How to Say "nibble" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “nibble” is “mordida” — use 'mordida' when referring to a small taste or a portion of food you take, often as a sample or a small part of a larger item..
mordida
/mor-DEE-dah//moɾˈðiða/
Examples
¿Me das una mordida de tu manzana?
Can I have a bite of your apple?
La mordida del perro no fue profunda.
The dog's bite was not deep.
Solo le dio una mordida pequeña al pastel.
She only took a small nibble of the cake.
Using 'Dar' with Mordida
Instead of just saying 'to bite' (morder), Spanish speakers often say 'to give a bite' (dar una mordida) when talking about food.
Bite vs. Mouthful
Use 'mordida' for the action of your teeth. If you are talking about the amount of food that fits in your mouth, 'bocado' is often more accurate.
Bite vs. Snack
Mistake: “Voy a comer una mordida.”
Correction: Voy a comer un bocado (or un refrigerio).
mordisco
/mor-DEES-koh//morˈðisko/
Examples
¿Quieres probar mi sándwich? Solo un mordisco.
Do you want to try my sandwich? Just one bite.
El niño le dio un mordisco a su juguete de plástico.
The boy took a bite out of his plastic toy.
Tengo un mordisco de mosquito en el brazo.
I have a mosquito bite on my arm.
Using 'mordisco' vs 'morder'
In Spanish, 'mordisco' is the name of the thing (a bite). To say you are biting something, you use the action word 'morder' or say you 'give' a bite ('dar un mordisco').
Describing Bites
Since this is a masculine word, always use masculine helpers like 'un' (a), 'el' (the), or 'pequeño' (small).
Using it as an action
Mistake: “Yo mordisco la manzana.”
Correction: Le doy un mordisco a la manzana or Yo muerdo la manzana. 'Mordisco' is a noun (a thing), not a verb (an action).
Mordida vs. Mordisco
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