Time to get into the kitchen! In this lesson, you'll learn cooking verbs — from काटना [kāṭnā] (to cut) to पकाना [pakānā] (to cook). You'll also master the sequential instruction pattern: पहले...फिर [pahle...phir] ('first...then'). Ravi is on the phone with his mother, learning to make dal from scratch in his Delhi kitchen. This is how millions of Indians learn to cook — over the phone with माँ [mā̃] (mom)!
Learning tips
- All cooking verbs end in -ना [-nā] in their base form: बनाना [banānā], काटना [kāṭnā], धोना [dhonā]. This -ना ending is the infinitive ('to do').
- पहले...फिर...उसके बाद [pahle...phir...uske bād] (first...then...after that) — this sequence pattern works for any step-by-step instructions.
- The imperative (command) form changes by formality: काटो [kāṭo] (informal, to तुम), काटिए [kāṭiye] (formal, to आप), काट [kāṭ] (intimate, to तू).
- Indian kitchens always have a pressure cooker (कूकर [kūkar]). Counting the 'whistles' (सीटी [sīṭī]) tells you when the food is done!
Warm-up & Active Recall
| Word | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| रेस्टोरेंट | restaurant | |
| टेबल | table | |
| वेटर | waiter | |
| मेनू | menu | |
| बिल | bill | |
| टिप | tip | |
| स्वादिष्ट | delicious | |
| भूख | hunger | |
| प्यास | thirst | |
| शाकाहारी | vegetarian |
Dialog
Ravi is trying to cook dal in his Delhi kitchen — calling his mother for step-by-step instructions. This is an extremely common scenario in India! Notice the sequential markers: पहले [pahle] (first), फिर [phir] (then), अब [ab] (now). Sita voices Ravi's mother. The cooking verbs appear naturally: धोना [dhonā] (wash), काटना [kāṭnā] (cut), डालना [ḍālnā] (add/pour), पकाना [pakānā] (cook), मिलाना [milānā] (mix). Pay attention to the informal imperative: धोओ [dhoo], काटो [kāṭo], डालो [ḍālo].
Vocabulary
Active words
| Word | Romanization | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| बनाना | banānā | /bə.naː.naː/ | to make, to cook | The general verb for making/cooking food. खाना बनाना [khānā banānā] = to cook food. |
| काटना | kāṭnā | /kaːʈ.naː/ | to cut | Used for cutting vegetables, fruits. सब्ज़ी काटना [sabzī kāṭnā] = to cut vegetables. |
| धोना | dhonā | /d̪ʰo.naː/ | to wash | Used for washing food, hands, dishes. दाल धोना [dāl dhonā] = to wash lentils. |
| पकाना | pakānā | /pə.kaː.naː/ | to cook (with heat) | Specifically cooking with heat. सब्ज़ी पकाना [sabzī pakānā] = to cook vegetables. |
| मिलाना | milānā | /mɪ.laː.naː/ | to mix, to stir | Mixing ingredients together. नमक मिलाना [namak milānā] = to mix in salt. |
| डालना | ḍālnā | /ɖaːl.naː/ | to add, to put in, to pour | Adding an ingredient. पानी डालना [pānī ḍālnā] = to add water. |
| चम्मच | cammac | /t͡ʃəm.mət͡ʃ/ | spoon | Masculine noun. Used for measuring: एक चम्मच [ek cammac] = one spoon(ful). |
| चाकू | cākū | /t͡ʃaː.kuː/ | knife | Masculine noun. चाकू से काटना [cākū se kāṭnā] = to cut with a knife. |
| गैस | gais | /ɡɛːs/ | gas, stove | Short for 'gas stove.' Masculine. गैस पर रखना [gais par rakhnā] = to put on the stove. |
| बर्तन | bartan | /bər.t̪ən/ | utensil, vessel, pot | Masculine noun (plural: बर्तन). Also means 'dishes': बर्तन धोना [bartan dhonā] = to wash dishes. |
Passive words
| Word | Romanization | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| कढ़ाई | kaṛhāī | /kə.ɽʱaː.iː/ | kadhai, wok | Deep round-bottomed pan for frying. Essential in every Indian kitchen. |
| तवा | tavā | /t̪ə.vaː/ | tawa, flat griddle | Flat iron pan for making roti, paratha, dosa. |
| कूकर | kūkar | /kuː.kər/ | pressure cooker | The most important appliance in Indian cooking! Used for dal, rice, vegetables. |
| फ़्रिज | frij | /frɪd͡ʒ/ | fridge, refrigerator | Borrowed from English 'fridge.' Masculine. |
| माइक्रोवेव | māikrovev | /maːɪk.ro.vev/ | microwave | Borrowed from English. Less common in traditional Indian cooking. |
| चकला-बेलन | caklā-belan | /t͡ʃək.laː be.lən/ | rolling board and pin | Used for rolling roti dough. Essential for making round rotis! |
Useful chunks
| Word | Romanization | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| पहले...फिर | pahle...phir | first...then (sequential instruction) |
| खाना बनाना | khānā banānā | to cook food (literally: 'food to-make') |
| गैस पर रखो | gais par rakho | put on the gas/stove |
Grammar: Sequential instructions — पहले...फिर [pahle...phir] and imperative for recipes
| Hindi | IAST | Meaning | Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| पहले दाल धोओ | pahle dāl dhoo | First wash the dal | पहले [pahle] + verb (तुम) |
| फिर प्याज़ काटो | phir pyāz kāṭo | Then cut the onion | फिर [phir] + verb (तुम) |
| उसके बाद पकाओ | uske bād pakāo | After that, cook | उसके बाद [uske bād] + verb |
| अंत में मिलाओ | ant mẽ milāo | Finally, mix | अंत में [ant mẽ] + verb |
| काटिए (formal) | kāṭiye | Please cut | Formal imperative (-इए) |
| काटो (informal) | kāṭo | Cut | Informal imperative (-ओ) |
| काट (intimate) | kāṭ | Cut | Intimate imperative (stem) |
Hindi recipes and cooking instructions use imperatives (command forms) and sequential markers:
Sequential markers:
- पहले [pahle] = first
- फिर [phir] = then
- उसके बाद [uske bād] = after that
- अंत में [ant mẽ] = finally
Imperative forms change based on who you're talking to:
| Level | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Formal (आप) | -इए [-iye] | काटिए [kāṭiye] |
| Informal (तुम) | -ओ [-o] | काटो [kāṭo] |
| Intimate (तू) | stem only | काट [kāṭ] |
In recipes and cooking instructions, the informal (तुम) form is most common: काटो [kāṭo], धोओ [dhoo], डालो [ḍālo], पकाओ [pakāo], मिलाओ [milāo].
Example recipe: पहले दाल धोओ [pahle dāl dhoo]. फिर पानी डालो [phir pānī ḍālo]. उसके बाद पकाओ [uske bād pakāo]. अंत में नमक मिलाओ [ant mẽ namak milāo].
Exercises
Fill in the Blanks
Complete each cooking instruction with the missing verb.
- पहले सब्ज़ी , फिर ।(wash / cut)
- से प्याज़ काटो।(knife)
- बर्तन में तेल और प्याज़ ।(add-pour / cook)
- एक नमक दाल में ।(spoon / mix)
- पर कूकर रखो। दाल ।(gas-stove / make-cook)
Grammar Application
Apply imperative forms and sequential markers.
- Put the steps in order: पकाओ / काटो / धोओ / मिलाओ → , , , ।(correct cooking order: wash, cut, cook, mix)
- Make formal: 'काटो' → (काटो → formal -इए form)
- Make formal: 'डालो' → (डालो → formal -इए form)
- Connect: पहले प्याज़ । फिर मसाला ।(cut / add)
- Give instruction: 'First wash, then cook' → , ।(first + wash, then + cook)
Translation (English → Hindi)
Translate each cooking instruction into Hindi.
- First wash the vegetables, then cut them.
- Cut the onion with a knife.
- Add water and salt to the vessel.
- Cook the food on the gas stove.
- Mix one spoon of spice.
Creative Construction
Write a simple recipe in Hindi (3-4 steps) using पहले...फिर [pahle...phir] and cooking verbs.
Writing: Reading recipe instructions
Practice words
| Word | Romanization |
|---|---|
| बनाना | banānā |
| काटना | kāṭnā |
| धोना | dhonā |
| मिलाना | milānā |
Today we practice reading cooking verbs in Devanagari. All Hindi verbs in their base (infinitive) form end in -ना [-nā]:
- बनाना [banānā] — to make/cook
- काटना [kāṭnā] — to cut
- धोना [dhonā] — to wash
- मिलाना [milānā] — to mix
Notice the pattern: the -ना [-nā] ending is your clue that a word is a verb. If you see a word ending in -ना on a recipe card, you know it's an action word! This is one of the most reliable patterns in Devanagari reading.
Takeaway
For recipes, use पहले...फिर...उसके बाद [pahle...phir...uske bād] ('first...then...after that') with informal imperatives: धोओ [dhoo], काटो [kāṭo], डालो [ḍālo], पकाओ [pakāo], मिलाओ [milāo]. This pattern works for any step-by-step instructions!