almorzar
ahl-mohr-ZAHR
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
¿A qué hora almuerzas normalmente?
A1What time do you usually have lunch?
Almorzamos en la cafetería todos los días.
A1We have lunch in the cafeteria every day.
Ayer almorcé con mi abuela por primera vez en meses.
A2Yesterday I had lunch with my grandmother for the first time in months.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'O to UE' Change
In the present tense, the 'o' in the middle of the verb changes to 'ue' (almuerzo, almuerzas). This change happens for most subjects, but NOT for 'nosotros' or 'vosotros' (almorzamos, almorzáis).
Preterite Spelling Change
To keep the 'z' sound before 'e' in the past simple (preterite), the 'yo' form changes the 'z' to a 'c': 'yo almorcé'. This is a common spelling rule for all -zar verbs.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the Stem Change
Mistake: "Yo almorzo en el parque."
Correction: Yo almuerzo en el parque. (Remember the 'o' becomes 'ue'!)
Using 'tener' instead of 'almorzar'
Mistake: "Tengo almuerzo."
Correction: Almuerzo. (In Spanish, you use the verb 'to lunch' instead of 'to have lunch,' though 'tomar el almuerzo' is also acceptable.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Lunch Timing
In many Spanish-speaking countries, 'almorzar' refers to a meal eaten much later than in English-speaking countries, often between 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: almorzar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses the present tense of 'almorzar' for 'we'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'almorzar' the same as 'comer'?
'Comer' is the general verb 'to eat.' 'Almorzar' specifically means 'to eat lunch' (the midday meal). While you can say 'Vamos a comer' to mean 'Let's eat lunch,' using 'almorzar' is more precise.
Why does the 'o' change to 'ue' sometimes?
This is a common pattern for many Spanish verbs (like 'poder' or 'dormir'). It happens when the stress falls on the 'o' sound. Since the stress moves away from the 'o' for 'nosotros' and 'vosotros,' the spelling stays 'almorzamos.'