cocina
/koˈθina/
The Spanish word for cooker is cocina.
cocina is a general term that encompasses various cooking appliances, including stoves, cookers and kitchen ranges.
Meaning: device for heating food, stove (noun)
Which one should you use?
The word cocina can mean both 'cooker' (the appliance) and 'kitchen' (the room) depending on the context. estufa refers to a stove or cooker, commonly associated with a gas or electric range and fogón typically refers to a traditional stove or cooktop, often found in rustic or rural settings.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In many Latin American countries, the word estufa is used to refer specifically to the stove/cooker appliance.
How do you pronounce it?
/koˈθina/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use cocinero to mean a cooking appliance, but cocinero refers to a person who cooks.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, estufa can refer to a space heater used for warming a room rather than a device for cooking food.
- The English word 'cuisine' and the Spanish word cocina are distant linguistic cousins, both tracing their ancestry back to the same Latin roots related to cooking.
- While cocina means both 'kitchen' and 'cooker', it is also used to describe a specific style of cooking or a local gastronomy, such as cocina mexicana.
Examples in context
- Podría utilizar un fogón para preparar la comida.I could use a stove to prepare the food.
- Este nuevo modelo de cocina cuenta con funciones avanzadas.This new cooker model has advanced functions.
- Vamos a preparar la cena en el fogón, es más divertido.We are going to prepare dinner on the stove, it is more fun.
- La cocina es nueva.The cooker is new.
- La cocina no funciona.The cooker does not work.
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are in their new apartment.
- Daniel¿Es moderna la cocina?Is the cooker modern?
- LucíaSí, Daniel, la cocina es muy moderna.Yes, Daniel, the cooker is very modern.
- DanielQué bien, me encanta.Great, I love it.
- LucíaA mí también me gusta mucho.I like it a lot too.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry cocina, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cocina, CC BY-SA 4.0.
