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🥘Cooking verbs

Chop, simmer, whisk — technique words.

13 concepts

Columns follow the languages switched on at the top. Gender after the word (m/f/n); IPA beneath; notes, alternatives and origins underneath — nothing is hidden.

ConceptEnglishFrançaisEspañol
to chop
verb
to chop
t͡ʃɒp
also: to dice (cubes), to mince (very fine)
hacher
aʃe
also: couper (cut), émincer (slice thin)
Aspirated h: je hache. Viande hachée = minced meat.
picar
piˈkaɾ
Also to sting, to itch, to nibble (picar algo = have a snack).
to slice
verb
to slice
slaɪs
trancher
tʁɑ̃ʃe
also: couper en tranches
Also to settle a question decisively.
cortar en rodajas
koɾˈtaɾ en roˈðaxas
also: rebanar (bread), filetear
to peel
verb
to peel
piːl
éplucher
eplyʃe
also: peler
Épluche-légumes = peeler.
pelar
peˈlaɾ
Also to get a haircut (pelarse) and to be freezing (hace un frío que pela).
to fry
verb
to fry
fɹaɪ
also: to deep-fry, to sauté / pan-fry
frire
fʁiʁ
also: faire revenir (brown/sauté), faire sauter
Frire = deep-fry; mostly used as faire frire.
freír
fɾeˈiɾ
Irregular: frío, fríes, fríe… frito = fried. Huevos fritos.
to boil
verb
to boil
bɔɪl
Water boils; you boil an egg — same verb both ways.
bouillir
bujiʁ
also: faire cuire à l'eau (boil food)
L'eau bout. Faire bouillir de l'eau.
hervir
eɾˈβiɾ
also: cocer (boil food: cuezo)
Stem-changing: hierve. Huevo cocido / duro = boiled egg.
to simmer
verb
to simmer
ˈsɪmə
Also of anger: simmering.
mijoter
miʒɔte
also: laisser frémir, cuire à feu doux
Also to plot something: qu'est-ce que tu mijotes ?
cocer a fuego lento
koˈθeɾ a ˈfweɣo ˈlento
Literally 'cook on slow fire'.
to bake / roast
verb
to bake
beɪk
also: to roast (meat/veg)
Bake = bread, cakes, fish; roast = meat, potatoes. Both in the oven.
cuire au four
kɥiʁ o fuʁ
also: rôtir (roast), faire cuire
One verb, cuire, covers bake/cook/roast — the place (au four) does the work.
hornear
oɾneˈaɾ
also: cocer al horno, asar (roast)
to grill
verb
to grill
ɡɹɪl
also: to broil (US, heat from above), to barbecue
griller
ɡʁije
Pain grillé = toast. Also to skip a red light (griller un feu).
asar a la parrilla
aˈsaɾ a la paˈriʎa
also: asar, hacer a la plancha (griddle)
to stir
verb
to stir
stɜː
remuer
ʁəmɥe
also: mélanger (mix), touiller (informal)
remover
remoˈβeɾ
also: revolver (Latin America), mezclar (mix)
Stem-changing: remuevo. Also 'to remove' in modern use — context.
to whisk / beat
verb
to whisk
wɪsk
also: to beat (eggs), to whip (cream)
fouetter
fwɛte
also: battre (les œufs), monter (en neige)
Un fouet = a whisk (and a whip).
batir
baˈtiɾ
Batidora = blender/mixer. Also to beat a record.
to knead
verb
to knead
niːd
Silent k; homophone of need.
pétrir
petʁiʁ
amasar
amaˈsaɾ
La masa = dough. Also to amass a fortune.
to season
verb
to season
ˈsiːzən
also: to salt, to spice
assaisonner
asɛzɔne
also: saler, poivrer, épicer
Assaisonnement = dressing/seasoning.
sazonar
saθoˈnaɾ
also: condimentar, salpimentar (salt & pepper), aliñar (dress a salad)
to taste (try)
verb
to taste
teɪst
Both 'I tasted it' and 'it tastes good'.
goûter
ɡute
Also the afternoon snack: le goûter. 'Ça a bon goût' = it tastes good.
probar
pɾoˈβaɾ
Also to try (on), to prove. Stem-changing: pruebo. 'Sabe bien' = it tastes good.