Koken thuis
Cooking at home · a free Dutch immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
Eerst snijd ik de uien fijn.
First, I chop the onions finely.
Literal First cut I the onions fine.
Sequential cooking steps in Dutch often begin with 'eerst' (first). The verb 'snijden' (to cut) takes the stem form 'snijd' for the 'ik' subject.
- 'Eerst' signals the opening step in a sequence
- 'Snijden' → stem 'snijd' (ik-form)
- 'Fijn' functions as an adverb meaning finely
Dan verhit ik de olie in de pan.
Then I heat the oil in the pan.
Literal Then heat I the oil in the pan.
'Dan' (then) continues the cooking sequence and triggers verb-second (V2) word order, so the verb 'verhit' comes before the subject 'ik'. 'In de pan' is a core kitchen preposition phrase.
- 'Dan' triggers V2: verb before subject
- 'Verhitten' → 'verhit' (ik-form)
- 'In de pan' = in the pan (preposition + definite article)
Ik doe de knoflook erbij en roer alles goed door.
I add the garlic and stir everything well.
Literal I do the garlic there-beside and stir everything well through.
'Erbij doen' is a natural Dutch way to say 'add something to the mix'. 'Doorroeren' (to stir through) is a separable verb — the prefix 'door' splits off to the end of the clause.
- 'Erbij doen' = to add (an ingredient to something)
- Separable verb 'doorroeren' splits: 'roer … door'
- Coordinating 'en' joins two independent actions
Het recept zegt dat ik een theelepel zout moet toevoegen.
The recipe says that I need to add a teaspoon of salt.
Literal The recipe says that I a teaspoon salt must add.
The subordinating conjunction 'dat' pushes all verbs to the end of its clause: 'moet toevoegen' (must add) comes last. This is the standard Dutch subordinate word order.
- 'Dat' clause = verb-final word order
- Modal 'moet' + infinitive 'toevoegen' at the clause end
- 'Een theelepel zout' — no article before the measured noun
Vervolgens leg ik de kipfilet op het fornuis.
Next, I place the chicken breast on the stove.
Literal Subsequently lay I the chicken-fillet on the stove.
'Vervolgens' (next/subsequently) is a more formal step-word than 'dan' and also triggers V2 word order. 'Op het fornuis' (on the stove) uses the neuter article 'het' because 'fornuis' is a het-word.
- 'Vervolgens' triggers V2 word order
- 'Leggen' → stem 'leg' (ik-form)
- 'Op het fornuis' — 'het' because fornuis is neuter
De soep moet twintig minuten sudderen op laag vuur.
The soup needs to simmer for twenty minutes on low heat.
Literal The soup must twenty minutes simmer on low fire.
Modal 'moet' (must/needs to) is followed by the infinitive 'sudderen' at the end of the clause. 'Op laag vuur' (on low fire/heat) is a fixed cooking phrase every Dutch cook knows.
- Modal 'moet' + infinitive at clause end
- 'Op laag vuur' = on low heat (fixed cooking phrase)
- Duration 'twintig minuten' needs no preposition in Dutch
Mijn moeder leerde mij hoe ik stamppot maak.
My mother taught me how to make stamppot.
Literal My mother taught me how I stamppot make.
'Hoe ik … maak' is an embedded (indirect) question: the verb 'maak' moves to the end just like in a 'dat'-clause. Stamppot is a beloved Dutch comfort dish of mashed potatoes with vegetables.
- Indirect question with 'hoe' = verb-final
- 'Leren' → 'leerde' (simple past: taught)
- Cultural note: stamppot is a Dutch winter staple
Ik proef de saus en voeg een beetje peper toe.
I taste the sauce and add a little pepper.
Literal I taste the sauce and add a little pepper to.
'Toevoegen' is a separable verb; its prefix 'toe' splits to the end of the clause. 'Een beetje' (a little/a bit of) is one of the most common quantity expressions in Dutch.
- Separable verb 'toevoegen': 'voeg … toe'
- 'Een beetje' = a little (common Dutch quantity expression)
- Two actions coordinated with 'en'
Het eten ruikt heerlijk door de hele keuken.
The food smells wonderful throughout the whole kitchen.
Literal The food smells delicious through the whole kitchen.
'Ruiken' (to smell) functions here as a linking verb followed by the adjective 'heerlijk'. The preposition 'door' with 'de hele keuken' expresses movement or spread throughout a space.
- 'Ruiken' as a linking verb + predicate adjective 'heerlijk'
- 'Door de hele keuken' = throughout the whole kitchen
- 'Heerlijk' = delicious/wonderful (versatile Dutch adjective)
We eten vanavond samen aan tafel.
We eat together at the table tonight.
Literal We eat tonight together at table.
'Aan tafel' (at the table) is a fixed Dutch phrase used when sitting down for a meal — the article is dropped. 'Vanavond' (tonight) is a compact compound time adverb.
- 'Aan tafel' — fixed phrase, definite article omitted
- 'Vanavond' = tonight (compound: vanavond = van + avond)
- Adverbs of time typically follow the finite verb
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
snijden
to cut / to chop
Snijd de uien in kleine stukjes.
Cut the onions into small pieces.
Imperative/ik-form: snijd. A core verb in any Dutch recipe.
de pan
the pan / the pot
Verhit de olie in de pan.
Heat the oil in the pan.
het recept
the recipe
Volg het recept stap voor stap.
Follow the recipe step by step.
de theelepel
the teaspoon
Voeg een theelepel zout toe.
Add a teaspoon of salt.
Literally 'tea spoon'. A standard unit in Dutch recipes; also: eetlepel (tablespoon).
roeren
to stir
Roer de saus goed door.
Stir the sauce well.
Often used as the separable verb 'doorroeren' (stir through). Imperative: roer.
het fornuis
the stove / the cooker
Zet de pan op het fornuis.
Put the pan on the stove.
sudderen
to simmer
Laat de soep twintig minuten sudderen.
Let the soup simmer for twenty minutes.
Always paired with 'op laag vuur' (on low heat) in natural speech.
proeven
to taste / to try (food)
Proef de saus voordat je meer zout toevoegt.
Taste the sauce before you add more salt.
de keuken
the kitchen
Het ruikt lekker in de keuken.
It smells nice in the kitchen.
toevoegen
to add
Voeg een beetje suiker toe.
Add a little sugar.
Separable verb: 'voeg … toe' in main clauses. The prefix 'toe' always splits off.
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
Zara staat elke zondag in de keuken. Ze opent een kookboek en leest het recept zorgvuldig door. Eerst snijdt ze de groenten en dan verhit ze de olie in de pan. Ze voegt de uien en knoflook toe en roert alles goed door. Het hele huis ruikt naar een warme, heerlijke maaltijd.
Sentence by sentence
Zara staat elke zondag in de keuken.
Zara is in the kitchen every Sunday.
'Staan' (to stand) is used idiomatically to describe being present and active in the kitchen — a very natural Dutch usage. 'Elke zondag' = every Sunday.
Ze opent een kookboek en leest het recept zorgvuldig door.
She opens a cookbook and reads the recipe carefully.
'Doorlezen' (to read through) is a separable verb; 'door' moves to the end of the clause. 'Zorgvuldig' = carefully.
Eerst snijdt ze de groenten en dan verhit ze de olie in de pan.
First she cuts the vegetables and then she heats the oil in the pan.
'Eerst … dan' (first … then) is the classic Dutch pair for sequencing cooking steps. Both clauses use V2 word order because 'eerst' and 'dan' open their respective halves.
Ze voegt de uien en knoflook toe en roert alles goed door.
She adds the onions and garlic and stirs everything well.
Two separable verbs appear in a single sentence: 'toevoegen' → 'voegt … toe' and 'doorroeren' → 'roert … door'. Both prefixes land at the end.
Het hele huis ruikt naar een warme, heerlijke maaltijd.
The whole house smells like a warm, delicious meal.
'Ruiken naar' (to smell of/like) requires the preposition 'naar'. 'Heerlijk' (delicious/wonderful) is a high-frequency Dutch adjective used across food, weather, and feelings.
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
Imperative verbs for cooking instructions
Dutch recipes and cooking instructions use the imperative (command) form of the verb. For the vast majority of verbs, the imperative is simply the verb stem — the infinitive minus the '-en' ending. Conveniently, this stem form is identical to the 'ik' (I) conjugation in the present tense, so it is easy to learn alongside everyday speech.
[verb stem] + [ingredient/object] + [adverb or preposition phrase]
Snijd de uien fijn.
Chop the onions finely.
Meng de bloem met de boter.
Mix the flour with the butter.
Bak de vis tien minuten op middelhoog vuur.
Fry the fish for ten minutes on medium heat.
Voeg een snufje zout toe.
Add a pinch of salt.
Roer de saus goed door.
Stir the sauce well.
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
Translate to Dutch: The soup needs to simmer for twenty minutes on low heat.
Hint Use 'sudderen' for simmering and 'laag vuur' for low heat.
Complete the sentence: Ik doe de knoflook erbij en ___ alles goed door.
Hint Think of the verb 'roeren' (to stir) — put it in the first person present tense.
Translate to English: Het recept zegt dat ik een theelepel zout moet toevoegen.
Hint 'Toevoegen' means to add, and 'theelepel' is teaspoon.
Your dish is almost ready. Which Dutch verb means 'to taste' so you can check the seasoning?
Rewrite this statement as an imperative (command) for a cooking instruction: 'Jij snijdt de uien fijn.'
Hint Drop the subject and use the verb stem. The stem of 'snijden' is 'snijd'.
That’s today’s phraseberry.
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