Cooking in Different Languages
Discover 'Cooking' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Cooking is a universal language that transcends borders and connects us all. It's an essential life skill that brings people together, whether it's over a family dinner or a feast with friends. But did you know that the word 'cooking' can have vastly different meanings and connotations in different languages?
For example, in Spanish, 'cocinar' not only refers to the act of preparing food but also carries a sense of creativity and artistry. Meanwhile, in Mandarin Chinese, '烹饪' (pēng rèn) emphasizes the importance of technique and precision in cooking. Understanding these nuances can give you a deeper appreciation for the cultural significance of cooking in different parts of the world.
Moreover, knowing how to say 'cooking' in various languages can be practical and empowering. Whether you're traveling, studying abroad, or connecting with people from different backgrounds, being able to communicate about food and cooking can open up new opportunities for cultural exchange and understanding.
In this article, we'll explore the translations of 'cooking' in 10 different languages, shedding light on the fascinating cultural and historical contexts behind each word.
Cooking
Cooking in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | kook | ||
| In Afrikaans, when 'n word ends in 'k', it often connotes that the action is ongoing, like 'kook' for 'cooking'. | |||
| Amharic | ምግብ ማብሰል | ||
| The word "cooking" in Amharic can also mean "preparation" or "provision". | |||
| Hausa | dafa abinci | ||
| "Dafa abinci" literally means "to prepare food" and can also refer to the act of preserving food. | |||
| Igbo | isi nri | ||
| The word 'isi nri' in Igbo can also refer to a feast or celebration, highlighting the importance of food and nourishment in Igbo culture. | |||
| Malagasy | mahandro | ||
| "Mahandro" may be related to the Malayan word "masaq" that also means "cooking". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kuphika | ||
| The word "kuŵika" in Chichewa can also mean "to bewitch" or to put a spell on something. | |||
| Shona | kubika | ||
| Shona 'Kubika' is related in various African Bantu dialects, including Kongo and Swahili, but has no cogent links with other regional linguistic families | |||
| Somali | karinta | ||
| The word "karinta" in Somali also refers to the kitchen where cooking takes place. | |||
| Sesotho | ho pheha | ||
| The word “ho pheha” has an alternate meaning of “ripening or getting mature” in Sesotho. | |||
| Swahili | kupikia | ||
| The word "kupikia" can also mean "to attend to" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | ukupheka | ||
| Ukupheka is also used to describe the process of brewing traditional African beer. | |||
| Yoruba | sise | ||
| Yoruba word "sise" is used not just in the context of cooking food, but also in the context of cooking plans or ideas. | |||
| Zulu | ukupheka | ||
| The word 'ukupheka' can also refer to the preparation of traditional Zulu beer or the process of treating an illness with herbal remedies. | |||
| Bambara | tobili | ||
| Ewe | nuɖaɖa | ||
| Kinyarwanda | guteka | ||
| Lingala | kolamba | ||
| Luganda | okufumba | ||
| Sepedi | go apea | ||
| Twi (Akan) | aduanenoa | ||
Cooking in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | طبخ | ||
| The word "طبخ" is derived from the Arabic root "طبخ" meaning "to cook" and can also refer to the preparation of food. | |||
| Hebrew | בישול | ||
| בישול comes from the Aramaic word for "to ripen", suggesting a more gradual and nuanced process than the English "cooking."} | |||
| Pashto | پخلی | ||
| پخلی (cooking) is derived from the Persian word "پختن" (pakhtan) meaning "to cook". In Pashto, "پخلی" can also refer to the cooked food itself. | |||
| Arabic | طبخ | ||
| The word "طبخ" is derived from the Arabic root "طبخ" meaning "to cook" and can also refer to the preparation of food. | |||
Cooking in Western European Languages
| Albanian | gatimi | ||
| In Albanian, "gatimi" can also refer to the meal itself or the act of preparing it. | |||
| Basque | sukaldaritza | ||
| The word 'sukaldaritza' also means 'cooking' or 'kitchen' in Basque. | |||
| Catalan | cuinar | ||
| "Cuinar" derives from the Latin word "coquinare", meaning to cook or prepare something, especially food. | |||
| Croatian | kuhanje | ||
| The word 'kuhanje' in Croatian comes from the Proto-Slavic word 'kuchati', meaning 'to blow' or 'to smoke'. | |||
| Danish | madlavning | ||
| The Danish word "madlavning" literally means "food-making." | |||
| Dutch | koken | ||
| The Dutch word for cooking, Koken, originates from the Latin word coquere meaning to cook, boil or bake. | |||
| English | cooking | ||
| The word "cooking" initially referred to the act of preparing food with heat, but can now also refer to food prepared without heat, like salads or sushi. | |||
| French | cuisine | ||
| The word "cuisine" in French can also refer to the collective body of chefs and cooks in a particular region or country. | |||
| Frisian | koken | ||
| The Frisian word 'koken' comes from the old Germanic word 'kōkjan', which referred to boiling or stewing, rather than the broader concept of cooking. | |||
| Galician | cociñar | ||
| "Cociñar" derives from the Latin "cocinare" (to cook) and also has the alternate meaning of "to concoct". | |||
| German | kochen | ||
| Kochen shares its etymology with the English word "kitchen" and ultimately derives from the Germanic root meaning "to boil". | |||
| Icelandic | elda | ||
| The Icelandic word "Elda" is thought to be derived from the Old Norse word "elda," meaning "fire" or "flame." | |||
| Irish | cócaireacht | ||
| In Irish, "cócaireacht" not only means "cooking" but also "cookshop" and is related to the words "cócaire" (cook) and "cóic" (five), possibly due to the number of cooks that worked in a cookshop. | |||
| Italian | cucinando | ||
| Derived from the Latin word "coquere" (to cook), "cucinando" in Italian refers not only to the act of preparing food, but also to "concealing" or "hiding". | |||
| Luxembourgish | kachen | ||
| The word "kachen" is also used in Luxembourgish to refer to the act of quenching a thirst, especially with a cold drink. | |||
| Maltese | tisjir | ||
| The word "tisjir" (cooking) in Maltese is derived from the Arabic word "tašyīr", meaning "to roast". It is also used to refer to cooking in general, including boiling, baking, and frying. | |||
| Norwegian | matlaging | ||
| The word 'matlaging' is derived from the Old Norse words 'mat' (food) and 'laging' (laying), and originally referred to the preparation of food in a pot. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | cozinhando | ||
| In Portuguese, "cozinhando" not only means "cooking", but also means "intriguing" or "scheming". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | còcaireachd | ||
| The word "còcaireachd" can also be used to refer to a kitchen, a cooking appliance, or the act of cooking. | |||
| Spanish | cocinando | ||
| Cocinar originally meant "to dye" rather than "to cook," and only took its current culinary meaning in the 16th century. | |||
| Swedish | matlagning | ||
| In the late 18th century, 'matlagning' (cooking) was used to refer to the cooking of animal feed. | |||
| Welsh | coginio | ||
| The word 'coginio' in Welsh also means 'to boil' or 'to stew'. | |||
Cooking in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | кулінарыя | ||
| In old Belarusian, "кулінарыя" also meant "the art of witchcraft". | |||
| Bosnian | kuhanje | ||
| The word 'kuhanje' also means 'digestion,' indicating the importance of a healthy digestive system for preparing and appreciating cooked food. | |||
| Bulgarian | готвене | ||
| The word "готвене" is related to "гот" - "hot" and has the alternate meaning "heating". | |||
| Czech | vaření | ||
| In Czech, the word "vaření" also has the meaning of "brewing". | |||
| Estonian | kokkamine | ||
| The word "kokkamine" in Estonian is derived from the word "kokk," meaning "cook". | |||
| Finnish | ruoanlaitto | ||
| The word "ruoanlaitto" literally means "food making" and can also refer to the act of cooking or the food itself. | |||
| Hungarian | főzés | ||
| In Hungarian, the word "főzés" not only refers to the culinary art of cooking but also alludes to the act of creating and developing something, like a plan or an idea. | |||
| Latvian | gatavošana | ||
| The word "gatavošana" is derived from the verb "gatavot", which means "to prepare" or "to make ready". | |||
| Lithuanian | virimas | ||
| The word "virimas" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *wer-, meaning "to boil or stew". | |||
| Macedonian | готвење | ||
| The Macedonian word "готвење" is derived from the Proto-Slavic base *gȏtovъ, meaning "ready" or "prepared," cognate with Russian, Bulgarian, and Polish words for "readiness." | |||
| Polish | gotowanie | ||
| The word "gotowanie" is derived from the ancient Slavic word "gotov", meaning "ready". It refers to the process of preparing food to make it ready to eat. | |||
| Romanian | gătit | ||
| The Romanian word "gătit" has origins in the Proto-Indo-European root *ǵʰed-, meaning "to seize, to take hold of, to cook". It also has a secondary meaning of "to prepare" or "to get ready". | |||
| Russian | приготовление еды | ||
| The word "приготовление еды" is also used to refer to the process of preparing food for consumption by humans or animals, as in the phrase "приготовление пищи для семьи" (cooking food for the family). | |||
| Serbian | кување | ||
| The word "кување" also means "distillation" in Serbian, a process of separating components of a liquid mixture by selective evaporation and condensation. | |||
| Slovak | varenie | ||
| "Varenie" comes from the verb "variť" meaning "to boil", but it can also mean "sorcery" or "potion". | |||
| Slovenian | kuhanje | ||
| The noun 'kuhanje' is also used to describe the act of preparing food, regardless of whether it involves heating or not. | |||
| Ukrainian | приготування їжі | ||
| The Ukrainian word "приготування їжі" also means "preparation of food". | |||
Cooking in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | রান্না | ||
| The word "রান্না" is derived from the Sanskrit word "रञ्चति" (rancati), meaning "to delight" or "to please". | |||
| Gujarati | રસોઈ | ||
| The word "રસોઈ" (cooking) in Gujarati is derived from the Sanskrit word "रस" (juice, flavor), signifying the act of extracting and blending flavors in food. | |||
| Hindi | खाना बनाना | ||
| The word खाना बनाना literally means to 'make food', and is the combination of the word ख़ाना (food) and बनाना (to make). | |||
| Kannada | ಅಡುಗೆ | ||
| In Kannada, the word "ಅಡುಗೆ" (cooking) also refers to a specific type of dish prepared during festivals. | |||
| Malayalam | പാചകം | ||
| "പാചകം" can also mean "digestive system" in Malayalam. | |||
| Marathi | स्वयंपाक | ||
| "स्वयंपाक", meaning "cooking" in Marathi, derives from Sanskrit "swa" (self), "yam" (control), and "paka" (cooking), hence "self-controlled cooking." | |||
| Nepali | पकाउँदै | ||
| The Nepali word "पकाउँदै" can also refer to the process of preparing or making something ready for use. | |||
| Punjabi | ਖਾਣਾ ਪਕਾਉਣਾ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ඉවුම් පිහුම් | ||
| In Sinhala, "ඉවුම් පිහුම්" literally translates to "fire and fanning", referring to the traditional methods of cooking using fire and a fan. | |||
| Tamil | சமையல் | ||
| சமையல் derives from சமை, meaning to cook or ripen, and also means proper arrangement or fitness. | |||
| Telugu | వంట | ||
| The Telugu word "వంట" can also refer to the food that is cooked. | |||
| Urdu | کھانا پکانے | ||
Cooking in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 烹饪 | ||
| 烹饪 in Chinese can also refer to the art and science of cooking, especially as a profession. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 烹飪 | ||
| 烹飪 comes from 烹, “to boil,” and 飪, “to cook thoroughly.” | |||
| Japanese | 料理 | ||
| The word 料理 (cooking) in Japanese can also mean "taking care of" or "to entertain". This is because in traditional Japanese culture, preparing and serving food was considered an act of hospitality and care. | |||
| Korean | 조리 | ||
| 조리 (jori) shares the same root with 조치 (jochi), ‘measure.’ | |||
| Mongolian | хоол хийх | ||
| The Mongolian word "хоол хийх" can also mean "to prepare food" or "to cook food". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ချက်ပြုတ် | ||
| The term "ချက်ပြုတ်" can also refer to the process of preparing or making something, particularly food or a meal, implying both cooking and preparation. | |||
Cooking in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | memasak | ||
| The word "memasak" in Indonesian derives from "masak" which means "ripe" or "cooked", indicating the transformation of raw ingredients into a cooked state. | |||
| Javanese | masak | ||
| The Javanese word "masak" not only refers to the process of cooking, but also means "ripe" in the context of fruits. | |||
| Khmer | ចម្អិនអាហារ | ||
| Lao | ປຸງແຕ່ງອາຫານ | ||
| This word is also used to refer to the act of preparing food for a special occasion, such as a wedding or a festival. | |||
| Malay | memasak | ||
| "Memasak," meaning "cooking" in Malay, shares its root "masak" with terms for "ripe" and "mature," connecting culinary preparation to the ripening process. | |||
| Thai | การทำอาหาร | ||
| The Thai word "การทำอาหาร" (cooking) also refers to the act of preparing or creating food, as well as the ingredients and methods used in the process. | |||
| Vietnamese | nấu nướng | ||
| "Nấu nướng" (cooking) derives from the word "nấu" (to boil). | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | nagluluto | ||
Cooking in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | yemək bişirmək | ||
| "Yemək bişirmək" can also mean "to prepare food" or "to make food ready to eat". | |||
| Kazakh | тамақ дайындау | ||
| Kyrgyz | тамак бышыруу | ||
| Tajik | пухтупаз | ||
| The word "пухтупаз" is derived from the Persian word "پختن" (pakhtan), meaning "to cook". | |||
| Turkmen | nahar bişirmek | ||
| Uzbek | pishirish | ||
| The word "pishirish" in Uzbek also means "to ferment" (yogurt, kumis, etc.) and "to ripen" (fruits, vegetables, etc.). | |||
| Uyghur | تاماق ئېتىش | ||
Cooking in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kuke ʻana | ||
| Kuke ʻana is related to other Polynesian languages, and ultimately derives from a Proto-Austronesian word. | |||
| Maori | tunu kai | ||
| "Tunu kai" can also refer to "to hunt" or "to fish" in Maori. | |||
| Samoan | kuka | ||
| Besides its literal meaning, Kukā can also mean 'to prepare a meal'. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | nagluluto | ||
| The Tagalog word "nagluluto" is related to the word "luto", which can mean "heat", "fire", or "cook". | |||
Cooking in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | phayaskasa | ||
| Guarani | otembi'u'apo | ||
Cooking in International Languages
| Esperanto | kuirado | ||
| "Kuirado" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*kʷey-," meaning "to cook, bake, roast, burn." | |||
| Latin | coquo | ||
| "Coquo" is both the word for "cooking" and "cook" in Latin, but can also be used to refer to a "digester" or "stewpot" | |||
Cooking in Others Languages
| Greek | μαγείρεμα | ||
| The word μαγείρεμα (cooking) in Greek originates from μαγεία (magic), suggesting the transformative power of cooking on raw ingredients. | |||
| Hmong | kev ua noj | ||
| The Hmong word "kev ua noj" not only means "cooking," but also refers to the preparation and consumption of food. | |||
| Kurdish | pijandin | ||
| The word 'pijandin' is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *pek-, meaning 'to cook' and it is related to the Latin word 'pistor', meaning 'baker'. | |||
| Turkish | yemek pişirme | ||
| Yemek is derived from the Persian word | |||
| Xhosa | ukupheka | ||
| Ukupheka is also used to describe the process of brewing traditional African beer. | |||
| Yiddish | קוקינג | ||
| The Yiddish word "קוקינג" is the equivalent of "kugel" in English, a popular Jewish dessert made with noodles and fruit. | |||
| Zulu | ukupheka | ||
| The word 'ukupheka' can also refer to the preparation of traditional Zulu beer or the process of treating an illness with herbal remedies. | |||
| Assamese | ৰন্ধা | ||
| Aymara | phayaskasa | ||
| Bhojpuri | खाना बनावल | ||
| Dhivehi | ކެއްކުން | ||
| Dogri | रुट्टी बनाना | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | nagluluto | ||
| Guarani | otembi'u'apo | ||
| Ilocano | panagluto | ||
| Krio | de kuk | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | چێشت لێنان | ||
| Maithili | खाना बनानाइ | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯆꯥꯛ ꯊꯣꯡꯂꯤꯕ | ||
| Mizo | chhum | ||
| Oromo | bilcheessuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ରାନ୍ଧିବା | | ||
| Quechua | yanuy | ||
| Sanskrit | पाक | ||
| Tatar | пешерү | ||
| Tigrinya | ምግቢ ምኽሻን | ||
| Tsonga | sweka | ||