At the supermarket in Spanish: aisles, the deli counter, weighing produce and the checkout in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina
A supermarket looks like the easy place to practise. You point, you pay, you leave. Then you have to pick your fruit off a screen at the scales, the man at the deli counter asks how thin you want it, and the cashier asks three questions while a queue builds behind you. This page has the words for the food, the counters and the till, and the questions you will be asked, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
The shop itself
| You want to say | Mexico | Spain | Colombia | Argentina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supermarket | el súper, el supermercado | el súper, el supermercado | el supermercado | el súper, el supermercado |
| Corner shop | la tiendita, la tienda de abarrotes | la tienda de barrio | la tienda de barrio | el almacén, el kiosco (for snacks) |
| Market | el mercado, el tianguis (street market) | el mercado, el mercadillo (weekly street market) | la plaza de mercado | la feria (street market) |
| Greengrocer | la frutería, la verdulería | la frutería | el fruver | la verdulería |
| Butcher | la carnicería | la carnicería | la carnicería | la carnicería |
| Bakery | la panadería | la panadería | la panadería | la panadería |
| Deli counter | la salchichonería | la charcutería | la salsamentaria | la fiambrería |
| Trolley | el carrito | el carro, el carrito | el carrito | el changuito, el carrito |
| Basket | la canasta | la cesta | la canasta | el canasto |
| Aisle | el pasillo | el pasillo | el pasillo | el pasillo |
| Shelf | el estante, el anaquel | la estantería, el estante | el estante | la góndola, el estante |
| Checkout | la caja | la caja | la caja | la caja |
The big chains you will see: Soriana, Chedraui and Bodega Aurrerá in Mexico; Mercadona, Carrefour, Lidl and El Corte Inglés in Spain; Éxito, Carulla, D1 and Ara in Colombia; Coto, Disco, Día and Carrefour in Argentina.
Finding things
| You want to say | Spanish | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Excuse me, where is…? | Disculpe, ¿dónde está…? | Disculpe in Mexico and Colombia, perdona or oye in Spain, perdón in Argentina |
| Where do I find the rice? | ¿Dónde encuentro el arroz? | |
| Which aisle? | ¿En qué pasillo? | The answer is a number, often with a gesture |
| Do you have…? | ¿Tienen…? | |
| Have you run out? | ¿Se les acabó? | |
| Is there any more in the back? | ¿Tienen más en bodega? (Mexico, Colombia) / ¿Os queda más en el almacén? (Spain) / ¿Tenés más en depósito? (Argentina) | |
| Where are the trolleys? | ¿Dónde están los carritos? | |
| Is this on offer? | ¿Está en oferta? / ¿Está en promoción? | |
| What does this cost? | ¿Cuánto cuesta esto? | |
| Where’s the toilet? | ¿Dónde está el baño? (Mexico, Colombia, Argentina) / ¿Dónde está el servicio? (Spain) |
The same food, four names
A reader who learned Spanish from one country trips up here. Each word is the ordinary one at home and is usually understood abroad.
| English | Mexico | Spain | Colombia | Argentina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| potato | la papa | la patata | la papa | la papa |
| juice | el jugo | el zumo | el jugo | el jugo |
| avocado | el aguacate | el aguacate | el aguacate | la palta |
| peach | el durazno | el melocotón | el durazno | el durazno |
| strawberry | la fresa | la fresa | la fresa | la frutilla |
| banana | el plátano | el plátano | el banano | la banana |
| tomato | el jitomate (red), el tomate (green tomatillo) | el tomate | el tomate | el tomate |
| beans | los frijoles | las judías, las alubias | los frijoles | los porotos |
| corn on the cob | el elote | la mazorca | la mazorca | el choclo |
| peanut | el cacahuate | el cacahuete | el maní | el maní |
| butter | la mantequilla | la mantequilla | la mantequilla | la manteca |
| cream | la crema | la nata | la crema | la crema |
| prawn | el camarón | la gamba | el camarón | el camarón, el langostino |
| beef | la carne de res | la ternera, el vacuno | la carne de res | la carne vacuna |
| pork | el cerdo, el puerco | el cerdo | el cerdo | el cerdo, el chancho |
| popcorn | las palomitas | las palomitas | las crispetas | el pochoclo |
| beetroot | el betabel | la remolacha | la remolacha | la remolacha |
| chilli, pepper | el chile | el pimiento (sweet), la guindilla (hot) | el ají (hot), el pimentón (sweet) | el ají (hot), el morrón (sweet) |
| cake | el pastel | la tarta | la torta, el ponqué | la torta |
| soft drink | el refresco | el refresco | la gaseosa | la gaseosa |
Manteca is the one to watch. In Argentina la manteca is butter. In Mexico, Spain and Colombia la manteca is lard, and the butter is mantequilla.
Palta is not used in Spain, and aguacate in Buenos Aires is understood but rarely said.
Weighing and labelling
| You want to say | Spanish | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| The scales | la báscula or la balanza (Mexico, Spain) / la balanza (Colombia, Argentina) | |
| Do I weigh it myself? | ¿Lo peso yo? | The key question |
| Can you weigh this for me? | ¿Me lo pesa, por favor? / ¿Me lo pesás? (Argentina) | |
| Where do I print the label? | ¿Dónde imprimo la etiqueta? | |
| It’s not weighed | No está pesado. | What the cashier tells you when you got it wrong |
| By the kilo | por kilo | |
| Half a kilo | medio kilo | |
| A quarter kilo | un cuarto / un cuarto de kilo | 250 grams |
| Two hundred grams | doscientos gramos | |
| Three of these | tres de estos | Some fruit is sold by the piece: por unidad, por pieza |
| A bunch | un manojo (herbs) / un racimo (grapes, bananas) | |
| Is this ripe? | ¿Está maduro? | |
| For today, for the weekend | para hoy, para el fin de semana | The greengrocer will pick a riper or firmer one |
In Spain you weigh your own fruit at a machine in the produce section, choose the item on the screen, and stick the printed label on the bag. Gloves are often provided and using them is expected. In Mexico, Colombia and Argentina an attendant usually weighs and labels for you at the produce counter, though the big chains have self-weighing machines too. If you arrive at the till with an unlabelled bag you will be sent back, so look for the machine on the way in.
The deli counter
The counter has a number system in most big supermarkets. Take a ticket and wait for your number.
| You want to say | Spanish | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Who’s last in line? | ¿Quién es el último? | Spain, where the queue is verbal and there is no machine |
| The number | el turno, el número | ¿Dónde saco el turno?, where do I take a ticket |
| Two hundred grams of ham | Doscientos gramos de jamón. | |
| Sliced thin | en lonchas finas (Spain) / en rebanadas delgadas (Mexico, Colombia) / en fetas finitas (Argentina) | The word for a slice of cold meat changes with the country |
| Thicker | más grueso, más gordito | |
| A bit more, a bit less | un poquito más, un poquito menos | The standard exchange when the needle goes over |
| That’s fine | Así está bien. | |
| In one piece | En un trozo. (Spain) / En una pieza. (Mexico) / Entero. | |
| Vacuum packed | al vacío | |
| Separate them, please | Sepárelo, por favor. / En paquetes separados. | |
| Anything else? | ¿Algo más? | The question you will be asked, twice |
| Nothing else, thank you | Nada más, gracias. | Ends it |
Jamón in Spain is two different things. Jamón serrano and jamón ibérico are cured and sliced from the leg. Jamón de York or jamón cocido is the pink boiled ham for sandwiches. If you ask for “jamón” at a counter in Spain, you get the cured kind, so say jamón de York if you meant the other.
Queso is sold by name. Manchego in Spain, Oaxaca and panela in Mexico, campesino and costeño in Colombia, cremoso and sardo in Argentina. Ask ¿Qué queso me recomienda para…? and you get an answer and a taste.
At the till
| What you hear | What it means |
|---|---|
| ¿Tiene tarjeta de puntos? | Do you have a loyalty card? |
| ¿Tiene monedero electrónico? | The Mexican version of the same question |
| ¿Sumás puntos? | Argentina, same question |
| ¿Me regala su cédula? | Colombia, your ID number for the receipt and points |
| ¿Quiere bolsa? / ¿Necesita bolsa? | Do you want a bag? |
| ¿Cuántas bolsas? | How many bags? |
| ¿Efectivo o tarjeta? | Cash or card? |
| ¿Débito o crédito? | Debit or credit? Mexico and Colombia ask every time |
| ¿En cuántas cuotas? | In how many instalments? Argentina and Colombia, on credit cards |
| ¿Quiere meses sin intereses? | Interest-free monthly payments, Mexico |
| ¿Tiene sencillo? / ¿Tiene cambio? | Do you have small change? |
| ¿Le ayudo a empacar? | Shall I help you pack? Mexico, where a cerillo packs your bags |
| Pase su tarjeta. / Inserte la tarjeta. | Tap or insert your card |
| Firme aquí. | Sign here |
| ¿Quiere el ticket? / ¿Necesita factura? | Do you want the receipt? An invoice with your tax details is a separate thing |
| No está pesado. | This has not been weighed |
Your answers: Sí, una bolsa, por favor. No, gracias, traigo bolsa. Con tarjeta. Débito. En un solo pago. No tengo tarjeta de puntos.
Bags cost money nearly everywhere now. In Spain shops charge for them by law. In Mexico City shops stopped handing out single-use plastic bags, so people bring their own. In Colombia they are taxed. Buenos Aires supermarkets stopped giving them out. Carrying a bolsa de tela is normal in all four.
In Mexico, the person packing your bags is usually working for tips. They are often teenagers or pensioners, paid nothing by the shop. Small coins are the custom.
Self-checkout and returns
| You want to say | Spanish | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Self-checkout | la caja de autoservicio, el autopago | Signs vary; caja rápida is the express lane with a person |
| It won’t scan | No lee el código. | |
| I need help | Necesito ayuda. | Call the person on duty: el cajero, la cajera |
| The machine took my money | La máquina se quedó con mi dinero. | |
| I want to return this | Quiero devolver esto. | |
| Can I exchange it? | ¿Me lo pueden cambiar? | |
| It’s faulty | Está defectuoso. / Salió malo. | |
| It’s out of date | Está vencido. (Mexico, Colombia, Argentina) / Está caducado. (Spain) | |
| Here’s the receipt | Aquí está el ticket. (Spain, Mexico, Argentina) / el recibo, la nota (Mexico) / la factura (Colombia) | |
| Can I have a refund? | ¿Me devuelven el dinero? | |
| Customer service | atención al cliente | The desk near the entrance |
| The complaints form | la hoja de reclamaciones | Spain, where every shop must have one and asking for it is taken seriously |
Food returns are rarely questioned anywhere if the product is off or out of date. Returning something you simply changed your mind about depends on the chain’s own policy, and you normally need the receipt and the original packaging within a set number of days. Ask at the counter before queueing: ¿Hasta cuándo puedo devolverlo?
Ten sentences you can say tomorrow
- Disculpe, ¿en qué pasillo está el arroz? Excuse me, which aisle is the rice in?
- ¿Lo peso yo o me lo pesa usted? Do I weigh it myself or do you weigh it for me?
- Doscientos gramos de jamón, en lonchas finas. Two hundred grams of ham, sliced thin. (Spain)
- Un cuarto de queso, en fetas finitas. A quarter kilo of cheese, sliced thin. (Argentina)
- ¿Tiene paltas maduras para hoy? Do you have ripe avocados for today? (Argentina)
- No, gracias, traigo bolsa. No thanks, I’ve brought a bag.
- Con tarjeta, débito, en un solo pago. By card, debit, one payment.
- ¿Está en oferta o es el precio normal? Is it on offer or is that the normal price?
- Quiero devolver esto, está vencido. I want to return this, it’s out of date.
- Nada más, gracias. ¿Cuánto es? Nothing else, thanks. How much is it?
Questions people ask
Is it papa or patata? Patata in Spain, papa everywhere in Latin America. Both are understood on both sides, and each sounds foreign in the other’s country.
Why do I have to choose a picture at the scales in Spain? Because you weigh and label your own fruit there. Put the bag on the plate, find the item on the touchscreen, take the printed sticker and put it on the bag. The cashier cannot ring up an unlabelled bag.
What do I say to get someone to slice it thinner? Más fino, por favor in Spain, más delgadito in Mexico and Colombia, más finita in Argentina. Saying it while the first slice is on the scale is normal and expected.
What is a “cerillo” in a Mexican supermarket? The person who packs your shopping at the till. They work for tips, so keep coins for them.
How do I ask for the receipt for my company? ¿Me puede dar factura? An invoice with a tax number is a separate document from the till receipt in Mexico, Colombia and Argentina, and you ask for it at customer service with your tax details ready.
What is “sin gluten” and “sin lactosa” on the packet? Gluten free and lactose free. Sin azúcar añadido is no added sugar, light is used as a Spanish word, and integral means wholemeal.
How do I say “I’m just looking”? In a supermarket you rarely need to. At a counter, say solo estoy mirando, gracias, and in Mexico and Colombia the assistant will answer con gusto and leave you alone.
What does “fruver” mean in Colombia? The fruit and vegetable section or shop, short for frutas y verduras. It appears on signs and people say it out loud.
Practise these words
pasillo, caja, bolsa, pesar, kilo, gramo, rebanada, oferta, devolver, maduro, efectivo, tarjeta, cambiar. Vozelu is a free website for practising Spanish, and it has each of these. You see a sentence with one word missing, you type the word, and a native voice reads the sentence back. Practise the words on this page.