alimentar
/ah-lee-men-TAR/
to feed
Alimentar can mean to feed, like giving food to a pet.
alimentar(Verb)
to feed
?giving food to a person or animal
,to nourish
?providing sustenance
to nurse
?caring for a sick person with food
📝 In Action
Yo alimento a mi perro dos veces al día.
A1I feed my dog twice a day.
La madre alimenta al bebé con una cuchara.
A1The mother feeds the baby with a spoon.
Debemos alimentar bien a los niños para que crezcan fuertes.
A2We must nourish the children well so they grow up strong.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'A' with People
When 'alimentar' is followed by a specific person or pet, you must use the word 'a' before them (e.g., alimentar a mi hijo). This is the 'personal a'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'Alimentar' and 'Comer'
Mistake: "El perro come la comida. (Intending to say: The dog is fed the food.)"
Correction: El perro es alimentado con la comida. ('Comer' means the subject eats; 'alimentar' means the subject gives food.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Direct Translation Tip
Think of 'alimentar' as the verb form of 'alimento' (food). It means 'to make food happen' for someone else.
Alimentar can also mean to fuel, such as adding wood to a fire.
alimentar(Verb)
to fuel
?supplying energy to a machine or fire
,to sustain
?keeping a process or emotion going
to nurture
?maintaining a hope or dream
📝 In Action
El carbón alimenta el fuego de la chimenea.
B1The coal fuels the fire in the chimney.
No alimentes rumores si no sabes la verdad.
B2Don't fuel rumors if you don't know the truth.
Ella alimenta su pasión por el arte leyendo cada día.
B2She nurtures her passion for art by reading every day.
💡 Grammar Points
Figurative Use
This meaning works just like in English: you can 'feed' or 'fuel' abstract things like arguments, feelings, or machines, not just living things.
⭐ Usage Tips
Context Clues
If the object being 'alimentado' is not a person or animal (like 'el fuego' or 'la duda'), you should use the 'fuel' or 'sustain' meaning.
In a general sense, alimentar can refer to consuming food, or feeding oneself.
alimentar(Verb)
to feed oneself
?general consumption of food
,to eat
?focusing on diet or manner of eating
to be nourished
?focusing on the source of food
📝 In Action
Necesitas alimentarte mejor para tener energía.
A2You need to feed yourself better (or: eat better) to have energy.
Los osos se alimentan principalmente de bayas y pescado.
B1Bears feed primarily on berries and fish.
Nos alimentamos con productos frescos de la granja.
B1We feed ourselves with fresh products from the farm.
💡 Grammar Points
The Action Bounces Back
When you use 'alimentarse,' the action of feeding comes back to the person doing the action. You must include the little word ('me,' 'te,' 'se,' 'nos') before the verb to show this.
Using 'De' for Source
If you want to say WHAT someone eats, use the preposition 'de' (of/from) instead of 'con' (with): 'Se alimenta de carne' (He feeds on meat).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the Pronoun
Mistake: "Él alimenta de frutas. (Missing the reflexive pronoun.)"
Correction: Él *se* alimenta de frutas. (He feeds himself on fruits.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Diet Talk
Use 'alimentarse' when discussing diet or nutritional habits ('¿Cómo te alimentas?' - How do you eat/what's your diet like?). Use 'comer' for the specific act of eating a meal.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: alimentar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'alimentar' in its figurative sense of sustaining something abstract?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'alimentar' and 'comer'?
'Comer' means 'to eat'—the subject is the one consuming the food. 'Alimentar' means 'to feed'—the subject is giving the food to someone else. However, the reflexive form 'alimentarse' is often used as a more formal way to mean 'to eat' or 'to maintain a diet'.
Is 'alimentar' regular or irregular?
'Alimentar' is a completely regular verb. It follows the standard pattern for all -ar verbs in every tense, making it easy to conjugate!