How to Say "to feed" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to feed” is “alimentar” — use 'alimentar' when the primary action is the physical act of giving food to a person or animal.
alimentar
ah-lee-men-TARali.menˈtaɾ
Examples
Yo alimento a mi perro dos veces al día.
I feed my dog twice a day.
La madre alimenta al bebé con una cuchara.
The mother feeds the baby with a spoon.
Debemos alimentar bien a los niños para que crezcan fuertes.
We must nourish the children well so they grow up strong.
Using 'A' with People
When 'alimentar' is followed by a specific person or pet, you must use the word 'a' before them (e.g., alimentar a mi hijo). This is the 'personal a'.
Confusing 'Alimentar' and 'Comer'
Mistake: “El perro come la comida. (Intending to say: The dog is fed the food.)”
Correction: El perro es alimentado con la comida. ('Comer' means the subject eats; 'alimentar' means the subject gives food.)
nutrir
noo-treernuˈtɾiɾ
Examples
Una dieta equilibrada sirve para nutrir el cuerpo adecuadamente.
A balanced diet serves to nourish the body properly.
Esta crema ayuda a nutrir la piel seca durante el invierno.
This cream helps to nourish dry skin during the winter.
Es fundamental nutrir bien a los niños en sus primeros años.
It is essential to nourish children well in their early years.
Regular '-ir' Verb Pattern
Nutrir follows the standard pattern for verbs ending in '-ir'. If you know how to conjugate 'vivir', you can conjugate 'nutrir' perfectly!
Adding 'se' for Personal Benefit
When you want to say you are nourishing yourself (like with knowledge or food), you add 'se' to make it 'nutrirse'.
Nutrir vs. Alimentar
Mistake: “Using 'nutrir' just to mean eating a snack.”
Correction: Use 'alimentar' for the simple act of eating food, and 'nutrir' when you are talking about the quality or health benefits of that food.
Alimentar vs. Nutrir
Related Translations
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