About This Lesson
Use Cooking class and confidence to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
Le cours de cuisine a été plus utile que je ne le pensais.
luh KOOR duh kwee-ZEEN ah ay-TAY plew-ZEW-TEEL kuh zhuh nuh luh pahn-SAY The cooking class was more useful than I expected.
B
Quelle technique as-tu apprise de la cheffe ?
KEHL tek-NEEK ahs-TEW ah-PREEZ duh lah SHEHF What technique did you learn from the chef?
A
Elle nous a montré comment assaisonner petit à petit et goûter souvent.
EHL noo-zah mawn-TRAY koh-MAWN ah-say-zoh-NAY puh-TEE ah puh-TEE ay goo-TAY soo-VAWN She showed us how to season slowly and taste often.
B
C'est une habitude pratique, pas seulement une recette.
say-TEWN ah-bee-TEWD prah-TEEK pah suhl-MAWN tewn ruh-SEHT That is a practical habit, not just a recipe.
A
J'ai aussi appris à mieux contrôler la taille des portions.
zhay oh-SEE ah-PREE ah MYUH kawn-troh-LAY lah TAH-y day por-SYAWN I also learned how to control portion size better.
B
As-tu reçu des commentaires sur ton plat ?
ahs-TEW ruh-SEW day koh-mahn-TAIR sewr tawn PLAH Did you get feedback on your dish?
A
La sauce était réussie, mais j'ai fait cuire les pâtes trop longtemps.
lah SOHSS ay-TAY ray-ew-SEE may zhay fay KWEER lay PAHT troh lawn-TAWN The sauce worked, but I cooked the pasta too long.
B
C'est facile à améliorer en surveillant le temps de cuisson.
say fah-SEEL ah ah-may-lyoh-RAY ahn sewr-vay-YAWN luh TAWN duh kwee-ZEEN That is easy to improve with timing.
A
Le cours m'a donné davantage confiance en moi pour inviter des amis à dîner.
luh KOOR mah doh-NAY dah-vahn-TAHZH kawn-FYAWNS ahn MWAH poor an-vee-TAY day zah-MEE ah dee-NAY The class gave me more confidence to invite friends for dinner.
B
Alors, ça en valait la peine, même si tu n'as appris que quelques petites choses.
ah-LOHR sah ahn vah-LAY lah PEHN, MEHM see tew nah ah-PREE kuh KEHL-kuh puh-TEET SHOWZ Then it was worth it, even if you only learned a few things.Word by Word
Le
In "Le cours de cuisine", "Le" means "the" and introduces the masculine singular noun "cours". It is used before a specific class or course when referring to it as a known thing.
cours
In "Le cours de cuisine", "cours" means "class" or "course". The phrase "cours de cuisine" identifies the subject of the class, and the same noun can be used for other organized classes or courses.
de
In "cours de cuisine", "de" links "cours" to its subject and means "of" or "about"; in "de la cheffe", it means "from". The exact meaning depends on the noun phrase that follows it.
cuisine
In "cours de cuisine", "cuisine" means cooking or cuisine and specifies what the course is about. It can be used after a noun to identify a cooking-related subject.
a
In "a été", "a" is the form of avoir that works with "été" to say that the class was useful. This pattern is used with a past participle to describe a completed event or result.
été
In "a été plus utile", "été" is the form of être that describes what the class was like: it was more useful. It completes the expression with "a" and can describe a state or quality of something.
plus
In "plus utile que", "plus" means "more" and increases the degree of the adjective "utile". The reusable comparison pattern places "plus" before an adjective and "que" before what it is compared with.
utile
In "plus utile que je ne le pensais", "utile" means useful and describes the cooking class. It can describe a lesson, tool, piece of advice, or other thing that helps.
que
In "plus utile que je ne le pensais", "que" means "than" and introduces the comparison; in "que je ne le pensais", it introduces the thought being compared. In "n'as appris que quelques petites choses", it has the restrictive meaning "only" as part of that construction.
je
In "que je ne le pensais", "je" means "I" and identifies the person whose expectation is being mentioned. It is used as the subject when the speaker refers to their own thought or opinion.
ne
In "que je ne le pensais", "ne" belongs to the comparative expression and does not simply mean that the speaker did not think it. This form can appear in a comparison about what someone expected.
pensais
In "que je ne le pensais", "pensais" is the form of penser meaning "thought" or "expected". It refers to the speaker's earlier expectation and can be used to describe what someone had in mind.
Quelle
In "Quelle technique", "Quelle" asks "what" or "which" before the feminine singular noun "technique". The pattern is used when asking someone to identify one item from possible options.
technique
In "Quelle technique as-tu apprise", "technique" means a technique or method that can be learned. It is used for a practical way of doing something, such as a cooking method.
as
In "as-tu apprise", "as" is the form of avoir used with "tu" and works with "apprise" to ask what the other person learned. The exact question pattern "Quelle technique as-tu apprise" places the auxiliary before the subject pronoun.
tu
In "as-tu apprise", "tu" means "you" and refers to the person being addressed. It is used for a familiar or informal singular interlocutor.
apprise
In "Quelle technique as-tu apprise", "apprise" is the feminine form related to apprendre and means "learned". Its form agrees with the preceding feminine noun "technique", and it is used here for acquiring a skill or method.
la
In "la cheffe" and "la peine", "la" means "the" before a feminine singular noun. It introduces a specific female chef in one phrase and completes the fixed expression in the other.
cheffe
In "de la cheffe", "cheffe" means a female chef. The feminine form identifies the woman who taught the cooking technique and can be used for a woman working as a chef.
Elle
In "Elle nous a montré", "Elle" means "she" and refers to the female chef. It is used as the subject when describing what a woman did.
nous
In "Elle nous a montré", "nous" means "us" and identifies the people who were shown the technique. It is placed before the verb when referring to the recipients of an action.
montré
In "nous a montré", "montré" is the form of montrer meaning "shown". Together with "a", it says that the chef showed the group something, and the verb can be reused when explaining or demonstrating a method.
comment
In "comment assaisonner", "comment" means "how" and introduces an explanation of the way to perform the action. It can be followed by an infinitive when describing how to do something.
assaisonner
In "comment assaisonner petit à petit", "assaisonner" means "to season" food. It is used as an infinitive after "comment" and can describe adding seasoning during cooking.
petit à petit
The whole expression "petit à petit" means "little by little" or "gradually". The first and second "petit" express small steps, while "à" links the repeated parts; together they describe a gradual process. It is useful when an action should happen progressively rather than all at once.
et
In "assaisonner petit à petit et goûter souvent", "et" means "and" and connects the two cooking actions. It is used to join actions, objects, or ideas that belong together.
goûter
In "goûter souvent", "goûter" means "to taste" food. It is coordinated with "assaisonner" and can be used when checking food during preparation.
souvent
In "goûter souvent", "souvent" means "often" and says that the tasting should happen many times. It usually modifies an action to indicate frequent repetition.
C'est
In "C'est une habitude pratique", "C'est" means "it is" or "that is" and introduces an assessment of the habit. It is the common form used before a noun phrase or description when identifying or evaluating something.
une
In "une habitude", "une" means "a" or "an" before the feminine singular noun "habitude". It introduces one habit that is being described.
habitude
In "une habitude pratique", "habitude" means a habit or repeated practice. Here it refers to seasoning gradually and tasting frequently, and it can describe a regular way of doing something.
pratique
In "une habitude pratique", "pratique" means practical or useful in action. It describes a habit that can be applied while cooking, rather than merely knowing a recipe.
pas
In "pas seulement une recette", "pas" contributes the meaning "not" to the contrast "not just a recipe". The pattern "pas seulement" is used to say that something has a broader value than one limited description.
seulement
In "pas seulement une recette", "seulement" means "only" or "merely". Together with "pas", it limits the description and contrasts a recipe with a wider practical habit.
recette
In "pas seulement une recette", "recette" means recipe, a set of instructions for preparing food. It is used here as the narrower thing that the habit is more than.
J'ai
In "J'ai aussi appris", "J'ai" means "I have" and combines with "appris" to report what the speaker learned. It is used with a past participle when describing a completed learning experience.
aussi
In "J'ai aussi appris", "aussi" means "also" and adds another thing the speaker learned. Its position before "appris" connects this statement with the earlier technique.
appris
In "J'ai aussi appris", "appris" is the form of apprendre meaning "learned". It follows "J'ai" and refers to acquiring another piece of knowledge or skill.
à
In "appris à mieux contrôler", "à" introduces the action that was learned. The pattern connects learning with an infinitive, and the same form also appears in "à dîner" and in "petit à petit" with different functions.
mieux
In "mieux contrôler", "mieux" means "better" and describes an improved way of controlling portion size. It can be placed before an action to indicate that the action is performed more effectively.
contrôler
In "mieux contrôler la taille des portions", "contrôler" means "to control" or manage. It is an infinitive after "à" and refers to keeping the portion size under control.
taille
In "la taille des portions", "taille" means "size". The phrase identifies the dimension or amount of the portions, and "taille" can be followed by a noun phrase specifying what is being measured.
des
In "la taille des portions", "des" means "of the" and is the combination of "de" and "les". It links the size to the specific portions being discussed, rather than meaning "some" here.
portions
In "la taille des portions", "portions" is the plural of portion and means servings or portions of food. It identifies the individual amounts whose size should be controlled.
reçu
In "As-tu reçu des commentaires", "reçu" is the form of recevoir meaning "received" or "got". It refers to obtaining feedback about the dish and can be used with something that someone receives.
commentaires
In "des commentaires sur ton plat", "commentaires" means comments or feedback. The phrase "commentaires sur" introduces what the feedback concerns, here the dish.
sur
In "commentaires sur ton plat", "sur" means "about" and introduces the subject of the comments. It is commonly used after a noun such as feedback or comments to specify their topic.
ton
In "ton plat", "ton" means "your" and shows that the dish belongs to or was prepared by the person being addressed. It appears before the singular masculine noun "plat".
plat
In "ton plat", "plat" means dish, referring to the prepared food being evaluated. It can identify a particular prepared item in a meal or cooking activity.
sauce
In "La sauce était réussie", "sauce" means sauce. It is the food component that the speaker says turned out well, and it can be described by its taste, texture, or result.
était
In "La sauce était réussie", "était" is the form of être meaning "was" and describes the sauce's result. It is useful for stating what something was like or how it turned out.
réussie
In "La sauce était réussie", "réussie" is the feminine form related to réussir and means successful or well done. Its form agrees with the feminine noun "sauce" and evaluates the result of the cooking.
mais
In "La sauce était réussie, mais j'ai fait cuire les pâtes trop longtemps", "mais" means "but" and introduces a contrasting problem. It is used to connect a positive point with an exception or limitation.
fait
In "j'ai fait cuire les pâtes", "fait" is the form of faire used together with "cuire" to express cooking the pasta. The reusable construction places the food after the cooking action.
cuire
In "fait cuire les pâtes", "cuire" means "to cook" and belongs with "fait" in the expression for cooking the pasta. It is used for applying heat to food until it is ready.
les
In "les pâtes", "les" means "the" before the plural noun "pâtes". It refers to the specific pasta being cooked in the situation.
pâtes
In "les pâtes", "pâtes" is the plural of pâte and means pasta. It identifies the food that was cooked for too long.
trop
In "trop longtemps", "trop" means "too" and indicates that the duration was excessive. It is placed before "longtemps" to describe an action that continued beyond the appropriate time.
longtemps
In "trop longtemps", "longtemps" means "for a long time" and refers to the duration of cooking. Together with "trop", it means that the pasta was cooked for longer than it should have been.
facile
In "C'est facile à améliorer", "facile" means "easy" and evaluates the possibility of improving the problem. The pattern can be used before an infinitive to describe an action that does not require much difficulty.
améliorer
In "facile à améliorer", "améliorer" means "to improve" the cooking result. It is an infinitive after "à" and refers here to correcting the timing problem.
en
In "en surveillant le temps de cuisson", "en" means "by" or "while" and introduces the way the improvement can be made. The pattern connects an action with the method or simultaneous activity used to achieve it.
surveillant
In "en surveillant le temps de cuisson", "surveillant" is the form related to surveiller and means monitoring or watching. It describes the action used to control the cooking result and is followed here by what is being monitored.
temps
In "le temps de cuisson", "temps" means time, specifically the duration needed for cooking. The phrase can be used when discussing how long food should remain under heat.
cuisson
In "le temps de cuisson", "cuisson" means cooking or cooking time. It specifies that the time concerns the process of cooking food.
m'a
In "m'a donné davantage confiance", "m'a" contributes the meaning "gave me": "m'" means "me" and "a" works with "donné". This pattern is used when something gives the speaker an effect, feeling, or benefit.
donné
In "m'a donné davantage confiance", "donné" is the form of donner meaning "given". Together with "m'a", it says that the class gave the speaker more confidence.
davantage
In "davantage confiance en moi", "davantage" means "more" or "to a greater degree". It shows that the class increased the speaker's confidence and can mark an increased amount or degree.
confiance
In "confiance en moi", "confiance" means confidence or self-assurance. The expression identifies confidence directed toward oneself, and the noun can be used when discussing a person's growing ability or courage.
moi
In "confiance en moi", "moi" means "me" or "myself" and emphasizes the person who has the confidence. It follows "en" in this expression about confidence in oneself.
pour
In "pour inviter des amis à dîner", "pour" introduces the purpose of the confidence: inviting friends to dinner. It is followed here by an infinitive and can connect a reason or purpose with an action.
inviter
In "pour inviter des amis à dîner", "inviter" means "to invite". It is an infinitive after "pour" and describes asking friends to come to a meal.
amis
In "inviter des amis", "amis" is the plural of ami and means friends. It identifies the people whom the speaker would like to invite.
dîner
In "inviter des amis à dîner", "dîner" means "to have dinner" or "to dine". It completes the invitation by specifying the activity to which the friends are invited.
Alors
At the beginning of "Alors, ça en valait la peine", "Alors" means "then" or "so" and introduces a conclusion based on what was just said. It is useful when drawing a result or response from previous information.
ça
In "ça en valait la peine", "ça" means "that" or "it" and refers to the cooking class experience. It is a common pronoun for referring to a situation or thing already understood from the conversation.
en valait la peine
The whole expression "en valait la peine" means "was worth it" when evaluating the cooking class. In this expression, "en" refers to the experience, "valait" is the form of valoir, and "la peine" completes the fixed phrase; together they express value rather than a literal meaning of each word. It is used to judge whether an effort, activity, or experience justified the time or trouble.
même
In "même si tu n'as appris que quelques petites choses", "même" means "even" and emphasizes that the conclusion remains true despite a limitation. It combines with "si" to introduce a condition that does not change the result.
si
In "même si tu n'as appris que quelques petites choses", "si" means "if" and introduces the condition about what was learned. The pattern "même si" is used when acknowledging a possible limitation while maintaining the main conclusion.
n'as
In "tu n'as appris que quelques petites choses", "n'as" combines "n'" with the form of avoir used with "tu". Together with "que", the pattern means that the person learned only a few things, not simply that they learned nothing.
quelques
In "quelques petites choses", "quelques" means "a few" or "some" and indicates a small number. It is placed before the plural noun phrase describing the things that were learned.
petites
In "quelques petites choses", "petites" is the feminine plural form related to petit and means small or little. It agrees with the feminine plural noun "choses" and describes the limited amount or importance of the things learned.
choses
In "quelques petites choses", "choses" is the plural of chose and means things. It refers generally to the few pieces of knowledge or techniques learned in the class.
Grammar Points
en valait la peine
Le temps de cuisson en valait la peine.
luh TAWN duh kwee-ZEEN ahn vah-LAY lah PEHNThe cooking time was worth it.
The imperfect form « valait » describes a past assessment; « en » refers to something mentioned earlier.
penser à + nom
Je pensais à la cuisine.
zhuh pahn-SAY ah lah kwee-ZEENI was thinking about cooking.
Use « penser à » when introducing the subject or topic of a thought.
French Vocabulary
apprendre
verb
ah-PRAHN-druh
to learn
apprise
la technique que tu as apprise
assaisonner
verb
ah-say-zoh-NAY
to season
comment assaisonner
cheffe
noun
SHEHF
female chef
de la cheffe
cours
noun
koor
class
Le cours de cuisine
cuisine
noun
kwee-ZEEN
cooking; cuisine
cours de cuisine
goûter
verb
goo-TAY
to taste
et goûter souvent
montrer
verb
mawn-TRAY
to show
montré
Elle nous a montré
penser
verb
pahn-SAY
to think
pensais
que je ne le pensais
petit à petit
adv
puh-TEE ah puh-TEE
little by little
assaisonner petit à petit
souvent
adv
soo-VAWN
often
technique
noun
tek-NEEK
technique
Quelle technique
utile
adj
ew-TEEL
useful
plus utile
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
cooking; cuisine
Show Answer
cuisineto think
Show Answer
pensaisto show
Show Answer
montréto learn