Cooking has its own small vocabulary — the things you use, the steps you follow, and the words for how something tastes. Eight of them will carry you through almost any kitchen conversation.
1. What's for Dinner?
Rita: What are we having tonight?
Omar: Something quick. Pasta?
Rita: Again?
Omar: Then you choose.
Rita: Soup. There's a recipe I want to try.
Omar: Soup it is.
2. Checking the Ingredients
Yuna: Do we have everything?
Piet: Almost. We're out of onions.
Yuna: Can we leave them out?
Piet: It won't taste the same.
Yuna: I'll run to the shop.
3. Following the Steps
Adam: What does it say next?
Lin: Boil the water, then add the rice.
Adam: How long?
Lin: Twelve minutes. Don't stir it.
Adam: Got it.
Lin: And put a lid on.
4. How Does It Taste?
Mira: Try this. Be honest.
Jon: It's good. A bit salty.
Mira: Too salty?
Jon: Just a bit. Add some water.
Mira: Better?
Jon: Much better.
5. Setting the Table
Dee: Can you set the table?
Nico: How many of us?
Dee: Five. Plates are in the cupboard.
Nico: And the forks?
Dee: Second drawer down.
Nico: On it.
6. Something Burning
Ana: Can you smell that?
Ravi: The bread. I forgot the bread.
Ana: Turn the oven off.
Ravi: It's black on the bottom.
Ana: Cut that part off. It's fine.
Ravi: Toast, then.
7. Leftovers
Sofia: There's a lot left.
Karl: Put it in the fridge.
Sofia: Will it keep until tomorrow?
Karl: Two days, easily.
Sofia: Lunch sorted, then.
8. Washing Up
Nell: I cooked, so you wash up.
Theo: That's the deal.
Nell: The pan needs to soak.
Theo: I'll leave it in the sink.
Nell: Thanks. I'll dry.
Theo: Deal.
Words to know
| recipe | written instructions for making a dish There's a recipe I want to try. |
| ingredient | one of the foods that go into a dish Do we have all the ingredients? |
| boil | to heat water until it bubbles Boil the water, then add the rice. |
| stir | to move food around with a spoon Twelve minutes. Don't stir it. |
| cupboard | a cabinet with a door where dishes are kept Plates are in the cupboard. |
| oven | the hot box you bake food in Turn the oven off. |
| fridge | the cold cabinet that keeps food fresh Put it in the fridge. |
| sink | the basin where you wash dishes I'll leave it in the sink. |
Quick practice
Complete each sentence with an expression from the lessons.
1. A: Do we have everything?
B: Almost. We're ________ of onions.
2. A: What does it say next?
B: ________ the water, then add the rice.
3. A: Try this. Be honest.
B: It's good. A bit ________.
4. A: Can you set the table?
B: How many of us? Plates are in the ________.
5. A: Can you smell that?
B: The bread. Turn the ________ off.
6. A: There's a lot left.
B: Put it in the ________.
Show the answers
1. out 2. Boil 3. salty 4. cupboard 5. oven 6. fridge
Common mistakes
Not: I'm cooking a rice.
Say: I'm cooking rice.
Rice, bread, water and soup are uncountable. No a in front of them.
Not: Do you like the coffee?
Say: Do you like coffee?
Drop the when you mean something in general, not one particular cup.
Not: Can you pass me the salts?
Say: Can you pass me the salt?
Salt, sugar and pepper have no plural form.
Your turn
Think of one dish you can actually cook. Say these five things aloud, in English, without writing anything down.
- Name five ingredients you need for that dish.
- Explain the first three steps, in order.
- Say how long it takes and how you know when it is ready.
- Describe the taste in two words.
- Say what you do with the leftovers.
Quick review
Cook something this week and narrate it out loud in English as you go: I'm boiling the water. Now I add the rice. Nobody has to hear you. Speaking while your hands are busy links the words to the actions, and that is what makes vocabulary stay.