Did you know that there are many YouTube videos about what supermarkets around the world sell? Yes, you read that right! People like to show and see what other supermarkets have to offer. Maybe because it’s one way to truly know how people live in that country.
The aisles of a grocery store will show what native people really eat and use in their everyday lives. You’ll also learn approximately how much it costs to live there.
But knowing some words to shop in the supermarket can be as useful as seeing the products. Maybe you are planning to move to a Spanish-speaking country, so you’ll have to shop there sooner or later.
Or maybe you are going on vacation, and are looking for ways to make your trip more affordable. Cooking versus eating out will save you money. But to do that, you’ll need to shop for groceries before arriving at your Timeshare, hotel, hostel, or Airbnb.
So, here are some words and phrases in Spanish for you to be able to shop around freely in a Spanish-speaking supermarket.
Spanish Words for the Supermarket
As you know, supermarkets have different departments, so you can find things easily. Here are the names of the different store departments in Spanish, which are called departamentos.
Though you can also say el pasillo de… (the _ aisle) to refer to the supermarket section where you find that particular item. For example el pasillo de las carnes (the meat aisle).
- Dairy – Lácteos
- Delicatessen – Salchichonería
- Meat – Carnes
- Seafood – Pescados y Mariscos
- Frozen Section – Congelados
- Miscellaneous Items – Abarrotes / Despensa
- Fruits and Vegetables – Frutas y Verduras
- Bakery – Panadería
- Beer & Wine – Cervezas, Vinos y Licores
- Household Cleaners – Cuidado del hogar / Limpieza del hogar
- Health & Beauty – Cuidado personal / Higiene y Belleza
- Pets – Mascotas
- Babies & Children – Bebés y Niños
- Home – Hogar / Artículos para el hogar
- Electronics – Electrónica
- Pharmacy – Farmacia
- Gardening – Jardinería
- Sports & Toys – Deportes y Juguetería
Now it’s time to learn some important and general words. The next vocabulary will help you build your shopping list in Spanish. You’ll also gain words to understand the payments in Spanish and the different things that there are in a grocery store.
- Supermarket – Supermercado
- Milk – Leche
- Chicken – Pollo
- Meat – Carne
- Fish – Pescado
- Rice – Arroz
- Vegetables – Vegetales
- Broccoli – Brócoli
- Onion – Cebolla
- Carrots – Zanahorias
- Tomato – Jitomate
- Avocado – Aguacate
- Potatoes – Papas
- Fruits – Frutas
- Bananas – Plátanos
- Apples – Manzanas
- Strawberries – Fresas
- Berries – Moras
- Eggs – Huevos
- Oatmeal – Avena
- Bread – Pan
- Cash register – Caja registradora
- Checkout counter – Caja / Mostrador
- Conveyor belt – Banda transportadora
- Baggers – Empacador / Cerillitos
- Credit card – Tarjeta de crédito
- Cash – efectivo / dinero en efectivo
- Change – Cambio
- Price checker – Verificador (de precios)
- Receipt – Recibo
- Electronic purse – Monedero electrónico
Questions to Ask in Spanish While in the Supermarket
Here are some questions in Spanish you can ask if you have any doubts or feel lost in the supermarket.
- ¿Disculpe, ¿en dónde están los cereales?
Excuse me, where can I find the cereals?
Supermarkets have different distributions; this is the perfect question to ask if you can’t find where something is.
- ¿Disculpe, ¿me podría decir el precio de este artículo, por favor?
Excuse me, could you please tell me the price of this item?
If you can’t find the price checker or it doesn’t work, you can ask the worker for the price.
- Disculpe, me está cobrando un artículo que no compré.
Excuse me, you’re charging me for an item that I didn’t buy. - ¿Tiene una bolsa que me venda, por favor?
Do you have a bag you could sell me, please?
There was a time when supermarkets would have free plastic bags to pack your things. But now it’s become popular for customers to bring their own fabric tote bag due to its helpful recycling nature. Some people forget their bags at home and have to buy one in the supermarket. This is a good question to ask if they sell packing bags.
Spanish Phrases and Questions in the Supermarket
Here are some important phrases and questions you have to understand because you’ll hear them when you pay.
- Serían veinte dólares. / Son veinte dólares.
It will be twenty dollars.
This is how they’ll tell you how much you will have to pay.
- ¿Tiene monedero electrónico?
Do you have an electronic purse? - ¿Necesita factura?
Do you need an invoice? - Aquí está su cambio.
Here’s your change.
Keep Learning Spanish with TruFluency
Always remember that all countries have different cultures and traditions, even in the supermarket. For example, some countries have baggers, some don’t, and you’ll need to pack your own stuff.
Also, some supermarkets still use plastic bags to pack your things; but some don’t, and you have to bring your own bags. Or the fact that each country has a different currency. It’s okay, you don’t have to know everything; you can simply ask once you are there.
As you’ve seen, there are many words in Spanish that you need to know just for the supermarket. Now imagine all the vocabulary you need to learn to have a fluent conversation in Spanish.
Of course, some of the words that we showed you in this blog will help you in different situations. But if you want to keep learning more words and gain more Spanish fluency, you should learn with a TruFluency Spanish tutor.
We have native teachers that will teach you useful vocabulary for your daily life. They will also help you learn about the Spanish cultures and traditions. So you’ll know if you should tip the grocery store baggers in Mexico. Or if you should pay with pesos in Argentina.
The goal of our classes is to make you fluent in Spanish so you can talk to the natives, make friends, and truly understand how their everyday lives are. That’s why, in our classes, you will not only learn grammar but also have time to practice speaking. You’ll learn Spanish for many different moments.
Ready to get started? Get 20% off of your first month of classes with code TF20.
