Taking a cooking class | Learn Spanish in English

Spanish lesson set in a contemporary Madrid everyday setting: In a community setting, two adults discuss a beginner cooking class with simple dishes and basic sauces..

EN → ES / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Taking a cooking class to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Hay una clase de cocina en el centro comunitario.

eye OO-nah KLAH-seh deh koh-SEE-nah en el SEN-troh koh-moo-nee-TAH-ree-oh. There's a cooking class at the community center.
B

¿Qué tipo de platos te enseñarán a preparar?

keh TEE-poh deh PLAH-tohs teh en-seh-NYAH-rahn ah preh-pah-RAHR? What kind of dishes will they teach you to make?
A

Platos sencillos de pasta y salsas básicas.

PLAH-tohs sen-SEE-yohs deh PAHS-tah ee SAHL-sahs BAH-see-kahs. Simple pasta dishes and basic sauces.
B

¿Está abierta para principiantes?

es-TAH ah-BYEHR-tah PAH-rah preen-see-pee-AHN-tehs? Is it open to beginners?
A

La clase empieza con pasos básicos.

lah KLAH-seh em-PYEH-sah kohn PAH-sohs BAH-see-kohs. The class starts with basic steps.
B

Deberías inscribirte.

deh-beh-RYahs een-skree-BEER-teh. You should sign up.
A

Quiero aprender una receta útil.

kee-EH-roh ah-pren-DEHR OO-nah reh-SEH-tah OO-teel. I want to learn one useful recipe.
B

Puedes cocinarla para nosotros después.

PWEH-dehs koh-see-NAHR-lah PAH-rah noh-SOH-trohs dehs-PWEHS. You can cook it for us afterward.

Word by Word

Hay “Hay” means there is or there are, and here it introduces the existence of a cooking class. It is commonly used before a noun to say that something exists or is available in a place.
una “Una” means a or one and introduces the singular feminine noun “clase” in “una clase”. It is used before a singular feminine noun when referring to one unspecified thing, such as a class or recipe.
clase “Clase” means class, referring here to an organized cooking lesson. It can be used with “de” to specify the subject, as in “clase de cocina”.
de In “clase de cocina”, “de” connects the noun “clase” with its subject and means of or about. The pattern “clase de + subject” is useful for naming different kinds of classes.
cocina In “clase de cocina”, “cocina” refers to cooking or cuisine, so “clase de cocina” is a cooking class. This noun can be used after “de” to identify the subject of a class.
en “En” means in or at and places “el centro comunitario” as the location of the class. It is commonly used before a place to say where something is or happens.
el “El” means the and appears before the singular masculine noun “centro” in “el centro”. It is used with a specific singular masculine place or thing.
centro “Centro” means center, referring here to the community center. It can be followed by an adjective such as “comunitario” to describe what kind of center it is.
comunitario “Comunitario” means community-related and describes “centro” in “centro comunitario”. It is used after a noun here to identify a place connected with the community.
Qué “Qué” means what and begins the question “Qué tipo de platos...”. It is used to ask for information about an object, kind, or characteristic.
tipo “Tipo” means kind or type in “Qué tipo de platos”. The reusable pattern “qué tipo de + noun” asks what kind of something is meant.
platos “Platos” means dishes, referring to prepared food that students will learn to make. It is used as a plural noun after “tipo de” to identify the kind of food.
te “Te” means to you in “te enseñarán a preparar”, showing who will receive the teaching. It commonly appears with a verb when an action is directed or given to the person addressed.
enseñarán “Enseñarán” means they will teach, referring to what the class instructors will teach the listener. The pattern “enseñar a + infinitive” expresses teaching someone to do something, as in “te enseñarán a preparar”.
a In “a preparar”, “a” links “enseñarán” with the action the learner will be taught to do. The pattern “enseñar a + infinitive” is used for teaching someone an action.
preparar “Preparar” means to prepare or make, referring here to making dishes. It is an infinitive after “a” in “te enseñarán a preparar” and can be used for preparing food or other things.
sencillos “Sencillos” means simple and describes “platos” in “platos sencillos de pasta”. It agrees with that plural masculine noun and is useful for describing food that is not complicated to make.
pasta “Pasta” means pasta, the food used in the dishes discussed in the class. It follows “de” in “platos sencillos de pasta” to identify what the dishes contain or are based on.
y “Y” means and and joins “platos sencillos de pasta” with “salsas básicas”. It connects words or phrases that are being included together.
salsas “Salsas” means sauces, referring to the basic sauces taught in the class. It is a plural noun used here alongside the pasta dishes.
básicas “Básicas” means basic and describes “salsas” in “salsas básicas”. It agrees with that plural feminine noun and describes something suitable as an introduction.
Está “Está” means is here as part of the question about whether the class is open to beginners. It is used with “abierta” to describe the class’s current availability or status.
abierta “Abierta” means open or available in “Está abierta para principiantes”. It describes the class and indicates that beginners can attend; it agrees with the feminine noun “clase”.
para “Para” means for and identifies the people the class is available to in “para principiantes”. It commonly introduces the intended group or recipient of something.
principiantes “Principiantes” means beginners, referring to people with little or no previous experience. It is used after “para” to identify the group the class is intended for.
La “La” means the and introduces the specific feminine noun “clase” in “La clase”. It is used before a known singular feminine noun.
empieza “Empieza” means starts, describing when the class begins its instruction. The pattern “La clase empieza con + noun” says what the class begins with.
con “Con” means with and introduces “pasos básicos” in “empieza con pasos básicos”. It is commonly used to say what an activity begins with or includes.
pasos “Pasos” means steps, referring to the basic stages taught at the beginning of the class. It is used after “con” to name the starting material or sequence.
básicos “Básicos” means basic and describes “pasos” in “pasos básicos”. It agrees with that plural masculine noun and indicates introductory steps.
Deberías “Deberías” expresses the recommendation you should, suggesting that the listener sign up for the class. The pattern “Deberías + infinitive” is used to give friendly advice.
inscribirte “Inscribirte” means sign up or enroll yourself, referring to joining the cooking class. It is the action recommended after “Deberías” and can be used when registering for a class or activity.
Quiero “Quiero” means I want and expresses the speaker’s desire to learn a useful recipe. The pattern “Quiero + infinitive” is commonly used to state what the speaker wants to do.
aprender “Aprender” means to learn, referring here to learning a recipe. It follows “Quiero” in “Quiero aprender” and is used as an infinitive after expressions of desire.
receta “Receta” means recipe, referring to the instructions for making one dish. It appears after “aprender” as the thing the speaker wants to learn and can be used with a description such as “una receta útil”.
útil “Útil” means useful and describes “receta” in “una receta útil”. It indicates that the recipe will be practical or helpful for the speaker.
Puedes “Puedes” means you can and expresses the listener’s ability or permission to cook the recipe afterward. The pattern “Puedes + infinitive” is used to say what someone can do.
cocinarla “Cocinarla” means cook it, with “la” referring back to the feminine noun “receta”. It combines the action “cocinar” with the object pronoun attached to the infinitive, and the whole form can be used when cooking a previously mentioned feminine object.
nosotros “Nosotros” means us in “para nosotros”, identifying the people who will receive the cooked food. The pattern “para nosotros” means for us.
después “Después” means afterward and places the cooking after the class or another event already understood. It is a common way to refer to a later time without repeating the event.

Grammar Points

Hay + sustantivo

Hay una clase de cocina en el centro comunitario.

eye OO-nah KLAH-seh deh koh-SEE-nah en el SEN-troh koh-moo-nee-TAH-ree-oh.

There is a cooking class at the community center.

Use hay to say that something exists. It means “there is” or “there are” and does not change for singular or plural.

querer / poder / deber + infinitivo

Queremos aprender a preparar pasta y podemos cocinar después.

keh-REH-mohs ah-pren-DEHR ah preh-pah-RAHR PAHS-tah ee poh-DEH-mohs koh-see-NAHR dehs-PWEHS.

We want to learn to prepare pasta, and we can cook afterward.

These verbs are followed by an infinitive to express wanting, ability, or obligation.

Spanish Vocabulary

centro noun
SEN-troh center

el centro comunitario

clase noun
KLAH-seh class

una clase de cocina

cocina noun
koh-SEE-nah cooking; kitchen

clase de cocina

comunitario adj
koh-moo-nee-TAH-ree-oh community

el centro comunitario

enseñar verb
en-seh-NYAHR to teach

te enseñarán a preparar

hay verb
eye there is; there are

Hay una clase de cocina.

pasta noun
PAHS-tah pasta

platos de pasta

plato noun
PLAH-toh dish

platos sencillos de pasta

preparar verb
preh-pah-RAHR to prepare; to make

a preparar

qué tipo de phrase
keh TEE-poh deh what kind of

¿Qué tipo de platos...?

salsa noun
SAHL-sah sauce

salsas básicas

sencillo adj
sen-SEE-yoh simple

platos sencillos

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Is it open to beginners?

Show Answer¿Está abierta para principiantes?

The class starts with basic steps.

Show AnswerLa clase empieza con pasos básicos.

You should sign up.

Show AnswerDeberías inscribirte.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

community

Show Answercomunitario

class

Show Answerclase

center

Show Answercentro

to prepare; to make

Show Answerpreparar