How to talk about cooking in Spanish

Name common kitchen equipment and describe the basic actions in a recipe. These 15 words lead into reusable cooking patterns and a short conversation in the kitchen.

15 kitchen and cooking words

Apron vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Delantal

English

Apron

Blender vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Licuadora

English

Blender

Boil vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Hervir

English

Boil

Jug vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Jarra

English

Jug

Kettle vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Tetera

English

Kettle

Marinate vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Marinar

English

Marinate

Microwave vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Microondas

English

Microwave

Oven vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Horno

English

Oven

Pan vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Sartén

English

Pan

Pot vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Olla

English

Pot

Salt vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Sal

English

Salt

Sink vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Fregadero

English

Sink

Stove vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Estufa

English

Stove

Tongs vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Pinzas

English

Tongs

Wine vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Vino

English

Wine

Kitchen words in context

See how each word works in a natural Spanish sentence.

  1. Me pongo el delantal antes de empezar a cocinar.I put on the apron before I start cooking.
  2. Mezcla la sopa en la licuadora hasta que quede suave.Blend the soup in the blender until it is smooth.
  3. Hay que hervir el agua durante cinco minutos.You need to boil the water for five minutes.
  4. Llenó la jarra con agua fría.She filled the jug with cold water.
  5. La tetera está sobre la mesa.The kettle is on the table.
  6. Vamos a marinar el pollo con limón y ajo.We're going to marinate the chicken with lemon and garlic.
  7. Calienta el arroz en el microondas.Heat the rice in the microwave.
  8. El horno ya está a doscientos grados.The oven is already at two hundred degrees.
  9. Fríe las verduras en una sartén grande.Fry the vegetables in a large pan.
  10. La sopa está en la olla pequeña.The soup is in the small pot.
  11. Añade una pizca de sal al final.Add a pinch of salt at the end.
  12. Dejé los platos en el fregadero.I left the dishes in the sink.
  13. Apaga la estufa cuando termine de hervir.Turn off the stove when it finishes boiling.
  14. Usa las pinzas para dar vuelta a la carne.Use the tongs to turn the meat over.
  15. Añadimos un poco de vino a la salsa.We add a little wine to the sauce.

Useful phrases while cooking

Use these patterns to give simple instructions, ask where something is and explain the next step in a recipe.

¿Dónde está…?

Where is…?

¿Dónde está la sartén grande?Where is the large pan?

Hay que…

You need to…

Hay que hervir el agua primero.You need to boil the water first.

Añade…

Add…

Añade sal y un poco de vino.Add salt and a little wine.

Pon … en…

Put … in…

Pon las verduras en el horno.Put the vegetables in the oven.

¿Cuánto tiempo…?

How long…?

¿Cuánto tiempo debe marinar el pollo?How long should the chicken marinate?

A conversation while making dinner

  1. Pablo¿Dónde está el delantal? Voy a empezar la cena.Where is the apron? I'm going to start dinner.
  2. InésEstá junto al fregadero. ¿Necesitas una olla?It's next to the sink. Do you need a pot?
  3. PabloSí, y también la sartén grande.Yes, and the large pan too.
  4. InésLa sartén está en el horno. Yo voy a hervir el agua.The pan is in the oven. I'm going to boil the water.
  5. PabloPerfecto. Después añadiré sal y un poco de vino.Perfect. Then I'll add salt and a little wine.
  6. InésUsa las pinzas para mover las verduras.Use the tongs to move the vegetables.

Try one in the VocabTally quiz

Choose the English meaning, just as you would while practising in the app.

00

What does this mean in English?

Sartén

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