Time to cook! In this lesson, you'll learn kitchen vocabulary and cooking actions. You'll also deepen your understanding of the gerund — the -ando/-iendo forms — including some important irregular forms. Whether you're following a recipe or just talking about what's for dinner, these words will come in handy every day.
Learning tips
- Most cooking verbs are regular -ar verbs (cocinar, cortar, mezclar) — easy to conjugate!
- The irregular gerund 'hirviendo' (from hervir) follows the same pattern as other e→i stem-changers: hervir → hirviendo, like pedir → pidiendo.
- In Colombia, 'la olla' is essential — it's used for soups, stews, and the famous 'olla de ajiaco' (ajiaco pot).
- Practice narrating your cooking: 'Estoy cortando las verduras. Ahora estoy mezclando todo.'
Warm-up & Active Recall
Recap: In Lesson 7.3, you learned the present progressive (estar + gerund): estoy caminando, está cocinando. The gerund is formed with -ando for -ar verbs and -iendo for -er/-ir verbs.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| el barrio | the neighborhood |
| el vecino | the neighbor (male) |
| la vecina | the neighbor (female) |
| el edificio | the building |
| la cuadra | the block |
| el conjunto | the complex |
| vivir | to live |
| lindo | pretty |
| seguro | safe |
| tranquilo | quiet |
Dialog
Andrés cooks a Colombian rice with chicken, and Valentina helps. Notice the cooking verbs in action: 'cortar' (to cut), 'mezclar' (to mix), 'hervir' (to boil). These are practical, everyday words. The dialog also shows the gerund in context — Valentina asks '¿Las mezclo?' using the simple present for a general action, while the progressive 'estoy cocinando' describes what's happening right now.
Andrés
Hoy voy a cocinar un arroz con pollo. ¿Me ayudas?
(Today I-go to cook a rice with chicken. Me you-help?)
Today I'm going to cook rice with chicken. Will you help me?
Valentina
¡Claro! ¿Qué necesito preparar?
(Of-course! What I-need to prepare?)
Of course! What do I need to prepare?
Andrés
Primero, necesitas cortar las verduras con el cuchillo.
(First, you-need to cut the vegetables with the knife.)
First, you need to cut the vegetables with the knife.
Valentina
Listo. ¿Y después? ¿Las mezclo con el arroz?
(Ready. And after? Them I-mix with the rice?)
Ready. And then? Do I mix them with the rice?
Andrés
Sí, mezcla todo en la olla grande. Yo voy a hervir el agua.
(Yes, mix everything in the pot big. I go to boil the water.)
Yes, mix everything in the big pot. I'm going to boil the water.
Valentina
¿Dónde está la cuchara para mezclar?
(Where is the spoon for to-mix?)
Where is the spoon for mixing?
Andrés
La cuchara está al lado del plato. Pon todo en la olla.
(The spoon is to-the side of-the plate. Put everything in the pot.)
The spoon is next to the plate. Put everything in the pot.
Valentina
¡Perfecto! Me gusta cocinar. Necesito un vaso de agua también.
(Perfect! Me pleases to-cook. I-need a glass of water also.)
Perfect! I like cooking. I need a glass of water too.
Vocabulary
Active words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| cocinar | /ko.si.ˈnaɾ/ | to cook | Regular -ar verb; 'la cocina' is both 'the kitchen' and 'the cuisine' |
| preparar | /pɾe.pa.ˈɾaɾ/ | to prepare | Regular -ar verb — works just like English 'prepare' |
| cortar | /koɾ.ˈtaɾ/ | to cut | Regular -ar verb — corto, cortas, corta |
| mezclar | /mes.ˈklaɾ/ | to mix | Regular -ar verb — mezclo, mezclas, mezcla |
| hervir | /eɾ.ˈβiɾ/ | to boil | Irregular gerund: hirviendo (not 'herviendo'); also e→ie stem change: hiervo |
| la olla | /ˈo.ʝa/ | the pot | The double 'l' is pronounced like 'y': O-ya |
| el plato | /ˈpla.to/ | the plate, the dish | Also means 'the dish' (as in a meal): 'un plato típico' |
| el vaso | /ˈba.so/ | the glass (for drinking) | Don't confuse with 'la copa' (wine glass) or 'la taza' (cup/mug) |
| el cuchillo | /ku.ˈtʃi.ʝo/ | the knife | The 'll' is pronounced like 'y': cu-CHI-yo |
| la cuchara | /ku.ˈtʃa.ɾa/ | the spoon | A bigger spoon is 'el cucharón' (ladle) |
Passive words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| el sartén | /saɾ.ˈten/ | the frying pan | |
| el horno | /ˈoɾ.no/ | the oven | |
| calentar | /ka.len.ˈtaɾ/ | to heat up, to warm | |
| enfriar | /en.fɾi.ˈaɾ/ | to cool down | |
| la receta | /re.ˈse.ta/ | the recipe | |
| el ingrediente | /in.ɡɾe.ˈðjen.te/ | the ingredient |
Useful chunks
| Word | Translation |
|---|---|
| voy a cocinar | I'm going to cook |
| al lado del plato | next to the plate |
Pronunciation: Practice the 'll' sound in 'cuchillo' and 'olla.' In Latin American Spanish, 'll' is pronounced like the 'y' in 'yes': cu-CHI-yo, O-ya. In some regions of Colombia (especially Bogotá), it can sound slightly more like a soft 'j' sound. Try both and use whichever feels more natural.
Grammar: Gerund formation (-ando for -ar verbs, -iendo for -er/-ir verbs) and irregular gerunds
| Verb Type | Infinitive | Gerund | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| -ar verbs | cocinar | cocinando | Estoy cocinando. |
| -ar verbs | cortar | cortando | Estás cortando. |
| -er verbs | comer | comiendo | Está comiendo. |
| -ir verbs | vivir | viviendo | Estamos viviendo aquí. |
| Irregular | decir | diciendo | Está diciendo algo. |
| Irregular | venir | viniendo | Están viniendo. |
| Irregular | dormir | durmiendo | El bebé está durmiendo. |
Let's expand on the gerund formation you learned in 7.3.
Regular gerunds:
- -ar → -ando: cocinar → cocinando, cortar → cortando, mezclar → mezclando
- -er → -iendo: comer → comiendo, poner → poniendo
- -ir → -iendo: vivir → viviendo, salir → saliendo
Irregular gerunds (important to memorize):
- decir → diciendo (not 'deciendo') — e→i change
- venir → viniendo (not 'veniendo') — e→i change
- dormir → durmiendo (not 'dormiendo') — o→u change
- hervir → hirviendo (not 'herviendo') — e→i change
- pedir → pidiendo — e→i change
- leer → leyendo (not 'leiendo') — vowel hiatus adds 'y'
- ir → yendo (completely irregular)
The pattern for stem-changing -ir verbs: e→i or o→u in the gerund.
Remember: in the present progressive, only 'estar' is conjugated. The gerund never changes:
- Yo estoy cocinando. Ella está cocinando. Ellos están cocinando.
Exercises
Fill in the Blanks
Complete each sentence with the correct cooking word.
- Voy a la cena esta noche.(the cooking action)
- Necesito las verduras con el cuchillo.(to slice or chop)
- Pon el agua en para hervir.(a large cooking container)
- Necesito una para la sopa.(a utensil for eating soup)
- Sirvo la comida en .(a flat item for serving food)
Grammar Application
Convert each infinitive to its gerund form.
- cocinar → Estoy .(-ar verb → -ando)
- cortar → Ella está .(-ar verb → -ando)
- comer → Nosotros estamos .(-er verb → -iendo)
- hervir → El agua está .(-ir verb, irregular → hirviendo)
- dormir → El bebé está .(-ir verb, irregular o→u → durmiendo)
Translation (English → Spanish)
Translate each sentence into Spanish.
- I am cooking rice with chicken.
- I need to cut the vegetables.
- Where is the spoon?
- She is mixing everything in the pot.
- The water is boiling.
Creative Construction
Describe a cooking scene using at least 4 vocabulary words and at least one present progressive sentence.
Takeaway
Regular gerunds: -ar → -ando (cocinando), -er/-ir → -iendo (comiendo, viviendo). Key irregulars: decir → diciendo, dormir → durmiendo, hervir → hirviendo. The gerund never changes — only 'estar' is conjugated.
Culture note: Cooking is central to Colombian culture and family life. Many Colombian dishes require slow cooking in an 'olla' — the famous ajiaco bogotano simmers for hours with three types of potatoes, chicken, corn, and the herb 'guasca.' In Colombia, it's common for family members to cook together, especially on weekends. The kitchen is often the social center of the home, where family gathers while someone prepares the meal. If someone invites you to their home in Bogotá, they might say '¿Quieres venir a almorzar?' — lunch (almuerzo) is the biggest meal of the day.
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