alimentar
“alimentar” means “to feed” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to feed, to nourish
Also: to nurse
📝 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.
to fuel, to sustain
Also: to nurture
📝 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.
to feed oneself, to eat
Also: to be nourished
📝 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.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "alimentar" in Spanish:
to eat→to feed→to fuel→to nourish→to nurse→to nurture→to sustain→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: alimentar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'alimentar' in its figurative sense of sustaining something abstract?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb *alimentare*, which itself comes from *alimentum*, meaning 'nourishment' or 'that which feeds.' The root is related to the idea of growth and sustenance.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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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!