Welcome to the heart of the home: the kitchen! Knowing how to talk about `la cocina` and cooking is essential for daily life in any Spanish-speaking country. Whether you're sharing a meal with a host family in Colombia, trying to follow a recipe for Mexican `chilaquiles`, or simply buying groceries at a local market, this vocabulary will be your best friend. You'll be able to ask where the spoons are, say what you had for lunch, and understand basic cooking instructions. Many of these words will feel familiar, as Spanish and English share many cognates like `ingredientes` and `refrigerador`. This list focuses on the most common vocabulary used throughout Latin America. For instance, we'll use `la estufa` for the stove and `el refrigerador` for the fridge, which are more common there than the terms used in Spain (`la cocina` and `el frigorífico`, respectively). Get ready to cook up some great conversations!
the kitchen
Mi mamá está preparando el almuerzo en la cocina. — My mom is preparing lunch in the kitchen.
the refrigerator
Guarda la leche en el refrigerador, por favor. En algunos países también le dicen 'la nevera'. — Put the milk in the refrigerator, please. In some countries they also call it 'la nevera'.
the stove, stovetop
Ten cuidado, la olla en la estufa está muy caliente. — Be careful, the pot on the stove is very hot.
the oven
Voy a meter el pollo en el horno por una hora. — I'm going to put the chicken in the oven for an hour.
the pot
Necesito una olla grande para cocinar la sopa. — I need a big pot to cook the soup.
the frying pan
Usa el sartén para freír los huevos. — Use the frying pan to fry the eggs.
the plate, the dish
Sírveme la comida en un plato hondo, por favor. — Serve me the food on a deep plate, please.
the glass, cup
¿Me pasas un vaso para tomar agua? — Can you pass me a glass to drink water?
to cook
Me encanta cocinar para mis amigos los fines de semana. — I love to cook for my friends on the weekends.
to prepare, to make
Hoy voy a preparar arepas para el desayuno. — Today I'm going to make arepas for breakfast.
to cut, to chop
Necesitas cortar las verduras en trozos pequeños. — You need to cut the vegetables into small pieces.
to chop, to dice
Primero, tienes que picar la cebolla y el ajo. — First, you have to chop the onion and the garlic.
the ingredients
Fui al mercado a comprar todos los ingredientes para el pastel. — I went to the market to buy all the ingredients for the cake.
the recipe
Esta es una receta de mi abuela, es un secreto de familia. — This is my grandmother's recipe, it's a family secret.
breakfast
El desayuno típico en Costa Rica es gallo pinto. — The typical breakfast in Costa Rica is gallo pinto.
lunch
Normalmente como el almuerzo a la una de la tarde. — I normally eat lunch at one in the afternoon.
dinner
¿Qué comimos para la cena anoche? No me acuerdo. — What did we have for dinner last night? I don't remember.
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the microwave
Calenté las sobras de anoche en el microondas. — I heated up last night's leftovers in the microwave.
the kitchen sink
Deja los platos sucios en el fregadero. — Leave the dirty dishes in the kitchen sink.
the mug, the cup (for hot drinks)
Cada mañana tomo una taza de café para despertar. — Every morning I have a cup of coffee to wake up.
the cutlery, silverware
Pon la mesa con los platos, los vasos y los cubiertos. — Set the table with the plates, glasses, and cutlery.
the fork
En mi país comemos el arroz con tenedor, no con palillos. — In my country we eat rice with a fork, not with chopsticks.
the knife
Este cuchillo no tiene filo, no puedo cortar la carne. — This knife isn't sharp, I can't cut the meat.
the spoon
La sopa se come con cuchara. — You eat soup with a spoon.
to mix
Mezcla todos los ingredientes secos en un bol grande. — Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
to add
Prueba la salsa y, si es necesario, añade más sal. — Taste the sauce and, if necessary, add more salt.
to taste, to try
¿Quieres probar la sopa para ver si le falta algo? — Do you want to taste the soup to see if it's missing anything?
to boil
Deja que el agua hierva antes de poner la pasta. — Let the water boil before putting in the pasta.
to fry
A mi hijo le encanta cuando frío papas en casa. — My son loves it when I fry potatoes at home.