How to Say "mouthful" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “mouthful” is “bocado” — use 'bocado' when referring to a portion of solid food taken into the mouth, like a bite..
bocado
/bo-KAH-do//boˈkaðo/
Examples
Coge un bocado de pan.
Take a mouthful of bread.
Dale un bocado a la manzana.
Take a bite of the apple.
No he probado bocado en todo el día.
I haven't eaten a single bite all day.
Este postre es un bocado delicioso.
This dessert is a delicious morsel.
Using 'de' with bocado
Just like in English we say 'a bite OF something,' in Spanish we use 'un bocado DE [algo].'
Always Masculine
Even if you are eating a 'manzana' (feminine), the word 'bocado' stays masculine: 'un bocado de manzana.'
Bocado vs. Mordisco
Mistake: “Using 'bocado' to describe a dog bite.”
Correction: Use 'mordisco' for the physical act or injury of a bite. Use 'bocado' for the amount of food you are eating.
sorbo
/SOR-bo//ˈsoɾβo/
Examples
Me dio un sorbo de agua.
He gave me a mouthful of water.
Dio un sorbo a su café caliente.
He took a sip of his hot coffee.
Bebió el agua a pequeños sorbos para no ahogarse.
She drank the water in small sips so she wouldn't choke.
Solo queda un sorbo de jugo en el vaso.
There is only one sip of juice left in the glass.
Using 'a' with sorbo
When you say you took a sip of something, use the preposition 'a': 'un sorbo a la sopa' or 'un sorbo de café'. Both work, but 'a' is very common for the action.
Adverbial phrases
To describe how someone is drinking, use 'a sorbos'. This works like the English 'sip by sip'.
Sorbo vs. Sopa
Mistake: “Quiero una sopa de agua.”
Correction: Quiero un sorbo de agua.
Bocado vs. Sorbo
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