Time to expand your food vocabulary! In this lesson, you'll learn to name meat, dairy, and bakery items — the staples you'll find in every Colombian neighborhood shop. You'll also learn how to ask for specific quantities, which is essential when shopping at markets and butcher shops where everything is weighed. Let's go shopping with Andrés!
Learning tips
- In Colombia, weight is measured in kilos and 'libras' (pounds). A Colombian 'libra' equals 500 grams, not the American/British pound (454g).
- 'Deme' is a polite way to say 'give me' when ordering — it's the formal command of 'dar.' You'll hear it constantly at shops.
- Practice the quantity pattern: 'un kilo de ___,' 'una libra de ___,' 'un litro de ___.' This 'noun + de + noun' structure is fundamental.
- 'Huevo' starts with 'h' which is always silent in Spanish. Pronounce it 'WEH-vo.'
Warm-up & Active Recall
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| querer | to want |
| quiero | I want |
| necesitar | to need |
| necesito | I need |
| preferir | to prefer |
| prefiero | I prefer |
| buscar | to look for |
| llevar | to take/carry |
| este | this |
| ese | that |
Dialog
Andrés is buying meat, bread, eggs, and dairy at different neighborhood shops. Notice the quantity expressions: 'un kilo de' (a kilo of), 'una libra de' (a pound of), 'una docena de' (a dozen of). The vendor uses 'deme' (give me) — a polite formal command. 'Queso fresco' (fresh cheese) is a staple in Colombian cooking, used in arepas and many other dishes.
Vocabulary
Active words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| la carne | /la ˈkaɾ.ne/ | the meat | General term for red meat — 'carne de res' specifically means beef |
| el pollo | /el ˈpo.ʝo/ | the chicken | Both the animal and the meat |
| el pan | /el ˈpan/ | the bread | A staple in Colombian breakfasts — 'pan' is uncountable, like in English |
| la leche | /la ˈle.tʃe/ | the milk | Feminine noun — 'la leche fría' (cold milk) |
| el huevo | /el ˈwe.βo/ | the egg | The 'h' is silent: pronounced 'WEH-vo.' Plural: 'los huevos' |
| el queso | /el ˈke.so/ | the cheese | 'Queso fresco' (fresh white cheese) is a Colombian staple |
| un kilo | /un ˈki.lo/ | a kilo | Standard metric unit — 'un kilo de carne' (a kilo of meat) |
| una libra | /ˈu.na ˈli.bɾa/ | a pound | In Colombia, a 'libra' = 500 grams (not 454g as in US/UK) |
| vender | /benˈdeɾ/ | to sell | Regular -er verb: vendo, vendes, vende, vendemos, venden |
| dar | /ˈdaɾ/ | to give | Irregular: doy, das, da, damos, dan. 'Deme' = give me (formal command) |
Passive words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| el pescado | /el pesˈka.ðo/ | the fish | |
| el cerdo | /el ˈseɾ.ðo/ | the pork | |
| la mantequilla | /la man.teˈki.ʝa/ | the butter | |
| la harina | /la aˈɾi.na/ | the flour | |
| la docena | /la doˈse.na/ | the dozen | |
| la mitad | /la miˈtað/ | the half |
Useful chunks
| Word | Translation |
|---|---|
| un kilo de | a kilo of |
| una libra de | a pound of |
Grammar: Expressing quantities with 'de' (un kilo de, una libra de, un poco de, mucho/a)
| Expression | Example |
|---|---|
| un kilo de | un kilo de carne |
| una libra de | una libra de pollo |
| un litro de | un litro de leche |
| una docena de | una docena de huevos |
| medio kilo de | medio kilo de queso |
| un poco de | un poco de pan |
| mucho/a | mucha leche, mucho arroz |
Expressing quantities in Spanish uses the pattern: quantity + de + noun.
- un kilo de carne (a kilo of meat)
- una libra de pollo (a pound of chicken)
- un litro de leche (a liter of milk)
- una docena de huevos (a dozen eggs)
- medio kilo de queso (half a kilo of cheese)
The word 'de' (of) is essential — you cannot skip it like in English ('a kilo meat' is wrong; it must be 'un kilo de carne').
For non-specific quantities:
- un poco de + noun = a little (of): 'un poco de pan' (a little bread)
- mucho/mucha + noun = a lot of: 'mucha leche' (a lot of milk), 'mucho arroz' (a lot of rice)
Note that 'mucho/mucha' agrees with the gender of the noun, but 'un poco de' doesn't change.
Exercises
Fill in the Blanks
Complete each sentence with the missing word.
- Quiero un kilo de . (meat)(noun: meat)
- Necesito una de pollo.(quantity: pound)
- ¿Tiene frescos? (eggs)(noun: eggs, plural)
- Quiero un litro de . (milk)(noun: milk)
- ¿Me puede medio kilo de queso?(verb: to give)
Grammar Application
Fill in the missing quantity word.
- 500g of cheese = medio de queso(500g = half a ___)
- 12 eggs = una de huevos(12 items = one ___)
- 1 pound of chicken = una de pollo(in Colombia = 500g)
- a little bread = un de pan(a little = un ___)
- a lot of milk = leche(a lot of, feminine)
Translation (English → Spanish)
Translate each sentence into Spanish.
- I want a kilo of meat.
- I need a dozen eggs.
- Do you sell fresh bread here?
- Give me a pound of chicken, please.
- How much does the cheese cost?
Creative Construction
Write a short shopping list conversation (2-3 sentences) using quantity expressions and at least 4 food items from this lesson.
Takeaway
Use 'un kilo de,' 'una libra de,' 'un litro de,' and 'una docena de' to express specific quantities. The word 'de' is always needed between the quantity and the item. For non-specific amounts, use 'un poco de' (a little) or 'mucho/mucha' (a lot).