Na Cozinha de Casa
Cooking at home · a free Portuguese (Portugal) immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
Hoje vou cozinhar uma receita portuguesa tradicional.
Today I'm going to cook a traditional Portuguese recipe.
Literal Today I go to cook a Portuguese recipe traditional.
Uses 'vou + infinitive' to express a near-future intention, equivalent to the English 'going to' construction.
- 'vou cozinhar' = ir + infinitive for near future
- Adjective 'tradicional' follows the noun it modifies
Primeiro, corte as cebolas em pedaços pequenos.
First, cut the onions into small pieces.
Literal First, cut the onions in small pieces.
Uses the formal imperative 'corte' (você imperative of cortar), the standard form in Portuguese recipes and written instructions.
- 'corte' is the você/formal imperative of 'cortar'
- Preposition 'em' with nouns of shape/state: 'em pedaços' = into pieces
Precisamos de alho, azeite e sal para começar.
We need garlic, olive oil, and salt to start.
Literal We need of garlic, olive oil and salt to start.
In Portuguese, 'precisar' always takes the preposition 'de' before its object. 'Para + infinitive' expresses purpose.
- 'precisar de' = to need (the preposition 'de' is obligatory)
- 'para + infinitivo' expresses purpose: 'para começar' = in order to start
A minha mãe mistura os ingredientes com muito cuidado.
My mother mixes the ingredients very carefully.
Literal The my mother mixes the ingredients with much care.
European Portuguese places a definite article before possessives ('a minha'). 'Com muito cuidado' is a common adverbial phrase.
- Definite article + possessive: 'a minha mãe' (standard in EP)
- 'com muito cuidado' = with great care (prepositional phrase functioning as adverb)
Adicione um pouco de vinho branco ao molho.
Add a little white wine to the sauce.
Literal Add a little of white wine to the sauce.
'Um pouco de' is the standard quantity expression for uncountable nouns. 'Ao' is a contraction of 'a + o'.
- 'um pouco de' = a little (used before uncountable nouns)
- 'ao' = contraction of 'a + o' (to the)
O arroz demora vinte minutos a cozer.
The rice takes twenty minutes to cook.
Literal The rice takes twenty minutes to boil.
The European Portuguese pattern 'demorar + time + a + infinitive' expresses duration. 'Cozer' specifically means to boil/simmer, unlike 'cozinhar' (to cook in general).
- 'demorar + tempo + a + infinitivo' = to take [time] to do something (EP construction)
- 'cozer' = to boil/simmer; 'cozinhar' = to cook (broader term)
Gostaria de preparar um caldo verde para o jantar.
I would like to prepare a caldo verde for dinner.
Literal I would like of to prepare a green broth for the dinner.
'Gostaria de' is the conditional of 'gostar', used for polite preferences and wishes. Note that Portuguese uses a definite article with meals: 'para o jantar'.
- 'gostaria de' = conditional of gostar — a polite, wish-like expression
- 'para o jantar' = for dinner (Portuguese uses the definite article with meals)
Podes ajudar-me a descascar as batatas?
Can you help me peel the potatoes?
Literal Can you help-me to peel the potatoes?
Uses the 'tu' form ('podes') for informal address. The clitic pronoun 'me' is attached after the verb with a hyphen (enclisis), as is standard in European Portuguese.
- 'podes' = tu (informal) form of 'poder'
- Enclisis: pronoun attached after verb — 'ajudar-me' (standard EP clitic placement)
Prefiro cozinhar com azeite em vez de manteiga.
I prefer to cook with olive oil instead of butter.
Literal I prefer to cook with olive oil in place of butter.
'Preferir + infinitive' expresses a preference directly. 'Em vez de' means 'instead of' and can be followed by a noun or infinitive.
- 'preferir + infinitivo' = to prefer to do something (no preposition needed)
- 'em vez de' = instead of (followed by noun or infinitive)
O cheiro da comida a cozinhar enche toda a casa.
The smell of the food cooking fills the whole house.
Literal The smell of the food to cook fills all the house.
'A + infinitivo' is the European Portuguese progressive construction, used instead of the gerund. 'Toda a casa' means the whole house.
- 'a + infinitivo' as progressive (EP): 'a cozinhar' = cooking (replaces gerund)
- 'toda a casa' = the whole house (toda + definite article + noun)
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
cozinhar
to cook
Ela gosta de cozinhar ao fim de semana.
She likes to cook at the weekend.
General verb for cooking; 'cozer' is used specifically for boiling or simmering
receita
recipe
Segue a receita com atenção.
Follow the recipe carefully.
azeite
olive oil
O azeite é essencial na cozinha portuguesa.
Olive oil is essential in Portuguese cooking.
Specifically olive oil; 'óleo' refers to other vegetable oils
misturar
to mix
Mistura bem os ovos com o açúcar.
Mix the eggs with the sugar well.
ingrediente
ingredient
Temos todos os ingredientes necessários.
We have all the necessary ingredients.
cortar
to cut
Corta o pão em fatias finas.
Cut the bread into thin slices.
molho
sauce
O molho de tomate está quase pronto.
The tomato sauce is almost ready.
Also means 'bunch' in other contexts (e.g., molho de chaves = bunch of keys)
cebola
onion
A cebola picada está a fritar na frigideira.
The chopped onion is frying in the pan.
panela
pot / saucepan
Põe a água na panela e leva ao lume.
Put the water in the pot and bring it to the heat.
'Tacho' is also common in EP for smaller saucepans
tempero
seasoning
Adiciona o tempero no final da cozedura.
Add the seasoning at the end of the cooking.
From 'temperar' (to season); covers salt, pepper, and spices collectively
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
Na cozinha pequena de uma casa alentejana, o avô Joaquim prepara o seu cozido às quartas-feiras. Ele corta as cenouras e as batatas com cuidado, mistura os temperos numa tigela pequena e adiciona um fio de azeite ao molho. Enquanto tudo coze lentamente na panela, o cheiro delicioso enche a casa e a família começa a reunir-se à mesa.
Sentence by sentence
numa casa alentejana
in an Alentejo farmhouse
'Numa' is the contraction of 'em + uma'. 'Alentejana' is an adjective derived from Alentejo, a rural region of southern Portugal famous for hearty home cooking.
às quartas-feiras
on Wednesdays
'Às' is the contraction of 'a + as'. Using 'às + day of the week' expresses a habitual, recurring action.
um fio de azeite
a drizzle of olive oil
'Fio' literally means 'thread'. 'Um fio de azeite' is the idiomatic European Portuguese expression for a light drizzle of olive oil.
coze lentamente
simmers slowly
'Cozer' is the EP verb for boiling or simmering, used for liquids and grains. 'Lentamente' is the adverb of 'lento' (slow), formed with the suffix '-mente'.
começa a reunir-se
begins to gather
'Começar a + infinitivo' = to begin to do something. 'Reunir-se' is the reflexive form of 'reunir', meaning to come together or gather.
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
Imperative Forms for Cooking Instructions
Portuguese cooking instructions and recipes use the imperative mood. The você/formal imperative (identical to the present subjunctive) is standard in written recipes. For informal tu, remove the final -s from the present tense (e.g., cortas → corta). These verbs often pair with a direct object and a preposition phrase.
[verb (imperative)] + [direct object] + [optional: preposition + complement]
Corte as cebolas em pedaços pequenos.
Cut the onions into small pieces.
Misture os ingredientes devagar.
Mix the ingredients slowly.
Adicione sal e pimenta a gosto.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Descasque as batatas antes de as cozer.
Peel the potatoes before cooking them.
Deixe ferver durante dez minutos.
Let it boil for ten minutes.
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
Translate to Portuguese: 'I prefer to cook with olive oil instead of butter.'
Hint Use 'em vez de' for 'instead of'.
What does this sentence mean? 'O arroz demora vinte minutos a cozer.'
Hint 'Demora' means 'takes (time)', and 'cozer' means 'to cook/boil'.
Complete the sentence: 'Adicione um pouco de vinho branco ao ___.'
Hint It's the word for 'sauce'.
Which sentence gives a cooking instruction using the correct European Portuguese imperative?
Hint Imperatives in European Portuguese use the present subjunctive form for most verbs.
Rewrite as a direct cooking instruction (imperative): 'Você deve misturar os ingredientes com muito cuidado.'
Hint Drop 'você deve' and change the verb to the imperative form.
That’s today’s phraseberry.
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