Ordering Pizza in Spanish: A Vocab Guide for Kids
Happy National Pizza Day! Today I’m paying homage to your kids’ favorite meal and chosen dish for weekends, birthdays, and special occasions. In this blog post, I’m teaching you all there is to know about ordering pizza in Spanish like a native speaker.
Everybody loves pizza. It’s a dish that brings us together during its preparation and a meal that tastes better when shared. Join me as I give you a list of useful phrases, vocabulary, and pizza related activities ideal for teaching and practicing conversational Spanish with your children and students.
How to Ask for Pizza in Spanish
Whether you’re ordering over the phone, sitting at a fancy pizzería, or preparing your own at home—knowing the basics is key for this fun lesson. Like in the English-speaking world, pizza in Spanish also comes in a variety of presentations and sizes. Let’s take a look at a few phrases you can use for when you feel like having some pizza in Spanish:
Quisiera ordenar una pizza por favor.
I would like to order a pizza please.
¿Quieren pedir pizza?
Do you want to order pizza?
Hagamos pizza para cenar.
Let’s make pizza for dinner.
Se me antoja una pizza.
I’m craving pizza.
¿Sabes preparar pizza?
Can you prepare pizza?
Me encanta la pizza.
I love pizza.
English | Spanish |
slice | la rebanada de pizza |
personal sized | la pizza personal |
pizza to share | la pizza para compartir |
small size | la pizza pequeña |
medium size | la pizza mediana |
large pizza | la pizza grande |
extra large pizza | la pizza extra grande |
two for one pizza | la pizza dos por uno |
half price pizza | la pizza a mitad de precio |
specialty pizza | la pizza de especialidad |
one ingredient pizza | la pizza de un ingrediente |
vegetarian pizza | la pizza vegetariana |
vegan pizza | la pizza vegana |
gluten-free pizza | la pizza sin gluten |
Pizza Dough and Crust
Remember pizza is an Italian dish, so no matter if it’s in English or Spanish; we’re all taking from the Italian techniques and varieties. Spanish language also borrows americanismos and italianismos, especially when it comes to food, so don’t be surprised if vocabulary stays the same or is similar. Let’s face it—pizza in Spanish-speaking countries is made exactly the same way it’s made all over the world.
An important element of pizza is la masa (dough) and la corteza or la orilla (crust). A great pizza has a great crust. It doesn’t matter if it’s in Spanish or English, all pizza should have a crispy and yummy crust!
For making standard pizza dough, you require a few basic ingredients like agua (water), levadura (yeast), harina de trigo (wheat flour), azúcar (sugar), aceite de oliva (olive oil), and sal (salt). You can add extra spices to the dough such as romero (rosemary), oregano (oregano), and albahaca (basil).
Teach your kids how to make masa de pizza in Spanish following this step-by-step recipe.
Now you’ve got the main ingredient down, you can focus on the unique ways the crust is presented. Let’s take a look at dough and crust related vocabulary.
English | Spanish |
thin crust | la masa delgada |
thick crust | la pan pizza / pizza de masa gruesa |
stuffed crust | la orilla de queso |
crust | la corteza / masa |
brick oven pizza | la pizza al horno de leña |
deep dish pizza | la pizza estilo deep dish |
New York style pizza | la pizza estilo Nueva York |
cauliflower crust | la pizza de coliflor |
Me gusta la pizza de masa delgada.
I like thin crust pizza.
Quiero mi pizza con orilla de queso por favor.
I want my pizza with cheese stuffed crust please.
La pizza al horno de leña es mi favorita.
Brick oven pizza is my favorite.
Me fascina el queso, quiero una pizza estilo deep dish.
I love cheese, I want a deep dish pizza.
No me gusta la pizza de masa gruesa.
I don’t like pizza with a thick crust.
Quiero una rodaja de pizza estilo Nueva York.
I want a slice of New York pizza.
Soy alérgica al gluten, quisiera mi pizza de coliflor.
I’m allergic to gluten, I’d like my pizza with cauliflower crust.
Say Cheese and Salsa!
There’s so many options for you to make your pizza in Spanish extra cheesy, saucy, and delicious. From choosing traditional style salsa to adding quirky things like barbeque, or in the case of Guatemala you’ll find a Chapina-styled pizza with frijoles instead of sauce. Perfect for those who dare to try new things!
The bottom line is pizza leaves room for all tastes! A few types of cheeses and salsa names you need to have down for placing your order of pizza in Spanish are:
English | Spanish |
cheese | el queso |
sauce | la salsa |
mozzarella cheese | el queso mozzarella |
cheddar cheese | el queso cheddar |
provolone cheese | el queso provolone |
pecorino cheese | el queso pecorino |
parmesan cheese | el queso parmesano |
blue cheese | el queso azul |
goat cheese | el queso de cabra |
four-cheese pizza | la pizza cuatro quesos |
gouda cheese | el queso gouda |
ricotta cheese | el queso ricota |
classic sauce | la salsa clásica |
marinara sauce | la salsa marinara |
homemade sauce | la salsa casera |
mushroom sauce | la salsa con hongos |
bolognese sauce | la salsa boloñesa |
bechamel sauce | la salsa bechamel |
pesto | la salsa pesto |
balsamic vinegar / glaze | el vinagre balsámico / glaseado balsámico |
barbeque sauce | la salsa barbacoa |
hot sauce | la salsa picante |
A World of Never-ending Toppings
Now you’ve got the crust, sauce, and cheeses down; it’s time for the part that makes any pizza truly special! There’s a variety of colorful toppings and ingredients that just don’t seem to end, especially with the new trend of extravagant creative presentations you’ll find at any pizzería. This list of ingredients is ideal for making your pizza in Spanish extra savory with spices, cold cuts, vegetables, and meats.
English | Spanish |
ham | el jamón |
pineapple | la piña |
green bell pepper | el chile pimiento / pimiento verde |
olives | las aceitunas |
anchovies | las anchoas |
tomato | el tomate |
italian sausage | la salchicha italiana |
baloney | el boloni / mortadela |
ground beef | la carne molida |
onion | la cebolla |
pepperoni | el pepperoni |
artichoke | la alcachofa |
arugula | la arugula |
spinach | la espinaca |
chicken | el pollo |
shrimp | los camarones |
mushrooms | los hongos |
bacon | el tocino |
garlic | el ajo |
jalapeño / chipotle / habanero pepper | el chile jalapeño / chile chipotle / chile habanero |
Placing your Pizza Order
The time’s come for you and your students to practice lessons learned. Let’s see some vocabulary in action applied to conversations.
Ordering Pizza Over the Phone
Operador: ¡Hola! ¿Puedo tomar su orden?
Tú: Si porfavor, quiero pedir una pizza para la dirección 123 Calle Smith.
Operador: ¿De qué tamaño e ingredientes desea su pizza?
Tú: Quiero una pizza mediana, con queso mozzarella y queso parmesano, tocino, alcachofa y aceitunas.
Operador: Perfecto, ¿quisiera agregar algo más?
Tú: Sí, por favor, quiero mi pizza con masa delgada y con extra de salsa.
Operador: Gracias por su orden, su total es de $8.00. El repartidor lo visitará en 30 minutos.
Operator: Hello! Can I take your order?
You: Yes please, I’d like to order a pizza for 123 Smith Street.
Operator: What size and ingredients would you like?
You: I’d like a medium pizza, with mozzarella and parmesan cheese, bacon, artichokes, and olives.
Operator: Perfect, would you like to add anything else?
You: Yes please, I’d like my pizza with a thin crust and extra sauce.
Operator: Thank you for your order, your total is $8.00. The delivery man will be there in 30 minutes.
Ordering Pizza at a Restaurant
Mesero: Bienvenidos, me gustaría recomendarles nuestra especialidad hawaiana con pollo y barbacoa ¿qué desean ordenar?
Tú: Hola, queremos compartir una pizza mediana. Con masa delgada, queso provolone y parmesano, anchoas, pepperoni y cebolla.
Mesero: Listo, ¿desean ordenar algo de tomar?
Server: Welcome, I’d like to recommend our hawaian special with chicken and barbecue. What would you like to order?
You: Hi, we’d like to share a medium pizza. With thin crust, provolone and parmesan cheese, anchovies, pepperoni, and onions.
Server: All set, would you like anything to drink?
Fun Activities for Practicing
Learning all about pizza in Spanish is an engaging and practical way of getting your kids and students comfortable with conversational skills, likes, and dislikes. I’ve put together a list of activities you can include in your homeschool curriculum or if you want to spice up the Spanish classes for your little ones.
Soy una Pizza
Ideal for Preschool and Elementary students
Kick off a practice round with the little ones by learning and singing the words of the song Soy una Pizza by Michelle Diamond.
The lyrics allow the student to learn more about the ingredients they like and don’t like in their pizza and introduces the concept of con or sin (with or without). For completing this hands-on activity, you need to follow these steps:
- Teach the song with plenty of emotion and have the student draw their ideal pizza, have them use the ingredients in the song or give them a list from the topping vocabulary table.
- Use pictures to talk about different styles of pizza in Spanish, a takeout menu with photos can come in handy.
- Compare each other’s pizza to spot similarities and differences. For example, asking your students if the pizza is sin jamón (without ham), con anchoas (with anchovies), or con todo (with everything).
- Finish off with a sing-along and sharing stories about people wanting funky and quirky ingredients on their pizza.
Pizza Party
Ideal for Middle School and High School
Get teenagers involved by hosting a pizza party and cooking class! Have each student select a recipe in English for their favorite pizza type. Get all the ingredients and do everything from scratch, from the dough, to the salsa, to putting all the toppings together. Have each student rewrite the recipe of the pizza in Spanish and present their creation to the class! I recommend this activity for a small classroom or if you’re homeschooling your children.
If you want to make it extra and have a larger classroom, you can set up a scavenger hunt at the supermarket. Divide your class into teams and your students can source the ingredients following a list in Spanish. First team to complete the list gets to choose what pizza recipe to make for the whole class. Enjoy and taste your rewarding creations together.
Pizza Mix and Match
Ideal for Spanish students any age
A good old game of mixing and matching never gets old! Prepare a set of 12 to 20 flashcards, on the first half you need to write the names of the ingredients in Spanish and on the other half you need to add pictures of the ingredients of your choice. Lay the cards down and have the student mix and match each ingredient to the name in Spanish. Using flashcards works perfect at any level, it’s a great way to memorize and practice vocabulary. You can hand-make your own flashcards or print out this set for your use.
Build your Own Pizza
Ideal for Elementary students
Prepare some templates and get your students ready to practice vocabulary with a build your own pizza activity! You’ll need the following material:
- A piece of paper with a six-slice pizza for the students to cut and color.
- A selection of pictures of actual size ingredients for the student to cut and color, divide these into carnes (meats), vegetales (vegetables), especias (spices), and extras (cheese, sauces, and more.
- A step-by-step script on how to order a pizza in Spanish.
Divide the students in pairs and have them take orders from each other, following the script you gave them. Each pair should recreate each other’s orders using the cutouts. Allow them to use as many ingredients as possible to practice their understanding of vocabulary, each pair should present each other’s pizza using appropriate vocabulary, and a creative name for it to go on the class pizza menu.
Download FREE Spanish Pizza Ingredients Flashcards and Board Game!
Type your name and email below to get 14 amazing pizza ingredients flashcards and a 6-page Build Your Own Pizza activity in Spanish!
¡Hora de Comer Pizza!
I hope this list of vocabulary and activities works as a good resource for all things related to Pizza in Spanish and takes you a long way in practicing conversation with your kids. If there’s one thing I can say after writing this blog post, es que tengo muchas ganas de comer pizza.
But before heading out for a cheesy saucy slice, I suggest you join us for a free trial class with our native Spanish-speaking teachers from Guatemala. Not only will they teach you more food related vocabulary, they’ll improve your fluency and you’ll be ordering pizza in Spanish before you know it.
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