DELE A1 Guide: Food and Drinks Vocabulary
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Want to practice first? Try a General Food and Drinks Quiz!
Key Takeaways
- Learn common food and drink categories
- Master basic meal times and food types
- Understand restaurant and shopping phrases
- Learn quantity expressions for food
- Essential for DELE A1 daily life scenarios
Welcome to your complete guide to Spanish food and drinks vocabulary, essential for talking about meals, shopping, and dining on the DELE A1 exam. This vocabulary is crucial for real-life situations tested in the speaking and listening sections.
Basic Food Categories
Fruits and Vegetables
| Spanish | English | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| la manzana | the apple | Como una manzana cada día |
| la naranja | the orange | El jugo de naranja es bueno |
| el plátano | the banana | Como un plátano por la mañana |
| la ensalada | the salad | Como ensalada para lunch |
| las verduras | the vegetables | Como muchas verduras |
| la zanahoria | the carrot | Las zanahorias son naranjas |
DELE A1 Tip: Remember that fruits and vegetables have genders. Use “la” for feminine words and “el” for masculine ones. This is essential for exam accuracy.
Common Foods
Daily Food Items
| Spanish | English | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| el pan | the bread | Como pan con la comida |
| el arroz | the rice | El arroz es blanco |
| la carne | the meat | Como carne dos veces por semana |
| el pescado | the fish | El pescado es saludable |
| el pollo | the chicken | El pollo es mi favorito |
| los huevos | the eggs | Como huevos para el desayuno |
Drinks and Beverages
Common Drinks
| Spanish | English | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| el agua | the water | Bebo agua todo el día |
| la leche | the milk | Bebo leche con galletas |
| el café | the coffee | Bebo café por la mañana |
| el té | the tea | El té verde es saludable |
| el jugo/zumo | the juice | Bebo jugo de naranja |
| la cerveza | the beer | Mi padre bebe cerveza |
Meal Times and Food
Spanish Meal Structure
| Spanish | English | Typical Foods |
|---|---|---|
| el desayuno | breakfast | café, pan, fruta |
| el almuerzo | lunch | ensalada, carne, arroz |
| la cena | dinner | pescado, verduras, pan |
| la comida | food/meal | toda la comida del día |
Quantity Expressions
Food Quantity Words
| Spanish | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| un poco de | a little of | un poco de pan |
| mucho/mucha | much/a lot of | mucha agua |
| poco/poca | little/not much | poca sal |
| más | more | más café |
| menos | less | menos azúcar |
DELE A1 Exam Practice
Speaking Section Examples
- Talk about meals: “Para el desayuno, como pan y bebo café“
- Discuss preferences: “Me gusta la fruta pero no me gusta la carne“
- Describe shopping: “Compro pan, leche y frutas en el supermercado”
- Talk about drinks: “Bebo agua y jugo todos los días”
Writing Section Examples
- Write about your favorite foods
- Describe what you eat for breakfast
- List foods you buy at the supermarket
- Write about your eating habits
Restaurant Vocabulary
Basic Restaurant Phrases
- el menú – the menu
- la cuenta – the bill
- quiero – I want
- me gustaría – I would like
- para beber – to drink
- para comer – to eat
Common Food Questions
DELE A1 Food Questions
- ¿Qué comes para el desayuno?
- ¿Te gusta la fruta?
- ¿Qué bebes normalmente?
- ¿Tienes hambre? (Are you hungry?)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Wrong gender: ❌ “el agua” (actually feminine: el agua but agua fría)
- Wrong quantity: ❌ “mucho leche” ✅ “mucha leche“
- Confusing meals: ❌ “desayuno por la noche” ✅ “cena por la noche”
Next Step: Test Your Knowledge!
Ready to check your understanding of food and drinks vocabulary?
Take our DELE A1 Food and Drinks Quiz here to confirm you’re ready for this part of the exam.
What’s Next in Your DELE A1 Journey?
- Ready for dining out? Study Restaurant Vocabulary Next
- Need shopping phrases? Review Shopping and Prices Guide
- Practice all A1 vocabulary? Take a Full A1 Vocabulary Test
Good luck with your DELE A1 preparation!
