comen
“comen” means “they eat” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
they eat, you (plural/formal) eat
Also: they are eating
📝 In Action
Los niños siempre comen pasta los martes.
A1The children always eat pasta on Tuesdays.
¿Ustedes comen la cena muy tarde aquí?
A2Do you all eat dinner very late here?
Mis padres comen mucha verdura para estar sanos.
A1My parents eat a lot of vegetables to be healthy.
they consume, they take up
Also: they use up
📝 In Action
Estas nuevas máquinas comen mucha electricidad.
B1These new machines consume a lot of electricity.
Los trámites burocráticos siempre comen mucho tiempo.
B2Bureaucratic processes always take up a lot of time.
they corrode, they capture
📝 In Action
Los ácidos fuertes comen el metal lentamente.
B2Strong acids corrode the metal slowly.
En el ajedrez, los peones a veces comen a los caballos.
C1In chess, the pawns sometimes capture the knights.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: comen
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'comen' in its figurative sense (not meaning actual food)?
📚 More Resources
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The verb 'comer' comes from the Latin verb *comedere*, which meant 'to eat up' or 'to consume entirely.' The prefix *com-* meant 'together' or 'completely,' emphasizing the thoroughness of the eating action.
First recorded: Old Spanish (around 10th-11th century)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'comen' the same as 'están comiendo'?
They are very close! 'Comen' (They eat) describes a habit or a general fact ('They eat dinner at 8'). 'Están comiendo' (They are eating) describes the action happening right this second ('Look, they are eating right now'). In spoken Spanish, 'comen' can sometimes be used for the immediate action too, but 'están comiendo' is more specific.
Can I use 'comen' for things that aren't people?
Yes, absolutely! 'Comen' is used for any plural subject. For example, 'Los pájaros comen semillas' (The birds eat seeds) or 'Los virus comen espacio en el disco duro' (Viruses consume hard drive space).