Exploring the Spanish Kitchen: Essential Vocabulary and Phrases

By Lingobi, Published on 02/20/2025

Learning Spanish can be a delicious adventure, especially when you start exploring the kitchen! The kitchen is one of the best places to pick up new vocabulary because it’s filled with everyday items and actions that are easy to practice. Whether you're cooking a Spanish dish, shopping for ingredients, or simply setting the table, knowing these words will help you sound more natural.

Essential Kitchen Vocabulary

Let’s start with the basics! Here are some common words you’ll find in any kitchen:

  • La cocina - The kitchen
  • El refrigerador - The refrigerator
  • El congelador - The freezer
  • El microondas - The microwave
  • El horno - The oven
  • La estufa - The stove
  • El fregadero - The sink
  • El lavaplatos - The dishwasher
  • Los cubiertos - The silverware
  • El sartén - The frying pan
  • La olla - The pot
  • El plato - The plate
  • El vaso - The glass
  • La taza - The cup

Cooking Verbs

When you’re in the kitchen, you’re not just looking at objects—you’re using them! Here are some essential cooking verbs:

  • Cocinar - To cook
  • Hervir - To boil
  • Freír - To fry
  • Hornear - To bake
  • Mezclar - To mix
  • Cortar - To cut
  • Batir - To whisk or beat
  • Pelar - To peel

Useful Phrases in the Kitchen

Imagine you’re cooking with a Spanish-speaking friend or following a recipe in Spanish. These phrases will come in handy:

  • ¿Puedes pasarme la sal? - Can you pass me the salt?
  • Voy a encender el horno. - I’m going to turn on the oven.
  • No toques la sartén, está caliente. - Don’t touch the pan, it’s hot.
  • Tenemos que lavar los platos. - We have to wash the dishes.
  • ¿Cuánto tiempo hay que hornear el pastel? - How long do we have to bake the cake?

Practice in Your Own Kitchen

The best way to learn is by doing! Label your kitchen objects with sticky notes in Spanish, try cooking a Spanish recipe, or talk to yourself in Spanish while preparing meals. Small steps like these will help you build confidence and fluency.

Want to learn more useful vocabulary and practice with real conversations? Download Lingobi today and start improving your Spanish in a fun and interactive way!