The Spanish Supermarket: 100+ Vocabulary Words to Empower Your Shopping Trip
When you travel abroad to a Spanish-speaking country, you’ll definitely do some shopping and will likely go to a Spanish supermarket to buy food. It’s a wonderful way to practice your language skills!
You’ll certainly need to know the words for basic supplies such as food, hygiene products, medicine, beverages, and more in Spanish. Learn how to say what you want and the proper ways to ask for it.
If you want to shop at a Spanish supermarket, this article provides vocabulary words that will help you. ¡Vamos!
Why It’s Good To Know Shopping Vocabulary
There are many reasons why knowing Spanish supermarket vocabulary is beneficial. For example:
- Know how to ask for what you want
- Feel like a local
- Practice new words
- Ask locals for recommendations on where to buy items that you need for a good price
Spanish supermarkets are awesome. It truly depends where you go in Latin America but it can be Wal-mart or a small supermarket like La Bodegona, which is the local Spanish supermarket in La Antigua, Guatemala. (Check out their site if you want to learn more Spanish supermarket vocabulary!)
When you’re at a Spanish supermarket, you’ll find and buy better products if you know how to pronounce the vocabulary words correctly. If you are a beginner, you’ll usually find kind people who are willing to help. Nevertheless, it’s best to be prepared!
Learn to sound knowledgeable next time you go to a Spanish supermarket abroad or at home. I went to a Mexican supermarket in California once, and I felt like I was in Latin America! It was great, and I found amazing food that I love.
100+ Vocabulary Words to Empower Your Shopping Trip
Now let’s get to it! Here’s a list of 100+ words to use on your next shopping trip!
Fruit
Apple — La manzana
Apricot — El albaricoque
Banana — El plátano
Blackberry — La zarzamora
Blueberry — El arándano
Cherry — La cereza
Grapes — Las uvas
Grapefruit — La toronja
Lemon — La lima
Lime — El limón
Orange — La naranja
Peach — El melocotón
Pear — La pera
Raspberry — La frambuesa
Strawberry — La fresa
Vegetables and Legumes
Artichoke — La alcachofa
Asparagus — Los espárragos
Beans — Los frijoles
Carrot — La zanahoria
Celery — El apio
Corn — El maiz
Cucumber — El pepino
Eggplant — La berenjena
Lettuce — La lechuga
Mushrooms — Los champiñónes
Onion — La cebolla
Peas — Los guisantes o las arvejas
Potato — La patata o las papas
Radish — El rábano
Spinach — La espinaca
Tomato — El tomate
Dairy Products
Butter — La mantequilla
Milk — La leche
Cheese — El queso
Cream — La crema
Cottage cheese — Queso requesón, queso cottage
Egg — El huevo
Ice Cream — El helado
Milk — La leche
Yogurt — El yogur
Meat
Anchovy — La anchoa
Beef or Steak — La carne
Chicken — El pollo
Fish — El pescado
Ham — El jamón
Lamb — El cordero
Pork — El cerdo
Rabbit — El conejo
Sausage — La salchicha
Turkey — El pavo
Veal — La ternera
Desserts
Cake — El pastel
Candy — Los dulces
Chocolate — El chocolate
Cookie — La galleta
Ice Cream — El helado
Pie — La tarta o el pie
Vanilla — La vainilla
Miscellaneous
Bread — El pan
Tortillas — Las tortillas
Fries — Las patatas fritas
Jam — La mermelada
Mayonnaise — La mayonesa
Mustard — La mostaza
Pepper — La pimienta
Rice —El arroz
Pasta — La pasta
Salt — La sal
Sugar — El azúcar
Toast — El pan tostado
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It’s also important to know how to ask for directions or what the hours are in a Spanish supermarket.
Entrance — La entrada
Exit — La salida
Business hours — Horario de atención
Open — Abierto
Closed — Cerrado
Holiday — Feriado
Push — Empuje
Pull — Jale
Places
If you’re at a Spanish supermarket but they don’t have what you need, here are additional places you can ask about to find more specific products.
Storefront — El local
Shop/store — La tienda
Corner store — La tiendita
Boutique — La tienda boutique
Market — El mercado
Supermarket — El supermercado
Artesanal Market — Mercado artesanal (This is a great place to buy souvenirs)
Hardware store — La ferretería
Mall — El centro comercial
Shopping center — Centro de compras
Travel agency — Agencia de viajes
Café — La cafetería
Butcher — La carnicería
Bakery — La panadería
Bakery — La pastelería
Fish stand — La pescadería
Hair salon — La peluquería o salón
Pharmacy — La farmacia
Flower shop — La florería
Gas station — La gasolinera
Jewelry store — La joyería
Toy store — La juguetería
Library — La biblioteca
Office supply store — La libreria
Clothing store — La tienda de ropa
Sports store — La tienda de deportes
Music store — La tienda de música
Shoe store — La zapatería
Important Questions and Phrases to Know
If you only know what you want to buy, but you don’t know where it might be, ask one of the following questions:
¿Conoce un lugar donde vendan esto?
Do you know a place where they sell this?
¿Conoce algún supermercado por aquí cerca?
Do you know of a supermarket around here?
¿Dónde queda el supermercado más cercano?
Where is the closest supermarket?
¿Cuál me recomienda?
Which one do you recommend to me?
Quisiera uno de esos, por favor.
I would like one of those, please.
Muchas gracias.
Thank you very much.
¿Me pasas eso, por favor?
Can you pass me that, please?
Dame uno, por favor.
Give me one, please.
Se acabó.
We ran out of that.
Ya no tenemos.
We don’t have that anymore.
¿Cuánto cuesta/vale?
How much is this?
Quality
In Latin America, it’s always good to think about bueno, bonito y barato (good, nice and cheap) so that you can master buying what you need for the best price!
Cheap — Barato/a
Expensive — Caro/a
Affordable — Económico/a
Delicious — Delicioso/a
Beautiful — Hermoso/a, bonito/a
Luxurious — Lujoso/a
Practice New Vocabulary With a Native Speaker!
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