Synonyms for "to go eat" in Spanish

In Spanish, everything can be said in many ways: between synonyms and colloquial terms, a verb as simple as “comer” can be confusing for many foreigners and students; and even more so when the same word that designates the act of nourishing oneself can mean something very different in other places. We are going to give you some examples.

• Bajonear: this is how you would say “to eat” in El Salvador, but in Bolivia it means “to feel down”; and in Colombia you have to be especially careful because it also means “to hit someone.”
• Clavar: it means “to eat to excess” in Argentina; but in Spain it also means “to pay an excessive amount for something” or “to rip someone off.”
• Jalar: in Spain it expresses “to eat something in a hurry”; however, in Ecuador it would be a synonym for “to tolerate” and in Argentina it would be something similar to “to inhale.”
• Papear: it is used a lot in Spain and Peru; but don’t even think about using it in Colombia, as it means “to pull someone’s leg.”
• Yantar: this is a formal term widely used in Spain and Ecuador. When someone is described as “de buen yantar” (of good eating), we mean not only that the person likes to eat, but also that they are a true sybarite. But in other places, “yantar” is still used as “to pay a tribute.”
• Zampar: it is used in Honduras, Peru, and Spain; but in Venezuela it means “to have intimate relations.”

To these verbs, we should add some expressions or idioms, which many find funny or, at least, curious.

• Tener buen saque: it basically means having a good appetite or a predisposition to eat in abundance. However, you shouldn’t use this expression in Argentina, as it would mean something like someone deserves a good slap.
• Comer como una lima: if someone eats a lot and very quickly, they are told this because they are being compared to the tool used to polish metals (a file); but a “lima” (lime) is also a fruit similar to a lemon that, obviously, does not devour anyone.
• Comer a dos carrillos: if you’ve ever had a hamster and seen it store seeds in its cheeks, you’ll know what this expression means; nevertheless, keep in mind that in some places “carrillo” is also a way to call pulleys.

We hope we haven’t confused you with these synonyms, but as you can see, Spanish turns out to be a “very tasty” language.