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

Directions and Locations in a Spanish Supermarket 

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

Cultural Reminders 

Politeness is important in Latin America. People won’t respond well if you’re not nice. They don’t mind you not knowing exactly what you’re saying, but you have to be kind. 

If you’re visiting a new country, it’s important to realize this. Whatever you’re looking for in a Spanish supermarket, be sure to smile and ask nicely and you’ll be well on your way to buying everything you need and more!

Leave a comment and let me know which items are your favorite or if there are any others you’d add to the list. Sign up for a free trial class at Homeschool Spanish Academy and share your shopping list with a native Spanish speaker today! 

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