🧂 Ingredients

⏱ 12 min read

In this section you'll learn useful English vocabulary for common ingredients, along with words and phrases for following recipes, measuring quantities, cooking, and asking what ingredients a dish contains. Each English word or phrase includes translations in Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Portuguese.

🟢 Basic Ingredients

🧂 Salt

🇪🇸 Spanish: Sal
🇫🇷 French: Sel
🇩🇪 German: Salz
🇮🇹 Italian: Sale
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Sal

🍬 Sugar

🇪🇸 Spanish: Azúcar
🇫🇷 French: Sucre
🇩🇪 German: Zucker
🇮🇹 Italian: Zucchero
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Açúcar

🧈 Butter

🇪🇸 Spanish: Mantequilla
🇫🇷 French: Beurre
🇩🇪 German: Butter
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga

🥚 Egg

🇪🇸 Spanish: Huevo
🇫🇷 French: Œuf
🇩🇪 German: Ei
🇮🇹 Italian: Uovo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Ovo

🥛 Milk

🇪🇸 Spanish: Leche
🇫🇷 French: Lait
🇩🇪 German: Milch
🇮🇹 Italian: Latte
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Leite

🌾 Flour

🇪🇸 Spanish: Harina
🇫🇷 French: Farine
🇩🇪 German: Mehl
🇮🇹 Italian: Farina
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Farinha

🫒 Oil

🇪🇸 Spanish: Aceite
🇫🇷 French: Huile
🇩🇪 German: Öl
🇮🇹 Italian: Olio
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Óleo / Azeite

🧀 Cheese

🇪🇸 Spanish: Queso
🇫🇷 French: Fromage
🇩🇪 German: Käse
🇮🇹 Italian: Formaggio
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Queijo

🟡 Cooking & Recipe Ingredients

🧄 Garlic

🇪🇸 Spanish: Ajo
🇫🇷 French: Ail
🇩🇪 German: Knoblauch
🇮🇹 Italian: Aglio
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Alho

🧅 Onion

🇪🇸 Spanish: Cebolla
🇫🇷 French: Oignon
🇩🇪 German: Zwiebel
🇮🇹 Italian: Cipolla
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Cebola

🍅 Tomato

🇪🇸 Spanish: Tomate
🇫🇷 French: Tomate
🇩🇪 German: Tomate
🇮🇹 Italian: Pomodoro
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Tomate

🌶️ Black pepper

🇪🇸 Spanish: Pimienta
🇫🇷 French: Poivre noir
🇩🇪 German: Schwarzer Pfeffer
🇮🇹 Italian: Pepe nero
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Pimenta-do-reino

🌿 Herbs

🇪🇸 Spanish: Hierbas
🇫🇷 French: Herbes
🇩🇪 German: Kräuter
🇮🇹 Italian: Erbe aromatiche
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Ervas

🌶️ Spices

🇪🇸 Spanish: Especias
🇫🇷 French: Épices
🇩🇪 German: Gewürze
🇮🇹 Italian: Spezie
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Especiarias

🍋 Lemon juice

🇪🇸 Spanish: Jugo de limón / Zumo de limón
🇫🇷 French: Jus de citron
🇩🇪 German: Zitronensaft
🇮🇹 Italian: Succo di limone
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Suco de limão

🥣 Broth

🇪🇸 Spanish: Caldo
🇫🇷 French: Bouillon
🇩🇪 German: Brühe
🇮🇹 Italian: Brodo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Caldo

🥄 Quantities & Measurements

🥄 A tablespoon

🇪🇸 Spanish: Una cucharada
🇫🇷 French: Une cuillère à soupe
🇩🇪 German: Ein Esslöffel
🇮🇹 Italian: Un cucchiaio
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Uma colher de sopa

🥄 A teaspoon

🇪🇸 Spanish: Una cucharadita
🇫🇷 French: Une cuillère à café
🇩🇪 German: Ein Teelöffel
🇮🇹 Italian: Un cucchiaino
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Uma colher de chá

🥤 A cup

🇪🇸 Spanish: Una taza
🇫🇷 French: Une tasse
🇩🇪 German: Eine Tasse
🇮🇹 Italian: Una tazza
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Uma xícara

🤏 A pinch

🇪🇸 Spanish: Una pizca
🇫🇷 French: Une pincée
🇩🇪 German: Eine Prise
🇮🇹 Italian: Un pizzico
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Uma pitada

⚖️ A kilogram

🇪🇸 Spanish: Un kilo
🇫🇷 French: Un kilogramme
🇩🇪 German: Ein Kilogramm
🇮🇹 Italian: Un chilogrammo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Um quilograma

⚖️ A gram

🇪🇸 Spanish: Un gramo
🇫🇷 French: Un gramme
🇩🇪 German: Ein Gramm
🇮🇹 Italian: Un grammo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Um grama

💧 A liter

🇪🇸 Spanish: Un litro
🇫🇷 French: Un litre
🇩🇪 German: Ein Liter
🇮🇹 Italian: Un litro
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Um litro

➗ Half

🇪🇸 Spanish: La mitad / Medio / Media
🇫🇷 French: La moitié / Demi
🇩🇪 German: Die Hälfte / Halb
🇮🇹 Italian: La metà / Mezzo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Metade / Meio

👨‍🍳 Useful Recipe Verbs

➕ To add

🇪🇸 Spanish: Añadir / Agregar
🇫🇷 French: Ajouter
🇩🇪 German: Hinzufügen
🇮🇹 Italian: Aggiungere
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Adicionar

🥣 To mix

🇪🇸 Spanish: Mezclar
🇫🇷 French: Mélanger
🇩🇪 German: Mischen
🇮🇹 Italian: Mescolare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Misturar

⚖️ To measure

🇪🇸 Spanish: Medir
🇫🇷 French: Mesurer
🇩🇪 German: Messen
🇮🇹 Italian: Misurare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Medir

🔪 To cut

🇪🇸 Spanish: Cortar
🇫🇷 French: Couper
🇩🇪 German: Schneiden
🇮🇹 Italian: Tagliare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Cortar

🧅 To chop

🇪🇸 Spanish: Picar
🇫🇷 French: Hacher
🇩🇪 German: Hacken
🇮🇹 Italian: Tritare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Picar

🔥 To heat

🇪🇸 Spanish: Calentar
🇫🇷 French: Chauffer
🇩🇪 German: Erhitzen
🇮🇹 Italian: Scaldare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Aquecer

🍳 To cook

🇪🇸 Spanish: Cocinar
🇫🇷 French: Cuisiner
🇩🇪 German: Kochen
🇮🇹 Italian: Cucinare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Cozinhar

🥄 To stir

🇪🇸 Spanish: Remover / Revolver
🇫🇷 French: Remuer
🇩🇪 German: Umrühren
🇮🇹 Italian: Mescolare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Mexer

🧠 Useful English Tip: Talking About Ingredients

English commonly uses contains, has, or is made with when talking about ingredients.

What's in the soup?
🇪🇸 ¿Qué lleva la sopa?
🇫🇷 Que contient la soupe ?
🇩🇪 Was ist in der Suppe?
🇮🇹 Cosa c'è nella zuppa?
🇵🇹 O que tem na sopa?

The soup contains tomatoes and onions.
🇪🇸 La sopa lleva tomate y cebolla.
🇫🇷 La soupe contient des tomates et des oignons.
🇩🇪 Die Suppe enthält Tomaten und Zwiebeln.
🇮🇹 La zuppa contiene pomodori e cipolle.
🇵🇹 A sopa contém tomate e cebola.

Use need when talking about ingredients for a recipe.

We need two eggs.
🇪🇸 Necesitamos dos huevos.
🇫🇷 Nous avons besoin de deux œufs.
🇩🇪 Wir brauchen zwei Eier.
🇮🇹 Abbiamo bisogno di due uova.
🇵🇹 Precisamos de dois ovos.

Recipes usually begin instructions with an imperative verb.

Add one teaspoon of salt.
🇪🇸 Añade una cucharadita de sal.
🇫🇷 Ajoutez une cuillère à café de sel.
🇩🇪 Gib einen Teelöffel Salz hinzu.
🇮🇹 Aggiungi un cucchiaino di sale.
🇵🇹 Adicione uma colher de chá de sal.

🌎 English Usage Tip

The words recipe, ingredient, mix, and add are used throughout the English-speaking world with the same meaning.

British English often says plain flour, while American English usually says all-purpose flour for the same common baking ingredient.

Recipes in the United States often use cups and teaspoons, while recipes in most other countries commonly use grams and milliliters.

💬 Common Ingredient Phrases

🧂 The soup needs a little more salt.

🇪🇸 Spanish: La sopa necesita un poco más de sal.
🇫🇷 French: La soupe a besoin d'un peu plus de sel.
🇩🇪 German: Die Suppe braucht etwas mehr Salz.
🇮🇹 Italian: La zuppa ha bisogno di un po' più di sale.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: A sopa precisa de um pouco mais de sal.

🧈 The recipe calls for butter and sugar.

🇪🇸 Spanish: La receta lleva mantequilla y azúcar.
🇫🇷 French: La recette demande du beurre et du sucre.
🇩🇪 German: Das Rezept enthält Butter und Zucker.
🇮🇹 Italian: La ricetta richiede burro e zucchero.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: A receita leva manteiga e açúcar.

🥚 We need three eggs for the recipe.

🇪🇸 Spanish: Necesitamos tres huevos para la receta.
🇫🇷 French: Nous avons besoin de trois œufs pour la recette.
🇩🇪 German: Wir brauchen drei Eier für das Rezept.
🇮🇹 Italian: Abbiamo bisogno di tre uova per la ricetta.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Precisamos de três ovos para a receita.

🫒 Add one tablespoon of olive oil.

🇪🇸 Spanish: Añade una cucharada de aceite de oliva.
🇫🇷 French: Ajoutez une cuillère à soupe d'huile d'olive.
🇩🇪 German: Gib einen Esslöffel Olivenöl hinzu.
🇮🇹 Italian: Aggiungi un cucchiaio di olio d'oliva.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Adicione uma colher de sopa de azeite.

🧄 I like cooking with fresh garlic.

🇪🇸 Spanish: Me gusta cocinar con ajo fresco.
🇫🇷 French: J'aime cuisiner avec de l'ail frais.
🇩🇪 German: Ich koche gern mit frischem Knoblauch.
🇮🇹 Italian: Mi piace cucinare con l'aglio fresco.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Gosto de cozinhar com alho fresco.

🌾 I need two cups of flour.

🇪🇸 Spanish: Necesito dos tazas de harina.
🇫🇷 French: J'ai besoin de deux tasses de farine.
🇩🇪 German: Ich brauche zwei Tassen Mehl.
🇮🇹 Italian: Mi servono due tazze di farina.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Preciso de duas xícaras de farinha.

💬 Everyday Conversations

Checking the ingredients

A: What's in this soup?
B: It contains tomatoes, onions, garlic, and some spices.

🇪🇸 A: ¿Qué lleva esta sopa?
🇪🇸 B: Lleva tomate, cebolla, ajo y algunas especias.

🇫🇷 A: Que contient cette soupe ?
🇫🇷 B: Elle contient des tomates, des oignons, de l'ail et quelques épices.

🇩🇪 A: Was ist in dieser Suppe?
🇩🇪 B: Sie enthält Tomaten, Zwiebeln, Knoblauch und einige Gewürze.

🇮🇹 A: Cosa c'è in questa zuppa?
🇮🇹 B: Contiene pomodori, cipolle, aglio e alcune spezie.

🇵🇹 A: O que tem nesta sopa?
🇵🇹 B: Ela contém tomate, cebola, alho e algumas especiarias.

Following a recipe

A: How much flour do we need?
B: We need two cups of flour.

🇪🇸 A: ¿Cuánta harina necesitamos?
🇪🇸 B: Necesitamos dos tazas de harina.

🇫🇷 A: De combien de farine avons-nous besoin ?
🇫🇷 B: Nous avons besoin de deux tasses de farine.

🇩🇪 A: Wie viel Mehl brauchen wir?
🇩🇪 B: Wir brauchen zwei Tassen Mehl.

🇮🇹 A: Quanta farina ci serve?
🇮🇹 B: Ci servono due tazze di farina.

🇵🇹 A: De quanta farinha precisamos?
🇵🇹 B: Precisamos de duas xícaras de farinha.

Cooking together

A: What should I do now?
B: Add the milk and mix well.

🇪🇸 A: ¿Qué hago ahora?
🇪🇸 B: Añade la leche y mezcla bien.

🇫🇷 A: Que dois-je faire maintenant ?
🇫🇷 B: Ajoute le lait et mélange bien.

🇩🇪 A: Was soll ich jetzt tun?
🇩🇪 B: Gib die Milch dazu und rühre gut um.

🇮🇹 A: Cosa devo fare adesso?
🇮🇹 B: Aggiungi il latte e mescola bene.

🇵🇹 A: O que devo fazer agora?
🇵🇹 B: Adicione o leite e misture bem.

📝 Example Sentences

🥛 We need milk to make the sauce.

🇪🇸 Spanish: Necesitamos leche para preparar la salsa.
🇫🇷 French: Nous avons besoin de lait pour préparer la sauce.
🇩🇪 German: Wir brauchen Milch, um die Soße zuzubereiten.
🇮🇹 Italian: Abbiamo bisogno di latte per preparare la salsa.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Precisamos de leite para preparar o molho.

🌾 The flour is in the top cupboard.

🇪🇸 Spanish: La harina está en el armario de arriba.
🇫🇷 French: La farine est dans le placard du haut.
🇩🇪 German: Das Mehl ist im oberen Schrank.
🇮🇹 Italian: La farina è nell'armadietto in alto.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: A farinha está no armário de cima.

🫒 I use olive oil for cooking.

🇪🇸 Spanish: Uso aceite de oliva para cocinar.
🇫🇷 French: J'utilise de l'huile d'olive pour cuisiner.
🇩🇪 German: Ich verwende Olivenöl zum Kochen.
🇮🇹 Italian: Uso l'olio d'oliva per cucinare.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Uso azeite de oliva para cozinhar.

🧀 I'm going to add grated cheese to the pasta.

🇪🇸 Spanish: Voy a añadir queso rallado a la pasta.
🇫🇷 French: Je vais ajouter du fromage râpé aux pâtes.
🇩🇪 German: Ich werde geriebenen Käse zur Pasta hinzufügen.
🇮🇹 Italian: Aggiungerò del formaggio grattugiato alla pasta.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Vou adicionar queijo ralado ao macarrão.

🧂 Add a pinch of salt and a little black pepper.

🇪🇸 Spanish: Añade una pizca de sal y un poco de pimienta.
🇫🇷 French: Ajoutez une pincée de sel et un peu de poivre noir.
🇩🇪 German: Gib eine Prise Salz und etwas schwarzen Pfeffer hinzu.
🇮🇹 Italian: Aggiungi un pizzico di sale e un po' di pepe nero.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Adicione uma pitada de sal e um pouco de pimenta-do-reino.

🥣 Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl.

🇪🇸 Spanish: Mezcla todos los ingredientes en un recipiente grande.
🇫🇷 French: Mélangez tous les ingrédients dans un grand bol.
🇩🇪 German: Vermische alle Zutaten in einer großen Schüssel.
🇮🇹 Italian: Mescola tutti gli ingredienti in una ciotola grande.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Misture todos os ingredientes em uma tigela grande.

🏆 Final Practice

Try saying each English phrase before pressing play.

What's in this recipe?
We need two eggs.
Add one tablespoon of oil.
I need two cups of flour.
Add a pinch of salt.
Mix the ingredients well.