In this lesson, we will learn how to describe and inquire about food portions, focusing on whether the dish is meat or fish, its flavor profile (e.g., spicy, rich, fatty), and its preparation methods. We will also craft a dialogue where the Familia García visits a nice restaurant in Marbella and navigates their meal choices by asking detailed questions about the dishes offered.
Click on the words in the (Spanish Words) column to listen to their pronunciation!
| Spanish Words | English Translations | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| carne | meat | – |
| pescado | fish | – |
| mariscos | seafood | – |
| vegetales | vegetables | – |
| fuerte | strong | Used to describe intense flavors. |
| picante | spicy | – |
| graso | fatty | – |
| ligero | light | Opposite of “graso”; less heavy or fatty. |
| dulce | sweet | – |
| amargo | bitter | – |
| salado | salty | – |
| ácido | sour | – |
| ¿Qué lleva? | What does it contain? | – |
| ¿Lleva salsa? | Does it have sauce? | – |
| salsa | sauce | – |
| ¿Qué es esto? | What is this? | – |
| asado/a | roasted | – |
| frito/a | fried | – |
| hervido/a | boiled | – |
| cocido/a | cooked | Often used to describe boiled foods. |
| guisado/a | stewed | – |
| a la plancha | grilled | Literally means “on the griddle.” |
| al horno | baked | – |
| al vapor | steamed | – |
| crudo/a | raw | – |
| marinado/a | marinated | – |
| especias | spices | – |
| hierbas | herbs | – |
| vegetariano/a | vegetarian | – |
| vegano/a | vegan | – |
| sin gluten | gluten-free | – |
| orgánico/a | organic | – |
Conversation with Familia García
Camarera: Buenas noches, ¿están listos para ordenar?
Waitress: Good evening, are you ready to order?
Antonio: Sí, gracias. Pero antes, ¿este plato es carne o pescado? ¿Y es picante?
Antonio: Yes, thank you. But first, is this dish meat or fish? And is it spicy?
Camarera: Es pescado, señor, y tiene un toque picante, pero podemos prepararlo menos picante si lo prefiere.
Waitress: It’s fish, sir, and it has a spicy touch, but we can prepare it less spicy if you prefer.
Penélope: ¿Y tienen opciones vegetarianas? Busco algo ligero y orgánico.
Penélope: And do you have vegetarian options? I’m looking for something light and organic.
Camarera: Por supuesto, tenemos una ensalada orgánica y una opción de vegetales al vapor muy recomendada.
Waitress: Of course, we have an organic salad and a highly recommended steamed vegetables option.
Lucía: ¿Este plato de mariscos lleva salsa? ¿Qué tipo de salsa es?
Lucía: Does this seafood dish have sauce? What kind of sauce is it?
Camarera: Sí, lleva una salsa marinada con especias y hierbas frescas.
Waitress: Yes, it comes with a marinade sauce with spices and fresh herbs.
Juan: ¿Y el pollo, es asado o frito? Prefiero algo no muy graso.
Juan: And the chicken, is it roasted or fried? I prefer something not too fatty.
Camarera: El pollo puede ser asado al horno o a la plancha, como prefiera.
Waitress: The chicken can be baked or grilled, as you prefer.
Abuela Rosa: Para mí, algo sin gluten, por favor. ¿Qué me recomienda?
Abuela Rosa: For me, something gluten-free, please. What do you recommend?
Camarera: Tenemos una excelente opción de pescado al horno con verduras, todo sin gluten.
Waitress: We have an excellent option of baked fish with vegetables, all gluten-free.
Abuelo Miguel: ¿Y qué tal es el guiso? ¿Qué lleva?
Abuelo Miguel: And how is the stew? What does it contain?
Camarera: Nuestro guiso es muy popular, lleva carne, vegetales, y está condimentado con una selección de especias locales.
Waitress: Our stew is very popular, it contains meat, vegetables, and is seasoned with a selection of local spices.
Practicamos dictado
Practicamos escribir
¡Respuesta AmigoGPT!
Habla con AmigoGPT sobre cómo pedir comida en un restaurante.