Spanish Phrase
Evita la comida que huela fuerte.
Meaning
‘Avoid food that smells strong.’ The sentence is a piece of advice, often given for health, dietary, or etiquette reasons, warning the listener to stay away from foods with a powerful odor that might indicate spoilage or an overwhelming flavor.
When to use
Use this phrase when giving someone a health tip (e.g., before a medical procedure), when you’re concerned about strong odors in a shared space, or when you want to politely suggest someone skip a pungent dish.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Evitalacomidaquehuelafuerte
Imperative (tú) – Evita
Use the second‑person singular affirmative imperative of ‘evitar’ to give a direct command or advice.
Definite article – la
‘La’ specifies the noun ‘comida’; it agrees in gender and number.
Relative clause with subjunctive – que huela
After an indefinite or non‑specific antecedent (comida), the verb in the relative clause takes the present subjunctive (huela) to express a quality that is not yet confirmed.
Adjective after verb – fuerte
‘Fuerte’ describes the intensity of the smell and follows the verb ‘oler’ in this construction.
🗨In Conversation
¿Qué debería comer antes de la cirugía?
What should I eat before the surgery?
Evita la comida que huela fuerte.
Avoid food that smells strong.
✕Common Mistakes
Evita la comida que huele fuerte.
After a non‑specific noun, the relative clause should use the subjunctive (huela), not the indicative (huele).
Evita la comida que huele fuerte.
Using the indicative changes the meaning to refer to a specific known food, losing the advisory nuance.
Evitar la comida que huela fuerte.
The command form must be the imperative ‘Evita’, not the infinitive ‘Evitar’.
↔Alternatives
No comas alimentos con olor intenso.
Don’t eat foods with an intense smell.
Aléjate de la comida que tenga un olor fuerte.
Stay away from food that has a strong smell.
No consumas platos que huelan muy fuerte.
Don’t consume dishes that smell very strong.
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries, strong‑smelling foods such as certain cheeses, fermented fish, or heavily spiced dishes are enjoyed, but they can be considered inappropriate in formal settings or when someone is ill. Using a polite recommendation like this shows respect for the listener’s health and the social context.