Cooking verbs are a fundamental part of food preparation and recipe-following in German. This section covers the most common German cooking verbs, their English meanings, and example sentences to help you use them correctly.
Common Cooking Verbs
Most frequent cooking verbs in German, including their English equivalents and example sentences.
| German Cooking Verb | English Cooking Verb | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| schneiden | to cut | Schneide die Tomaten in kleine Stücke. | Cut the tomatoes into small pieces. |
| kochen | to cook/boil | Ich koche die Kartoffeln. | I am cooking the potatoes. |
| braten | to fry/roast | Brate das Fleisch in der Pfanne. | Fry the meat in the pan. |
| backen | to bake | Ich backe einen Apfelkuchen. | I am baking an apple pie. |
| mixen | to mix/blend | Mixe die Zutaten im Mixer. | Blend the ingredients in the blender. |
| rühren | to stir | Rühre den Teig langsam. | Stir the dough slowly. |
| gießen | to pour | Gieße Wasser in den Topf. | Pour water into the pot. |
| grillen | to grill | Wir grillen heute Abend Würstchen. | We are grilling sausages tonight. |
| schälen | to peel | Schäle die Karotten. | Peel the carrots. |
| würzen | to season | Würze das Gericht mit Salz und Pfeffer. | Season the dish with salt and pepper. |
Additional Cooking Verbs
More specific or less common cooking verbs, useful for a wider range of recipes.
| German Cooking Verb | English Cooking Verb | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| dämpfen | to steam | Wir dämpfen das Gemüse. | We are steaming the vegetables. |
| pürieren | to puree | Püriere die Suppe im Mixer. | Puree the soup in the blender. |
| abtropfen lassen | to drain | Lass die Nudeln abtropfen. | Let the noodles drain. |
| ziehen lassen | to let steep | Lass den Tee fünf Minuten ziehen. | Let the tea steep for five minutes. |
| karamellisieren | to caramelize | Karamellisiere den Zucker vorsichtig. | Carefully caramelize the sugar. |
| klopfen | to tenderize/beat | Klopfe das Fleisch dünn. | Tenderize the meat thinly. |
| bestreuen | to sprinkle | Bestreue den Kuchen mit Puderzucker. | Sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar. |
| einlegen | to marinate/preserve | Ich lege die Gurken ein. | I am pickling the cucumbers. |
| schwenken | to toss/sauté | Schwenke das Gemüse in der Pfanne. | Toss the vegetables in the pan. |
| glasieren | to glaze | Glasieren Sie die Soße vor dem Servieren. | Glaze the sauce before serving. |
Glaze the sauce before serving.
Glasieren Sie die Soße vor dem Servieren.
'glasieren' means 'to glaze.' The instruction is to glaze the sauce, so 'Glasieren Sie die Soße vor dem Servieren.' is correct.
Special Cooking Procedures
Verbs that describe more advanced or specialized cooking techniques.
| German Cooking Verb | English Cooking Verb | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| flambieren | to flambé | Flambiere die Crêpes am Tisch. | Flambé the crepes at the table. |
| konfieren | to confit | Konfieren Sie die Ente langsam im Fett. | Confit the duck slowly in fat. |
| sous-vide garen | to cook sous-vide | Wir garen das Rind sous-vide. | We are cooking the beef sous-vide. |
| temperieren | to temper | Temperiere die Schokolade vor dem Gießen. | Temper the chocolate before pouring. |
| emulgieren | to emulsify | Emulgieren Sie die Sauce gründlich. | Emulsify the sauce thoroughly. |
| klären | to clarify | Kläre die Brühe vor dem Servieren. | Clarify the broth before serving. |
Confit the duck slowly in fat.
Konfieren Sie die Ente langsam im Fett.
'konfieren' means 'to confit.' The instruction is to confit duck slowly in fat, so 'Konfieren Sie die Ente langsam im Fett.' is correct.
Flambé the crepes at the table.
Flambiere die Crêpes am Tisch.
'flambieren' means 'to flambé.' The sentence describes flambéing crepes, so 'Flambiere die Crêpes am Tisch.' is correct.
Tips for Learning Cooking Verbs
- Pay attention to the cooking method to choose the right verb (e.g., braten vs. backen).
- Use example sentences to see how verbs fit into typical cooking instructions.
- Practice conjugating verbs in the imperative form for following or giving recipe directions.
Flashcards (1 of 26)
- English Cooking Verb: to cut
- English Example: Cut the tomatoes into small pieces.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
