cocinar
/koθiˈnaɾ/
To cook in Spanish is cocinar.
cocinar means to prepare food by using heat. It can be used transitively, such as when you cook a specific food or intransitively, such as when expressing that you enjoy the act of cooking.
Which one should you use?
While cocinar is the general term for preparing food using heat, it is distinct from hornear, which specifically means to bake.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain and some Latin American countries, particularly Mexico and parts of Central America, the term guisar is used. This term specifically refers to the action of cooking, typically involving stews or slow-cooked dishes. In Spain, cocer is used to convey the act of cooking food by boiling it.
How does it change in a sentence?
The first-person singular preterite (past tense) of cocinar is cociné (I cooked), and the gerund form is cocinando (cooking).
How do you pronounce it?
/koθiˈnaɾ/
Did you know?
- In certain Spanish-speaking slang, cocinar has been adopted as a semantic loan from the English 'to cook' to refer to the production of controlled substances.
- While cocinar is the general term, the verb cocer is used specifically for boiling, but it also doubles as the word for 'to hatch' when referring to an egg.
- The Spanish word for kitchen, cocina, is a direct linguistic relative of the English word 'concoct', both stemming from the Latin root for cooking.
Examples in context
- No sé cómo cocinar.I don't know how to cook.This sentence shows how to use cocinar to express a lack of knowledge regarding cooking.Tatoeba #7050061 by cardi, translation #325787 by CK
- No me gusta cocinar.I don't like to cook.This sentence uses cocinar to express a personal preference.Tatoeba #4613613 by DarkHollow, translation #2738423 by CK
- ¿Sabe cocinar tu amiga?Does your friend know how to cook?This sentence uses cocinar to ask about someone else's ability to cook.Tatoeba #5127680 by makamoe, translation #12905499 by entusiasta
- Me gusta cocinar en casa todos los días.I enjoy cooking at home every day.
- Ella cocina muy bien.She cooks very well.
- Hoy voy a hacer de comer un guiso delicioso.Today, I'm going to cook a delicious stew.
- Mi hermana siempre prepara comida saludable.My sister always cooks healthy food.
- Nos turnamos para hacer de comer en casa.We take turns cooking at home.
- A mi abuela le encanta guisar recetas tradicionales.My grandmother loves to cook traditional recipes.
- Para preparar los espárragos, tienes que cocerlos primero.To prepare the asparagus, you have to cook them first.
- ¿Quieres venir a cocinar conmigo?Do you want to come and cook with me?
- ¿Puedo ayudarte a cocinar?Can I help you cook?
- 77 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are in the kitchen at home.
- Daniel¿Vas a cocinar hoy?Are you going to cook today?
- ElenaSí, voy a cocinar algo rico.Yes, I am going to cook something delicious.
- Daniel¡Qué bien! ¿Te ayudo?That's great! Can I help you?
- ElenaClaro, Daniel, gracias.Of course, Daniel, thank you.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry cocinar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
