¿Sabes cocinar?
/ˈsabes koθiˈnaɾ/word by word
The English phrase "can you cook?" is translated into Spanish as ¿Sabes cocinar?
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ¿Sabes cocinar? literally translates to "Do you know how to cook?" because the verb saber is used to express acquired skills.
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between asking about a skill and asking about ability or availability. Use ¿Sabes cocinar? to ask if someone possesses the skill of cooking, whereas ¿Puedes cocinar? asks if someone is physically able or available to cook right now.
How does it change in a sentence?
To address someone with the formal "usted" to show respect, use the form ¿Sabe cocinar? When asking a group of people if they know how to cook, use the plural form ¿Saben cocinar?
Did you know?
- In modern Spanish slang, the verb cocinar is sometimes used to describe the act of producing illegal drugs, a semantic loan from the English use of 'cook'.
- Because cocinar refers specifically to the act of preparing food, if you want to ask if someone is a good cook in general, you might instead ask if they 'tienen buena mano' (have a good hand) in the kitchen.
- In Spain, the phrase cocinar a fuego lento is used not only for food but also as a metaphor for letting a situation or a relationship develop slowly.
Examples in context
- ¿Sabe usted cocinar? Me han hablado mucho de sus habilidades culinarias.Do you know how to cook? I've heard a lot about your culinary skills.
- ¿Sabes cocinar? Me muero por probar tus deliciosas recetas.Do you know how to cook? I'm dying to try your delicious recipes.
- ¿Puedes cocinar algo esta noche? No me apetece salir a cenar.Can you cook something tonight? I don't feel like going out for dinner.
Example conversation
Javier and María are talking about dinner plans.
- JavierTengo hambre, ¿sabes cocinar?I'm hungry, can you cook?
- MaríaSí, puedo hacer una pasta.Yes, I can make some pasta.
- Javier¡Qué bien! Me encanta la pasta.That's great! I love pasta.
- MaríaEntonces, yo preparo la cena hoy.Then, I will prepare dinner today.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (sabes, cocinar) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cocinar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
