Spanish word of the day: Picotear

What does picotear mean?

Picotear (verb) — To nibble, snack, or pick at food, usually in small amounts and often without sitting down for a full meal. It’s the Spanish way to describe grazing—grabbing a bite here, a chip there, maybe a little cheese or a slice of bread, often while chatting or socializing.

Example sentences with picotear

• Me gusta picotear aceitunas antes de la comida.
  🫒 I like to nibble on olives before lunch.

• En las fiestas, siempre hay algo para picotear.
  🥨 There’s always something to snack on at parties.

• No tengo hambre para cenar, solo voy a picotear un poco.
  🍪 I’m not hungry for dinner, I’ll just nibble a bit.

Confused about how to conjugate this word? Our conjugation tables can help.

Picotear in context

Picotear is perfect for those moments when you’re not committing to a full meal but still want to enjoy a little something—maybe while chatting with friends, waiting for dinner, or just passing by the kitchen and grabbing a snack. In Spain, the tradition of tapas is all about picotear: sharing small plates, tasting a bit of this and that, and making the meal more about the company than the food itself.

You can use picotear to talk about picking at leftovers, sampling appetizers, or even grazing your way through a buffet. It’s a relaxed, informal verb that fits perfectly into everyday conversations about eating habits. If you want to sound like a local, use picotear whenever you’re describing those little moments of casual snacking—especially when the food is just too tempting to ignore.