Spanish word

cocinar

Pronunciation

IPA/koθiˈnaɾ/

Meaning

  • verbcook

Example

¿Cocinas esta noche?

Are you cooking tonight?

Illustration for cocinar (cook)

More examples

¿Sabes cocinar algo sencillo?

Do you know how to cook something simple?

Core concept

Turning raw ingredients into a finished dish using chopping, combining, and heat.

Common phrases

  • saber cocinar

    know how to cook

  • cocinar algo sencillo

    cook something simple

Similar words

preparar: Assembles and readies components for cooking, including chopping, marinating, and arranging.
freír: Cooks food in hot oil to quickly brown and crisp the exterior.
asar: Exposes food to dry heat (oven or open flame) to cook through and develop char or crust.
guisar: Cooks ingredients slowly in a liquid or sauce so flavors deepen and meat becomes tender.

Definition in Spanish

Elaborar alimentos mediante acciones como cortar, mezclar y aplicar calor hasta obtener un plato listo para comer.

Word origin

Derived from Latin coquĕre via medieval coquinare, the verb cocinar centers on the process of transforming ingredients into a cooked dish.

Usage tips

  • In recipes and menus Spanish often prefers method verbs (freír, asar, cocer) over cocinar, so expect specific technique verbs rather than the generic 'cook'.

Related words

Word lists with this word