cocina
/ko-SEE-nah/
kitchen
The primary meaning of cocina (f) is 'kitchen', the room where food is prepared.
cocina(Noun)
kitchen
?the room for cooking
cuisine
?a style of cooking, e.g., Mexican cuisine
,stove
?the appliance for cooking, also called a cooker
📝 In Action
Mi madre está en la cocina.
A1My mother is in the kitchen.
La cocina peruana es mi favorita.
A2Peruvian cuisine is my favorite.
Ten cuidado, la cocina está caliente.
B1Be careful, the stove is hot.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Feminine
As a noun, 'cocina' is always feminine. This means you'll always use 'la' (the) or 'una' (a) with it. For example, 'la cocina' or 'una cocina moderna'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'el' instead of 'la'
Mistake: "El cocina es grande."
Correction: La cocina es grande. Remember that nouns ending in '-a' are usually feminine in Spanish, so they use 'la'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Kitchen, Cuisine, or Stove?
How do you know which meaning is intended? Context is key! If someone talks about a room in a house, it's 'kitchen'. If they talk about food from a country, it's 'cuisine'. If they're putting a pot on it, it's the 'stove'.
Cocina is the third-person singular conjugation of the verb cocinar (to cook), meaning 'he/she cooks' or 'you (formal) cook.'
cocina(Verb)
he cooks / she cooks / it cooks
?present tense, third person
you cook
?formal 'usted' form
,cook!
?informal command for 'tú'
📝 In Action
Mi hermano cocina paella los domingos.
A1My brother cooks paella on Sundays.
Disculpe, ¿usted cocina con sal?
A2Excuse me, do you (formal) cook with salt?
¡Cocina tú la cena esta noche, por favor!
A2You cook dinner tonight, please!
💡 Grammar Points
Three Meanings in One
This one word, 'cocina', can mean 'he cooks', 'she cooks', or 'you (formal) cook'. You'll know who is cooking from the other words in the sentence. For example, 'Él cocina' (He cooks) vs. 'María cocina' (María cooks).
It's also a Command!
When you're telling a friend ('tú') to do something, 'cocina' means 'Cook!'. For example, '¡Cocina la pasta!' (Cook the pasta!).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing up 'tú' and 'él/ella'
Mistake: "Tú cocina muy bien."
Correction: Tú cocinas muy bien. When talking to a friend ('tú'), the verb form usually ends in '-s'. The form without the '-s', 'cocina', is for 'él', 'ella', or the formal 'usted'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Dropping the Person
In Spanish, you can often leave out the person (like 'él' or 'ella') if it's clear who you're talking about. So, if you're already talking about your dad, you can just say 'Cocina muy bien' and people will know you mean 'He cooks very well'.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: cocina
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'cocina' to mean the room where you cook?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if 'cocina' means 'kitchen' or 'he cooks'?
Look for clues in the sentence! If you see 'la' or 'una' before it (like 'la cocina'), it means 'the kitchen' or 'a kitchen'. If it follows a person's name or a word like 'él' or 'ella' (like 'Juan cocina'), it means 'he cooks'.
What's the difference between 'cocina' and 'estufa' for a stove?
It often depends on where you are. In Spain, 'cocina' can mean the stove. In much of Latin America, people are more likely to say 'estufa' for the stove and only use 'cocina' for the kitchen itself. Both are understood in most places.