order' or 'making an order', use the phrase hacer un pedido.
What does it mean word for word?
pedido is the past participle of the verb pedir (to ask for or request), literally meaning 'that which has been asked for'.
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish pedido from orden. While orden can mean an order in the sense of a command or a sequence, pedido is the specific term used for a commercial order of goods or services.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of pedido is pedidos.
How do you pronounce it?
/peˈdido/
Did you know?
- Because pedido comes from the Latin 'petere', it shares an ancient connection with words like 'flight' or 'falling', describing the original motion of a request 'falling' upon someone.
- In some Latin American contexts, if you use the word orden to mean a commercial order, it might sound like you are issuing a military command rather than a shopping request.
- While pedido is the standard term for a commercial order, the verb pedir is also used colloquially in many countries to mean 'to ask for a favor' or 'to ask for a ride'.
Examples in context
- El pedido está en camino.The order is on its way.
- El pedido llegó muy tarde.The order arrived very late.
- ¿Puedo revisar mi pedido, por favor?Can I check my order, please?
- Tengo un pedido pendiente de la tienda.I have an order pending from the store.
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are at a cafe checking a delivery.
- Daniel¿Ya llegó el pedido de la comida?Has the food order arrived yet?
- SofíaNo, todavía no veo el pedido.No, I don't see the order yet.
- DanielVoy a llamar para confirmar el pedido.I am going to call to confirm the order.
- SofíaGracias, Daniel, eso sería de gran ayuda.Thanks, Daniel, that would be a great help.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry pedido, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pedido, CC BY-SA 4.0.
