In cucina con la famiglia
Cooking at home · a free Italian immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
Aggiungi un po' di sale all'acqua bollente.
Add a little salt to the boiling water.
Literal Add a little of salt to-the boiling water.
Uses the informal imperative 'aggiungi' to give a direct recipe instruction, along with the common expression 'un po' di' (a little of).
- 'Aggiungi' is the informal imperative of 'aggiungere' (to add)
- 'Un po' di' + noun = 'a little of something'
- 'All'acqua' is a contraction of 'a + l'acqua': the article 'la' elides to 'l'' before a vowel-initial noun, so 'a + l'acqua = all'acqua'
Taglia le cipolle a pezzi piccoli.
Cut the onions into small pieces.
Literal Cut the onions into pieces small.
The imperative 'taglia' gives a direct kitchen instruction. In Italian, adjectives typically follow the noun they describe.
- 'Taglia' is the informal imperative of 'tagliare' (to cut)
- Adjectives follow the noun: 'pezzi piccoli' (small pieces)
- 'Le cipolle' uses the feminine plural definite article 'le'
Mescola la salsa finché non diventa liscia.
Stir the sauce until it becomes smooth.
Literal Stir the sauce until not it-becomes smooth.
'Finché non' means 'until' and introduces a condition that must be met. 'Liscia' is the feminine form of the adjective 'liscio' (smooth).
- 'Mescola' is the informal imperative of 'mescolare' (to stir)
- 'Finché non' + verb = 'until (something happens)'
- 'Liscia' is the feminine singular form of 'liscio' (smooth)
Ho bisogno di farina per fare la pasta.
I need some flour to make the pasta.
Literal I have need of flour in order to make the pasta.
'Ho bisogno di' is an idiomatic expression for 'I need'. After 'bisogno di', the noun follows directly without a partitive article, because the preposition 'di' already carries the partitive sense.
- 'Ho bisogno di' is the idiomatic phrase for 'I need' (lit. 'I have need of'); the noun follows 'di' directly, with no additional partitive article
- Adding 'della' after 'di' in this construction creates a double preposition (di + di + la), which is ungrammatical; compare: 'Ho bisogno di acqua', 'Ho bisogno di pane'
- 'Per fare' means 'in order to make'; the infinitive follows 'per' directly
Il pollo è già nel forno da un'ora.
The chicken has been in the oven for an hour.
Literal The chicken is already in-the oven since an hour.
Italian uses the present tense with 'da' to describe an action that started in the past and is still ongoing — where English uses the present perfect.
- Present tense + 'da' = action ongoing since a point in the past
- 'Nel forno' = contraction of 'in + il forno'
- 'Da un'ora' means 'for one hour' (ongoing duration)
Puoi passarmi l'olio d'oliva, per favore?
Can you pass me the olive oil, please?
Literal Can you pass-to-me the oil of-olive, for favor?
A polite request using 'puoi' (can you) + infinitive. The object pronoun 'mi' attaches directly to the infinitive 'passare' to form 'passarmi'.
- 'Puoi' is the informal present tense of 'potere' (can / to be able to)
- Clitic pronouns attach to infinitives: 'passare' + 'mi' = 'passarmi'
- 'Per favore' is the standard way to say 'please'
Questo piatto è molto piccante per i bambini.
This dish is very spicy for the children.
Literal This dish is very spicy for the children.
'Molto' functions as an adverb meaning 'very' before the adjective. 'Piccante' is an invariable adjective — it has the same form for masculine and feminine.
- 'Questo' is the masculine singular demonstrative adjective (this)
- 'Molto' + adjective = 'very [adjective]'
- 'Piccante' is invariable — same form for both genders
Lascia riposare l'impasto per venti minuti.
Let the dough rest for twenty minutes.
Literal Leave to-rest the dough for twenty minutes.
'Lasciare' + infinitive means 'to let something do something'. This construction is very common in Italian recipes.
- 'Lascia' is the informal imperative of 'lasciare' (to let / leave)
- 'Lasciare' + infinitive expresses allowing something to happen
- 'Per' + time duration = 'for [amount of time]'
La zuppa è pronta — è davvero deliziosa!
The soup is ready — it's really delicious!
Literal The soup is ready — it is truly delicious!
'Davvero' (really/truly) intensifies the adjective. Note that 'deliziosa' takes the feminine form to agree with 'la zuppa'.
- Adjectives agree with the noun in gender and number: 'zuppa' (f.) → 'deliziosa'
- 'Davvero' means 'really' or 'truly'
- 'Pronta' is the feminine form of 'pronto' (ready)
Apparecchiamo la tavola prima che arrivino gli ospiti.
Let's set the table before the guests arrive.
Literal Let-us-set the table before that arrive the guests.
'Prima che' (before) triggers the subjunctive mood. The first-person plural present 'apparecchiamo' doubles as a suggestion meaning 'let's...'.
- 'Prima che' + subjunctive = 'before (something happens)'
- 'Arrivino' is the present subjunctive of 'arrivare'
- 'Apparecchiamo' used as a first-person plural suggestion = 'let's set'
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
tagliare
to cut
Taglia il pane a fette.
Cut the bread into slices.
Informal imperative is 'taglia'; very common in recipe instructions
mescolare
to stir, to mix
Mescola bene gli ingredienti.
Mix the ingredients well.
la farina
flour
Ho bisogno di della farina.
I need some flour.
Used with partitive article in recipes: 'della farina'
il forno
oven
Metti la teglia nel forno.
Put the baking tray in the oven.
'Nel forno' (in the oven) is extremely common in Italian cooking
la cipolla
onion
Le cipolle sono già tagliate.
The onions are already cut.
piccante
spicy, hot (food)
Questo sugo è troppo piccante.
This sauce is too spicy.
Invariable adjective — same form for masculine and feminine
delizioso
delicious
Il risotto è delizioso.
The risotto is delicious.
Changes form: delizioso / deliziosa / deliziosi / deliziose
l'impasto
the dough, the batter
L'impasto deve riposare mezz'ora.
The dough needs to rest for half an hour.
apparecchiare
to set (the table)
Chi apparecchia la tavola stasera?
Who is setting the table tonight?
Used specifically for setting the table, not a general 'to arrange'
il sale
salt
Aggiungi un pizzico di sale.
Add a pinch of salt.
'Un pizzico di sale' (a pinch of salt) is an essential kitchen phrase
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
Oggi Marco e sua sorella Giulia cucinano insieme per la prima volta. Giulia taglia le verdure mentre Marco scalda l'olio in una grande padella. 'Aggiungi dell'aglio adesso,' dice Marco, 'e mescola piano.' Giulia segue le istruzioni con attenzione e sorride quando sente il profumo che riempie la cucina. Alla fine, apparecchiano la tavola e assaggiano il piatto — è davvero delizioso.
Sentence by sentence
cucinano insieme per la prima volta
are cooking together for the first time
'Per la prima volta' is an idiom meaning 'for the first time'; 'insieme' means 'together'
mentre Marco scalda l'olio
while Marco heats the oil
'Mentre' introduces a simultaneous action; 'scaldare' means to heat or warm up
Aggiungi dell'aglio adesso
Add some garlic now
Imperative 'aggiungi' + partitive 'dell'aglio' (some garlic); 'adesso' = now
mescola piano
stir gently
'Piano' as an adverb means 'gently' or 'slowly'; it modifies the verb 'mescola'
sente il profumo che riempie la cucina
smells the aroma filling the kitchen
'Sentire' covers both hearing and smelling in Italian; 'che riempie' is a relative clause meaning 'that fills'
assaggiano il piatto
taste the dish
'Assaggiare' means to taste or try food; very common in cooking and dining contexts
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
Imperative forms for recipe instructions
In Italian kitchens and recipes, the informal imperative (tu form) is used to give direct instructions. These forms are practical and efficient: 'aggiungi' (add), 'taglia' (cut), 'mescola' (stir), 'lascia' (let/leave). For -are verbs, the tu imperative ends in -a; for -ere and -ire verbs it ends in -i. Negative commands use 'non' + infinitive.
[verb stem] + imperative ending → e.g. aggiungi / taglia / mescola
Aggiungi il sale e mescola bene.
Add the salt and stir well.
Taglia le carote a rondelle.
Cut the carrots into rounds.
Lascia cuocere per dieci minuti.
Let it cook for ten minutes.
Scalda l'olio prima di aggiungere la cipolla.
Heat the oil before adding the onion.
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
Translate to Italian: "Add a little salt to the boiling water."
Hint Use the imperative of 'aggiungere' and remember 'un po' di' for 'a little'.
What does this sentence mean? "Mescola la salsa finché non diventa liscia."
Hint 'Mescolare' means to stir/mix, and 'liscio' means smooth.
Complete the sentence with the correct word: "Ho bisogno di della ___ per fare la pasta."
Hint You need this white powdery ingredient to make pasta dough.
Which sentence correctly asks someone to pass the olive oil?
Rewrite this sentence using an imperative verb: "Dobbiamo apparecchiare la tavola prima che arrivino gli ospiti." (We need to set the table before the guests arrive.)
Hint Use the 'noi' imperative form — it's the same as the present indicative for most verbs.
That’s today’s phraseberry.
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