Checking ingredients before cooking | Learn Danish in English

Danish lesson set in a contemporary Copenhagen everyday setting: At home, two adults check ingredients before cooking and decide to buy onions before measuring rice..

EN → DA / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Checking ingredients before cooking to practice Danish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Før vi begynder at lave mad, hvilke ingredienser har vi?

FUHR vee beh-GUHN-uh uh LAY-vuh MAE-th, VEL-guh eng-greh-dee-EN-suh hah vee? Before we start cooking, what ingredients do we have?
B

Der skal løg og tomater i opskriften.

dah skahl luhw oh toh-MAH-tuh ee AWP-skref-den. The recipe needs onions and tomatoes.
A

Vi har tomater, men vi har ikke flere løg.

vee hah toh-MAH-tuh, men vee hah EG-uh FLEH-uh luhw. We have tomatoes, but we're out of onions.
B

Kan vi bruge forårsløg i stedet?

kan vee BROO-uh foh-AWR-luhw ee STAY-thuh? Can we use green onions instead?
A

Måske, men smagen bliver anderledes.

MOH-skʌh, men SMAY-wuhn BLEE-wuh AH-nuh-LAY-thus. Maybe, but the taste will be different.
B

Så køber jeg løg i butikken på hjørnet.

soh KUH-buh yai luhw ee boo-TEG-un poh YUR-nuth. Then I'll buy onions from the corner shop.
A

Vi skal stadig måle risene.

vee skahl STAY-thee MOH-luh REE-suh-nuh. We still need to measure the rice.
B

Jeg måler nok ris til fire personer, når jeg kommer tilbage.

yai MOH-luh NAWG REES teel FEE-uh peh-SOH-nuh, nawr yai KAW-muh buh-TLAY-uh. I'll measure enough rice for four people after I get back.

Word by Word

Før “Før” means “before” here and introduces the activity that happens first. It is used before a clause, as in “Før vi begynder at lave mad”. A new example is: “Før jeg går, rydder jeg op.”
vi “vi” means “we” and refers to the people speaking together. It is the subject in “vi begynder” and “vi har”. Use “vi” when the speaker includes themself and at least one other person; a new example is: “Vi laver mad.”
begynder “begynder” means “begin” or “start” in “vi begynder at lave mad”. It is followed here by “at” and an activity. A new example is: “Filmen begynder klokken otte.”
at “at” marks the infinitive in “at lave mad”, meaning “to cook” or literally “to make food”. It connects “begynder” with the activity that starts. A reusable pattern is “begynder at” followed by an activity.
lave “lave” means “make” in the expression “lave mad”, which means “cook”. Here it names the activity that is about to begin. A new example is: “Jeg vil lave kaffe.”
mad “mad” means “food” in “lave mad”; together, the expression means “cook”. The word commonly appears after “lave” when talking about preparing food. A new example is: “Vi spiser mad.”
hvilke “hvilke” means “which” when asking about several things, as in “hvilke ingredienser”. It comes directly before the plural noun being selected or identified. A new example is: “Hvilke bøger læser du?”
ingredienser “ingredienser” means “ingredients” in the question about what is available for cooking. It is the plural noun after “hvilke”. Use it for the items used to prepare a dish; a new example is: “Jeg køber ingredienser.”
har “har” means “have” in “hvilke ingredienser har vi?”, asking what ingredients are available. It is used with “vi” to describe possession or availability. A new example is: “Vi har tomater.”
Der “Der” helps introduce what is required in “Der skal løg og tomater i opskriften”. It is part of a construction that presents the ingredients needed, rather than simply meaning a physical location. A new example is: “Der skal to æg i kagen.”
skal “skal” expresses what is needed or required in “Der skal løg og tomater i opskriften”. Here, the construction says that onions and tomatoes are needed in the recipe. A reusable pattern is “Der skal” followed by an ingredient or amount.
løg “løg” means “onions” in the recipe and shopping discussion. It is one of the ingredients required in “Der skal løg og tomater i opskriften” and the ingredient that has run out in “ikke flere løg”. A new example is: “Jeg hakker løg.”
og “og” means “and” and joins “løg” and “tomater” as two required ingredients. It connects words or phrases of equal function. A new example is: “Jeg køber brød og mælk.”
tomater “tomater” means “tomatoes” and refers to an ingredient in the recipe. It appears alongside “løg” after “Der skal” and is later something the speakers already have. A new example is: “Vi har tomater i køleskabet.”
i “i” means “in” in “i opskriften”, showing that the onions and tomatoes belong in the recipe. It is placed before the noun phrase that identifies the context or container. A new example is: “Der er tomater i salaten.”
opskriften “opskriften” means “the recipe”; it is the definite form related to “opskrift”. In “i opskriften”, it identifies the particular recipe being used for the meal. A new example is: “Jeg læser opskriften.”
men “men” means “but” and introduces a contrast between having tomatoes and not having any more onions. It joins two contrasting statements. A new example is: “Jeg vil gerne komme, men jeg har ikke tid.”
ikke “ikke” makes the statement negative in “vi har ikke flere løg”. It comes before “flere” and denies that any more onions are available. A reusable pattern is “har ikke” followed by what someone does not have.
flere “flere” means “more” in the phrase “ikke flere løg”, which means that there are no onions left. With “ikke”, it describes the absence of any additional amount. A new example is: “Vi har ikke flere æbler.”
Kan “Kan” asks whether something is possible in “Kan vi bruge forårsløg i stedet?”. It comes first because the sentence is a question about what “vi” can do. A new example is: “Kan vi spise nu?”
bruge “bruge” means “use” in “bruge forårsløg i stedet”, asking whether spring onions can be used as a replacement. It follows “kan” in the infinitive form. A reusable pattern is “kan bruge” followed by the thing being used.
forårsløg “forårsløg” means “spring onions” or “green onions” in the proposed replacement for regular onions. It is the object of “bruge”. A new example is: “Jeg skærer forårsløg.”
i stedet “i stedet” means “instead” and shows that spring onions would replace the onions originally required. It is used after the alternative being proposed, as in “bruge forårsløg i stedet”. A new example is: “Vi tager bussen i stedet.”
Måske “Måske” means “maybe” and gives an uncertain or qualified answer to the suggestion. It appears at the beginning of the reply before the contrasting idea. A new example is: “Måske kommer hun senere.”
smagen “smagen” means “the taste”; it is the definite form related to “smag”. In “smagen bliver anderledes”, it refers to the taste of the food being discussed. A new example is: “Smagen er god.”
bliver “bliver” means “becomes” or “will be” in “smagen bliver anderledes”. It connects the taste with the change that is expected if a different onion is used. A new example is: “Maden bliver kold.”
anderledes “anderledes” means “different” in the statement about the taste. It describes how the taste is expected to differ from the original result. A new example is: “Denne løsning er anderledes.”
Så “Så” means “then” here and introduces the speaker’s decision after hearing that the taste may be different. It links a preceding situation to the next action. A new example is: “Så går jeg hjem.”
køber “køber” means “buy” in “Så køber jeg løg”, where the speaker announces the planned action of buying onions. It appears before “jeg” because “Så” begins the sentence. A reusable pattern is “Jeg køber” followed by the thing being bought.
jeg “jeg” means “I” and identifies the person who will buy the onions and later measure the rice. It is the subject in “køber jeg” and “måler”. A new example is: “Jeg laver mad.”
butikken “butikken” means “the shop”; it is the definite form related to “butik”. In “i butikken på hjørnet”, it identifies the particular shop where the onions will be bought. A new example is: “Jeg går til butikken.”
på “på” means “at” in “på hjørnet”, identifying the location of the shop. It is followed here by “hjørnet” to form the location phrase “på hjørnet”. A new example is: “Hun bor på landet.”
hjørnet “hjørnet” means “the corner”; it is the definite form related to “hjørne”. In “butikken på hjørnet”, it specifies which shop is meant. A new example is: “Bilen står ved hjørnet.”
stadig “stadig” means “still” in “Vi skal stadig måle risene”. It shows that measuring the rice remains necessary even after the discussion about buying onions. A new example is: “Jeg arbejder stadig.”
måle “måle” means “measure” in “skal stadig måle risene”. It is the activity that still needs to be done. A reusable pattern is “skal måle” followed by the thing being measured.
risene “risene” means “the rice”; it is the definite form used for the particular rice that must be measured. It is the object of “måle” in “måle risene”. A new example is: “Risene er klar.”
måler “måler” means “measure” in “Jeg måler nok ris”. Here it states the speaker’s planned action after returning. It is the form used after “jeg” in this dialogue; a new example is: “Jeg måler vandet.”
nok “nok” means “enough” in “nok ris”, describing the amount of rice to be measured. It comes before the noun whose sufficient quantity is being specified. A new example is: “Vi har nok tid.”
ris “ris” means “rice” in “nok ris til fire personer”. It names the food being measured, without the definite ending used in “risene”. A reusable pattern is “ris til” followed by the people or number the food is intended for.
til “til” means “for” in “ris til fire personer”, showing who the rice is intended to serve. It introduces the intended recipients or purpose. A new example is: “Jeg laver mad til mine venner.”
personer “personer” means “people” in “fire personer”. It counts the people the measured rice should be enough for. A new example is: “Der er fire personer ved bordet.”
når “når” means “when” and introduces the condition or time for the speaker’s return in “når jeg kommer tilbage”. It connects the main action with the event that determines when it happens. A new example is: “Jeg ringer, når jeg kommer hjem.”
kommer “kommer” means “comes” or “gets” in “kommer tilbage”, which means “comes back” or “gets back”. It is used with “jeg” in the clause introduced by “når”. A new example is: “Jeg kommer i morgen.”
tilbage “tilbage” means “back” in “kommer tilbage”, describing a return to the previous place or situation. It completes the expression for getting back. A new example is: “Jeg går tilbage til butikken.”

Grammar Points

før + ledsætning

Før vi begynder at lave mad, måler vi risene.

FUHR vee beh-GUHN-uh uh LAY-vuh MAE-th, MOH-luh vee REE-suh-nuh.

Before we start cooking, we measure the rice.

før introducerer en tidsledsætning. På dansk står verbet begynder efter subjektet vi.

i stedet for + noun

Vi bruger forårsløg i stedet for løg.

vee BROO-uh foh-AWR-luhw ee STAY-thuh fohr luhw.

We use spring onions instead of onions.

i stedet for bruges til at udtrykke et alternativ og står foran det, man vælger fra.

Danish Vocabulary

begynde verb
beh-GUHN-uh to start, to begin begynder
bruge verb
BROO-uh to use
flere det
FLAY-uh more, additional

ikke flere løg

forårsløg noun
foh-AWR-luhw green onion, spring onion
Gender
neuter
før conj
FUHR before

Før vi begynder

hvilke det
VEL-guh which

hvilke ingredienser

i stedet phrase
ee STAY-thuh instead
ingrediens noun
eng-greh-dee-ENS ingredient ingredienser
Gender
common
lave mad phrase
LAY-vuh MAE-th to cook
løg noun
luhw onion
Gender
neuter
opskrift noun
AWP-skrehft recipe opskriften
Gender
common
tomat noun
toh-MAHT tomato tomater
Gender
common

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Can we use green onions instead?

Show AnswerKan vi bruge forårsløg i stedet?

Maybe, but the taste will be different.

Show AnswerMåske, men smagen bliver anderledes.

We still need to measure the rice.

Show AnswerVi skal stadig måle risene.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

recipe

Show Answeropskriften

more, additional

Show Answerflere

which

Show Answerhvilke

tomato

Show Answertomater