How to Say "to consume" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to consume” is “tomarme” — use 'tomarme' for the general act of drinking or eating something, often implying a personal or casual consumption of food or beverages.
tomarme
toh-MAHR-mehtoˈmaɾme
Examples
Voy a tomarme un café antes de empezar.
I'm going to drink a coffee before starting.
Olvidé tomarme la pastilla esta mañana.
I forgot to take the pill this morning.
Es agradable tomarme una copa de vino en la terraza.
It's nice to have a glass of wine on the terrace.
'Tomar' vs. 'Beber'
In many parts of the Spanish-speaking world, 'tomar' is used more often than 'beber' (to drink) when referring to beverages or medicine.
Using 'Beber' Exclusively
Mistake: “Quiero beberme un té.”
Correction: Quiero tomarme un té. (While 'beberme' is correct, 'tomarme' sounds more natural for consuming drinks in everyday conversation.)
consumir
kohn-soo-meerkonsuˈmiɾ
Examples
Este coche consume mucha gasolina.
This car consumes a lot of gas.
Debemos consumir más frutas y verduras.
We should consume more fruits and vegetables.
La industria consume gran parte de la energía del país.
Industry uses up a large part of the country's energy.
Using 'Consumir' for Engines
In English, we say a car 'gets' certain miles per gallon or 'uses' gas. In Spanish, we almost always use 'consumir' to describe how much fuel or electricity a machine uses up.
Direct Action
When talking about eating or drinking, 'consumir' is a bit more formal than 'comer' (to eat) or 'beber' (to drink). It is often used in health contexts or news reports.
Consumir vs. Asumir
Mistake: “Yo consumo que es verdad.”
Correction: Yo asumo que es verdad. 'Consumir' is about using resources, while 'asumir' means to assume or take on a responsibility.
comer
koh-mehrkoˈmeɾ
Examples
Este coche come mucha gasolina.
This car uses up a lot of gas.
El nuevo software se come toda la memoria RAM.
The new software eats up all the RAM.
Los gastos inesperados se comieron nuestros ahorros.
The unexpected expenses ate up our savings.
gastar
gahs-TAHRɡasˈtaɾ
Examples
No gastes la batería del móvil mirando videos.
Don't use up the phone battery watching videos.
Gastamos mucha energía en calentar la casa.
We use a lot of energy heating the house.
Es una pena gastar tanto tiempo esperando.
It's a shame to waste so much time waiting.
Wasting Effort
When talking about effort or energy, 'gastar' often implies that the resource was used inefficiently or without good results.
devorar
deh-boh-RAHRdeβoˈɾaɾ
Examples
El perro devoró su comida en diez segundos.
The dog devoured his food in ten seconds.
Tenía tanta hambre que devoré la pizza entera.
I was so hungry that I wolfed down the whole pizza.
El incendio devoró gran parte del bosque.
The fire consumed a large part of the forest.
A Regular -ar Verb
Good news! This word follows the standard patterns for verbs ending in -ar, so it doesn't have any tricky spelling changes.
Using it with Emotions
When used with feelings like 'envy' or 'curiosity,' it shows that the feeling is taking over the person completely.
Don't use it for normal eating
Mistake: “Devoré una ensalada en el almuerzo.”
Correction: Comí una ensalada en el almuerzo.
ingerir
een-heh-REERiŋxeˈɾiɾ
Examples
El paciente no debe ingerir nada sólido antes del examen.
The patient must not ingest anything solid before the exam.
Es peligroso ingerir alcohol mientras se toman estos antibióticos.
It is dangerous to consume alcohol while taking these antibiotics.
Las aves marinas pueden morir al ingerir plásticos del océano.
Seabirds can die by swallowing plastics from the ocean.
The Stem Change
This verb has a 'double life' for the letter 'e'. In most present tense forms, the 'e' becomes 'ie' (like 'ingiero'). However, in the 'nosotros' form of the special mood (subjunctive) and the third-person past tense, it changes to just 'i' (like 'ingirieron').
Don't use it at dinner
Even though it means 'to eat' or 'to drink,' using 'ingerir' at a restaurant would sound like you are a robot or a doctor. Stick to 'comer' or 'beber' for daily life.
Forgetting the 'i' change
Mistake: “Ellos ingerieron mucha agua.”
Correction: Ellos ingirieron mucha agua. (In the past tense for 'they', the 'e' must change to an 'i').
roer
roh-EHRroˈeɾ
Examples
La culpa le roía la conciencia día y noche.
Guilt was eating away at his conscience day and night.
El óxido comenzó a roer el metal del barco.
Rust began to eat away at the ship's metal.
Figurative Subjects
In this sense, the subject is often an abstract feeling like 'envidia' (envy) or 'celos' (jealousy).
General vs. Specific Consumption
Related Translations
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