Spanish · A1 · Everyday language
Food and drink in Spanish
Learn how to order food and drinks, express hunger, and handle the bill in a Spanish-speaking restaurant or cafe setting.
What you'll learn
- Express basic needs like hunger
- Order items politely using 'quisiera'
- Ask for common food items and the bill
- Understand how to express 'some' or 'any' in Spanish
Spanish phrases for food and drink
Tengo hambre.
I am hungry.
Literally 'I have hunger'.
Quisiera un poco de pan.
I would like some bread.
'Quisiera' is a polite way to say 'I would like'.
Un vaso de agua, por favor.
A glass of water, please.
A standard way to request a drink.
¿Tiene manzanas?
Do you have apples?
Uses the formal 'usted' form for 'tiene'.
Está delicioso.
It is delicious.
Use 'está' (not 'es') to describe the flavor of food.
No, gracias.
No, thank you.
A polite refusal.
¿Cuánto cuesta?
How much is it?
Used to ask for the price of an item.
La cuenta, por favor.
The bill, please.
Essential phrase for finishing a meal.
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El pan
Bread
A common staple in Spanish meals.
El agua
Water
Note that 'agua' is feminine but uses 'el' in the singular.
La manzana
Apple
A common fruit term.
La cuenta
The bill/check
Used specifically in restaurants.
Expressing 'Some' and 'Any'
In Spanish, 'some' is often expressed by 'un poco de' (a bit of) for uncountable things or 'algunos/algunas' for countable items. Often, the word is simply omitted.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Uncountable (Some) | Un poco de | Quiero un poco de leche. (I want some milk.) |
| Countable (Some) | Algunos / Algunas | Tengo algunas manzanas. (I have some apples.) |
| Negative (Any) | No + [noun] | No tengo pan. (I don't have any bread.) |
More examples
¿Tiene algún jugo?
Do you have any juice?
In questions, 'algún' can act like 'any'.
Quisiera un poco de café.
I would like some coffee.
Using 'un poco de' for a liquid.
No tengo hambre.
I am not hungry.
Negating the 'Tengo hambre' phrase.