How to Say "to munch" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “to munch” is “mascar” — A2 level.
Examples
No es bueno mascar chicle todo el día.
It's not good to chew gum all day.
El perro está mascando su juguete nuevo.
The dog is chewing on its new toy.
Él se quedó mascando la respuesta antes de hablar.
He sat there mulling over the answer before speaking.
The Spelling Change
In the 'yo' form of the past (Preterite) and all 'wishes' forms (Subjunctive), the 'c' changes to 'qu' (masqué). This is done to keep the 'k' sound; without it, it would sound like an 's'.
Mascar vs. Masticar
While very similar, 'masticar' is the standard word for chewing food properly to eat. 'Mascar' is more common for chewing gum or things you don't necessarily swallow.
Wrong Spelling in Past Tense
Mistake: “Yo mascé chicle.”
Correction: Yo masqué chicle. Remember that 'c' always becomes 'qu' before the letter 'e' in these verbs.
Related Translations
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