comer
/koˈmeɾ/
To eat in Spanish is comer.
Comer means to put food into the mouth and swallow it. It is also frequently used to mean 'to have a meal', such as lunch or dinner, rather than just the physical act of chewing and swallowing.
Which one should you use?
While comer can be used for eating in a general sense, Spanish often employs specific verbs for particular meals: desayunar for eating breakfast, almorzar for eating lunch and cenar for eating dinner.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina and Uruguay, merendar is used specifically to mean having an afternoon snack. In Spain and parts of Latin America, cenar is used to signify having dinner or the evening meal.
How does it change in a sentence?
Comer is a regular -er verb, which means its conjugation follows the standard pattern for verbs ending in -er. Common forms include como (I eat), comes (you eat), come (he/she eats), comemos (we eat), coméis (you all eat) and comen (they eat).
How do you pronounce it?
/koˈmeɾ/
Did you know?
- Spanish uses comer in the idiomatic expression comerse el coco, which literally means 'to eat one's coconut' but actually means to overthink something or obsess over a problem.
- The expression comerse a alguien a besos literally translates to 'eating someone with kisses' and is used to describe showering someone with affection.
- A common slang phrase comerse un marrón means to take the blame for something or to deal with a tedious task that nobody else wants.
Examples in context
- No vas a comer.You're not going to eat.This sentence shows the use of comer in a negative future context.Tatoeba #4767299 by cueyayotl, translation #4767440 by rebeccadeho
- Me voy a comer.I'm about to eat.This sentence shows how to express an intention to comer.Tatoeba #12892824 by ecorralest101, translation #3665189 by CK
- Sé qué no comer.I know what not to eat.This sentence shows how to express knowledge regarding what not to comer.Tatoeba #4398469 by pchamorro, translation #2376307 by CK
- Me gusta comer frutas y verduras.I like to eat fruits and vegetables.
- Es importante alimentarse correctamente para mantenerse saludable.It is important to eat properly to stay healthy.
- Vamos a comer pizza esta noche.Let's eat pizza tonight.
- ¿Quieres merendar unos bizcochos?Do you want to have some pastries for your afternoon snack?
- Me gusta cenar temprano para no irme a la cama con el estómago lleno.I like to have dinner early so I don't go to bed with a full stomach.
- 588 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are deciding on lunch.
- Mateo¿Tienes hambre, Lucía?Are you hungry, Lucía?
- LucíaSí, quiero comer algo.Yes, I want to eat something.
- MateoVamos a comer en el restaurante.Let's go eat at the restaurant.
- Lucía¡Perfecto, Mateo!Perfect, Mateo!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry comer, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
