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Cucinare la cena
Cooking DinnerHero phraseCucinare la cenacook dinner
A1
11:12 listen
Hosted by Marco & GiuliaToday you'll learn:
The vocabulary
6 phrases from “Cucinare la cena”
Each phrase has a plain explanation and real lines from the show. Tap “Hear it” to jump to that moment.
Cucinare la cenaHero phrase
Cucinare la cenacook dinner
- Stasera tocca a me cucinare la cena per tutta la famiglia.Tonight it's my turn to cook dinner for the whole family.
- Dopo il lavoro non ho voglia di cucinare la cena.After work I don't feel like cooking dinner.
Comprare gli ingredientiPhrase 1
Comprare gli ingredientibuy the ingredients
- Prima di cucinare, vado al mercato a comprare gli ingredienti.Before cooking, I'm going to the market to buy the ingredients.
- Devo ancora comprare gli ingredienti per la lasagna.I still have to buy the ingredients for the lasagna.
Tagliare le verdurePhrase 2
Tagliare le verdurecut the vegetables
- Mi occupo io di tagliare le verdure mentre tu prepari la carne.I'll take care of cutting the vegetables while you prepare the meat.
- Usa un coltello affilato per tagliare le verdure più facilmente.Use a sharp knife to cut the vegetables more easily.
Cuocere la pastaPhrase 3
Cuocere la pastacook the pasta
- L'acqua bolle: è ora di cuocere la pasta.The water is boiling: it's time to cook the pasta.
- Quanto tempo serve per cuocere la pasta al dente?How long does it take to cook the pasta al dente?
Mettere il salePhrase 4
Mettere il saleadd the salt
- Non dimenticare di mettere il sale nell'acqua della pasta.Don't forget to put salt in the pasta water.
- Assaggia il sugo e dimmi se bisogna mettere il sale.Taste the sauce and tell me if we need to add salt.
Apparecchiare la tavolaPhrase 5
Apparecchiare la tavolaset the table
- Puoi apparecchiare la tavola mentre io finisco di cucinare?Can you set the table while I finish cooking?
- I bambini aiutano ad apparecchiare la tavola prima di cena.The kids help set the table before dinner.
The full conversation
Listen & read along
Giulia · now playing
Ciao Marco! Perché guardi l'orologio, con tanta attenzione?
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00:00Intro
Hi Marco! Why are you looking at the clock so intently?
Hi Giulia! I am very hungry, and I want to eat right away!
Me too! My stomach has been making noise for a whole hour!
Then we have an important mission for this evening!
What kind of mission? Do we want to go to the restaurant?
No, today we don't go out! We want to cook dinner together at home!
What a great idea! Being together in the kitchen is fun and relaxing!
Besides, preparing food at home saves a lot of money!
Very true! And one eats fresh, healthy, and authentic food!
Today we learn six useful phrases to talk about food in Italian!
Our main phrase of today is: Cucinare la cena.
In other words, it means preparing a good meal for the evening!
We also learn five other phrases for all actions in the kitchen!
The first phrase is: Comprare gli ingredienti.
Then we have two practical phrases: Tagliare le verdure, and Cuocere la pasta.
And also two important actions: Mettere il sale, and Apparecchiare la tavola!
Also, today we discover a great Italian secret about pasta!
A golden rule that every real cook must know well!
Listen carefully to our story to discover all the details!
Marco, tell us about your famous adventure from last Sunday!
Gladly! On Sunday I invited two dear friends to my house.
How nice! You wanted to offer a special dish to your guests!
I wanted to cook dinner with my own hands to celebrate!
And what dish did you decide to make for the evening?
I decided to make a great classic, spaghetti with tomato sauce!
An excellent choice! Spaghetti with tomato sauce is always exquisite!
At the beginning of the evening, I was very calm and happy.
Did you have all ingredients ready on top of the kitchen table?
I had fresh tomatoes, fragrant basil, and great olive oil.
But then what went wrong during preparation?
I took a big pot, and I poured water inside.
Did you turn on the fire to heat the water in the pot?
Yes, I turned on the fire, but I made an incredible mistake!
What did you mess up with the pasta inside the pot?
I was distracted with my friends, and I threw the pasta in right away!
Mamma mia, no! Did you put spaghetti in cold water?
Unfortunately yes! I put the spaghetti into cold water!
And what happened to the spaghetti after ten minutes?
The spaghetti became a single mass, all stuck together!
A sticky and shapeless mass! What a total disaster!
My friends looked at the pot, and they laughed very hard!
Did you also laugh along with them at this mistake?
We laughed together for twenty minutes, without ever stopping!
And how did you solve the problem to eat something?
We took the phone, and we ordered three hot pizzas!
Pizza is the true salvation of every distracted cook!
Luckily I learned the lesson, and I don't make mistakes anymore!
Now let's talk about our curious fact about Italian cuisine!
Italians have precise rules when they cook pasta!
First golden rule: water must boil before the pasta!
Second golden rule: never break spaghetti in half!
Breaking spaghetti is a big mistake for Italians!
Spaghetti are eaten long, turning the fork calmly!
And dinner in Italy is the sacred moment to be together!
Now let's see together all the steps to prepare food!
The first step on the list is: Comprare gli ingredienti.
It means going to the market or supermarket to get the food.
I always buy fresh tomatoes, onions, basil, and good oil!
Buying fresh ingredients makes every dish truly special.
The second important step is: Tagliare le verdure.
We use a knife and a cutting board to cut carrots and zucchini.
Cutting vegetables into small pieces helps cook them well!
And then we put them in a pan with a drizzle of hot oil!
What a delicious aroma there is throughout the house!
The third essential step is: Cuocere la pasta.
We put the pasta into boiling water for the indicated time!
Italians always say one phrase: Cuocere la pasta al dente!
The fourth step of the recipe is: Mettere il sale.
One must put coarse salt in the water, only when it boils.
Without coarse salt in the water, pasta has no flavor!
And the last step of the evening is: Apparecchiare la tavola.
We put the clean tablecloth, plates, forks, and glasses!
Setting the table with care makes the house warm and tidy!
But tell me, Marco: how do you usually cook at your home?
I cook by eye and with imagination, without using the scale!
I, on the other hand, weigh every single gram with the kitchen scale!
So you are part of Team Giulia, precise and methodical!
And you are part of Team Marco, free and creative!
Two different styles, but perfect to cook dinner with cheerfulness!
Marco, I read a very interesting piece of data about the life of Italians.
What kind of data? Tell right away, I am very curious!
Guess: how many Italians eat pasta for dinner every week?
Maybe forty percent of Italian families?
No, much more! I read that it is around seventy-five percent!
A truly high percentage! Pasta is loved by everyone!
Good cuisine always unites people around the table!
Cooking dinner is a ritual, of great joy for all of us!
A ritual that brings happiness, and big smiles to every home!
Now Marco, the moment of our practical game has arrived!
I am very ready for all your questions today!
Situation number one: you are at the supermarket with the shopping list.
I answer calmly: I am here to buy the ingredients for tonight!
Great start! Situation number two: you have carrots and a wooden cutting board.
I take the kitchen knife to cut the vegetables with care!
Well done! Situation number three: water in the big pot makes bubbles.
It is the right moment to cook the pasta al dente!
Situation number four: water boils well, but flavor is still missing.
I take the jar to put coarse salt into the water!
Perfect! Situation number five: the tomato sauce is almost ready.
I go immediately to the dining room to set the table with care!
Situation number six: a friend calls you and asks what you are doing tonight.
I say with great enthusiasm: Tonight I want to cook dinner for everyone!
Situation number seven: we prepared the sauce and pasta together.
We say with joy: we cooked dinner together!
Situation number eight: your brother wants to give you a hand before eating.
I tell him right away: Please, can you help me set the table?
Situation number nine: you see whole onions and zucchini on the work table.
I tell my friend: Now we must cut the vegetables for the sauce!
Situation number ten: we go to the grocery store for dinner.
I tell everyone: Let's go buy fresh ingredients for the sauce!
Situation number eleven: water is very hot, and we are hungry.
I take the pack of pasta to cook pasta for eight minutes!
Situation number twelve: before tossing in the pasta, what do you add?
I remember the Italian rule: we must put salt in boiling water!
You answered in a perfect way to all twelve situations!
It was a very useful exercise to review all the phrases!
Now we give our special task for tomorrow!
A practical task to speak Italian right away at one's own home!
Tomorrow evening, before eating, do this simple exercise!
What does one need to do exactly inside one's own home?
Look at your kitchen, and say out loud three times!
Which phrase must we repeat three times with good energy?
Say with great strength: Tonight I want to cook dinner!
Repeating phrases out loud helps memory a lot!
And you at home? Are you Team Marco or Team Giulia?
Write your answer in the comments of our video!
And always remember our golden rule about Italian pasta!
Never break spaghetti, and use only boiling water!
Thank you from the heart to everyone for listening to this nice episode!
Bon appetit everyone, cook with joy and see you soon!
Tocca a teYour turn
Allenati con 6 situazioni verePractice with 6 real situations
1Cucinare la cenaCucinare la cena
A casa chiedono chi cucina stasera. È il tuo turno, per tutta la famiglia. Cosa dici?
At home people ask who cooks tonight. It is your turn, for the whole family. What do you say?2Comprare gli ingredientiComprare gli ingredienti
Vuoi cucinare, ma in casa non c'è cibo. Prendi la borsa e vai al mercato. Cosa dici?
You want to cook, but there is no food at home. You take your bag and go to the market. What do you say?3Tagliare le verdureTagliare le verdure
Cucinate in due. Tu hai le verdure, l'altro ha la carne. Cosa dici?
Two people cook. You have the vegetables, the other person has the meat. What do you say?4Cuocere la pastaCuocere la pasta
Guardi la pentola: l'acqua fa tante bolle. Volete la pasta. Cosa dici?
You look at the pot: the water makes many bubbles. You want pasta. What do you say?5Mettere il saleMettere il sale
Un amico mette la pasta nell'acqua. Il sale non c'è. Cosa dici?
A friend puts pasta in the water. There is no salt. What do you say?6Apparecchiare la tavolaApparecchiare la tavola
Tu sei ancora ai fornelli. Piatti e bicchieri sono nell'armadio. Cosa dici?
You are still at the stove. Plates and glasses are in the cupboard. What do you say?Today's small task
Now we give our special task for tomorrow!Now we give our special task for tomorrow!
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