In Spanish, two common nouns for "food" are comida and alimento, each with distinct uses and connotations:
- comida: Refers to food as something eaten, especially meals. It is used in everyday contexts to talk about eating, meals, and dishes.
- alimento: Means a food item or nutrient, often used in a more formal, scientific, or nutritional context. It can be singular (alimento) or plural (alimentos).
| Aspect | Comida | Alimento(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Food, meal | Food, nutrient(s) |
| Usage | Everyday, meals | Scientific, nutritional |
| Typical Contexts | Meals, eating, recipes | Nutrition, health, biology |
comida is the word you’ll hear at the dinner table or when someone talks about lunch or dinner, while alimento is more likely to appear in discussions about diet, nutrition, or food science.