¿qué hay de comer?
/ˈke ˈai de koˈmeɾ/word by word
The English phrase "what is there to eat?" is translated into Spanish as ¿qué hay de comer?
This phrase is used to ask what food is available for a meal. It is most commonly used in a domestic setting, such as a child asking a parent what is being prepared for a meal.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of qué (what), hay (there is/are), de (of/for) and comer (to eat).
Which one should you use?
You may also use the variation ¿qué hay para comer? Replacing de with para is a common and natural variation that carries the same meaning.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb hay is the impersonal form of haber and does not change based on whether the food being discussed is singular or plural.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈke ˈai de koˈmeɾ/
Did you know?
- The word hay originally comes from a combination of the word for 'has' and the word for 'there'. It is a linguistic relative of the French phrase il y a.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, asking ¿qué hay de comer? is not just a question about the menu but a common way to signal that you are hungry and ready to eat.
- Spanish has the word picoteo to describe the act of eating small bits of food between meals, a concept that doesn't have a single direct equivalent in English.
Examples in context
- Llego tarde, ¿qué hay de comer?I am arriving late, what is there to eat?
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are at home in the kitchen in the evening.
- LucíaHola Javier, ¿qué hay de comer?Hi Javier, what is there to eat?
- JavierHay sopa de verduras, Lucía.There is vegetable soup, Lucía.
- LucíaPerfecto, me encanta la sopa.Perfect, I love soup.
- JavierEntonces, siéntate a la mesa.Then, sit down at the table.
