Cooking soup together | Learn German in English

About This Lesson

Use Cooking soup together to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Dieses Rezept sieht einfach genug für das Abendessen aus.

DEE-zəs reh-TSAYPT zeet EYN-fakh gə-NOOK fewr dahs AH-bent-ess-en ows. This recipe looks simple enough for dinner.

Ich kann das Gemüse schneiden, während du Wasser kochst.

ikh kahn dahs guh-MUR-zuh SHNY-den, VAY-rent doo VAH-ser kohkst. I can chop the vegetables while you boil water.

Wie lange soll die Suppe kochen?

VEE LAHNG-uh zohl dee ZOO-puh KOH-khen? How long should the soup cook?

Lass sie kochen, bis das Gemüse weich ist.

LAHS zee KOH-khen, bis dahs guh-MUR-zuh vyeekh ist. Let it cook until the vegetables are soft.

Sollen wir sie probieren, bevor wir mehr Salz dazugeben?

ZOL-len veer zee proh-BEER-en, buh-FOHR veer mehr zalts DAH-tsoo-gay-ben? Should we taste it before we add more salt?

Probier sie zuerst.

proh-BEER zee tsoo-AIRST. Taste it first.

Dann können wir sie vorsichtig würzen.

dahn KURN-en veer zee FOR-zikh-tikh VUR-tsen. Then we can season it carefully.

Die Suppe schmeckt jetzt besser.

dee ZOO-puh SHMEKT yetst BESS-er. The soup tastes better now.

Nächstes Mal können wir mehr Kräuter dazugeben.

NEKH-stuhs mahl KURN-en veer mehr KROY-ter DAH-tsoo-gay-ben. Next time we can add more herbs.

Word by Word

Dieses “Dieses” means “this” and points to the recipe being discussed. It appears directly before “Rezept” in “Dieses Rezept”; use this pattern when identifying one specific thing nearby.

Rezept “Rezept” means “recipe” here: the instructions the speakers plan to follow for dinner. The reusable pattern is “Dieses Rezept” when referring to a particular recipe, such as while cooking together.

sieht “sieht” means “looks” in the description of the recipe. It is used with the subject “Rezept”, while “aus” completes the verb at the end of the sentence; this pattern describes how something appears.

einfach “einfach” means “simple” here, describing the recipe. In “einfach genug”, it combines with an adjective and “genug” to say that something is sufficiently simple for a purpose.

genug “genug” means “enough” and shows that the recipe is sufficiently simple for dinner. The pattern “Adjektiv + genug für ...” can describe whether something is suitable for a purpose.

für “für” means “for” and connects the recipe’s simplicity with the purpose “das Abendessen”. The exact reusable phrase is “für das Abendessen”; use “für” to name the intended purpose or occasion.

das “das” is the article used before “Abendessen” in “das Abendessen”, meaning “the dinner”. Learn it together with the noun in this phrase when referring to that particular meal.

Abendessen “Abendessen” means “dinner”, the meal for which the recipe is considered suitable. It appears in “für das Abendessen”; use this phrase when discussing food planned for the evening meal.

aus “aus” completes the verb meaning “looks” in this sentence together with “sieht”. Its position at the end is part of the separable verb pattern used to describe how something appears.

Ich “Ich” means “I” and identifies the speaker as the person who can chop the vegetables. It commonly begins a statement about the speaker’s ability or action, as in “Ich kann ...”.

kann “kann” means “can” and expresses the speaker’s ability to chop the vegetables. With “Ich”, it forms “Ich kann ...”, followed by an infinitive such as “schneiden”.

Gemüse “Gemüse” means “vegetables”, the food being chopped in the dialogue. It appears after “das” in “das Gemüse”; use this noun when talking about vegetables as an ingredient.

schneiden “schneiden” means “cut” or “chop” here, describing the speaker’s cooking task. It follows “kann” in “Ich kann das Gemüse schneiden”; after this modal verb, the action appears as an infinitive.

während “während” means “while” and introduces an action happening at the same time as chopping. It connects “Ich kann das Gemüse schneiden” with the clause “du Wasser kochst”; use it to coordinate two simultaneous actions.

du “du” means “you” and refers to the person who is boiling water. It is used for the person addressed directly in the clause introduced by “während”.

Wasser “Wasser” means “water”, the substance being boiled for the cooking. It appears after “du” and before “kochst” in “du Wasser kochst”; use this noun when naming water as an ingredient or cooking liquid.

kochst “kochst” means “boil” or “cook” here, referring to the action performed by “du” on the water. This exact form is used with “du” in “du Wasser kochst”, inside the clause introduced by “während”.

Wie “Wie” means “how” and begins the question asking about the duration of cooking. Together with “lange”, it forms “Wie lange”; use this question opening to ask how long an activity should continue.

lange “lange” means “long” in the question “Wie lange”. It completes the time question with “Wie” and is used before the verb when asking about duration.

soll “soll” means “should” and asks what cooking duration is appropriate for the soup. It is used with the subject “die Suppe” and the infinitive “kochen”; this pattern asks about the recommended action or duration.

die “die” is the article used before “Suppe” in “die Suppe”, meaning “the soup”. Learn it with the noun here when referring to the specific soup being cooked.

Suppe “Suppe” means “soup”, the dish being cooked and tasted. It appears in “die Suppe”; use this noun when talking about the dish during preparation or serving.

kochen “kochen” means “cook” here, referring to the soup being cooked. It follows the modal verb “soll” in “soll die Suppe kochen”; use this infinitive after a modal verb for the cooking action.

Lass “Lass” gives the direct instruction “let” or “allow” in “Lass sie kochen”. It addresses one person informally and is used to tell someone to allow an action to continue.

sie “sie” means “it” here and refers back to “die Suppe”. In “Lass sie kochen”, it is the thing allowed to continue cooking; use a pronoun like this to avoid repeating the noun.

bis “bis” means “until” and introduces the endpoint for cooking: the vegetables becoming soft. It connects the action “Lass sie kochen” with the clause “das Gemüse weich ist”.

weich “weich” means “soft”, describing the condition the vegetables should reach. It appears in “das Gemüse weich ist”; use this adjective to describe food after it has become tender enough.

ist “ist” means “is” and states the condition of the vegetables in “das Gemüse weich ist”. It links the subject “das Gemüse” with the description “weich” inside the clause after “bis”.

Sollen “Sollen” means “should” and asks whether the speakers ought to taste the soup before adding salt. With “wir”, it forms a suggestion or question about a shared action.

wir “wir” means “we” and includes both speakers in the proposed action. It appears with “Sollen” in “Sollen wir sie probieren?”; use this pattern to suggest doing something together.

probieren “probieren” means “taste” here, referring to tasting the soup before adding more salt. It follows “Sollen wir” in “Sollen wir sie probieren?”; use the same infinitive after a modal verb.

bevor “bevor” means “before” and introduces the action that should happen first: tasting the soup. It connects “Sollen wir sie probieren” with “wir mehr Salz dazugeben”; use it to order two actions in time.

mehr “mehr” means “more” and indicates an additional quantity of salt. It appears before “Salz” in “mehr Salz”; use this pattern when asking for or describing an increased amount of an ingredient.

Salz “Salz” means “salt”, the seasoning the speakers may add after tasting. It appears in “mehr Salz”; use this noun when discussing salt as an ingredient or seasoning.

dazugeben “dazugeben” means “add” in the sense of putting more salt into the soup. It appears at the end of the clause after “wir” in “wir mehr Salz dazugeben”; use it with the ingredient being added.

Probier “Probier” means “taste” or “try” and gives one person a direct instruction to taste the soup. It is used with “sie” in “Probier sie zuerst”; use this short command when asking someone to taste something.

zuerst “zuerst” means “first” and tells the listener to taste the soup before the next seasoning step. In “Probier sie zuerst”, it comes after the object; use it to mark the first action in a sequence.

Dann “Dann” means “then” and introduces the next step after tasting. It appears at the beginning of “Dann können wir sie vorsichtig würzen”; use it to connect sequential actions.

können “können” means “can” and expresses that both speakers are able or ready to season the soup. With “wir”, it is followed by the infinitive “würzen”; use “wir können ...” for a shared possible action.

vorsichtig “vorsichtig” means “carefully” and describes how the speakers should season the soup. It appears before “würzen” in “vorsichtig würzen”; use it before an action to emphasize care.

würzen “würzen” means “season”, referring to adding seasoning to improve the soup’s flavor. It follows “können” in “können wir sie vorsichtig würzen”; use it for seasoning food, with the food as the object.

schmeckt “schmeckt” means “tastes” in the evaluation of the soup. It is used with “Die Suppe” as the subject in “Die Suppe schmeckt jetzt besser”; use this pattern to describe how food tastes.

jetzt “jetzt” means “now” and locates the improved taste at the present moment. In “schmeckt jetzt besser”, it contrasts the current result with the soup’s earlier taste without stating the earlier wording.

besser “besser” means “better” and evaluates the soup’s taste as improved. It appears after “schmeckt” in “Die Suppe schmeckt jetzt besser”; use it to compare a current result favorably with an earlier one.

Nächstes “Nächstes” means “next” in the time expression “Nächstes Mal”. It modifies “Mal” there; use the complete expression when referring to a future occasion.

Mal “Mal” means “time” or “occasion” in “Nächstes Mal”, meaning “next time”. This expression is used when suggesting what to do differently on a future occasion.

Kräuter “Kräuter” means “herbs”, the ingredient the speakers may add in the future. It appears after “mehr” in “mehr Kräuter dazugeben”; use this pattern when describing a larger quantity of an ingredient to add.

Grammar Points

Bevor + Nebensatz: Verb am Ende

Bevor wir probieren, würzen wir vorsichtig.

buh-FOHR veer proh-BEER-en, VUR-tsen veer FOR-zikh-tikh.

Before we taste, we season carefully.

Nach „bevor“ steht das konjugierte Verb im Nebensatz am Ende: „Bevor wir probieren“.

aussehen: trennbares Verb

Die Suppe sieht einfach aus.

dee ZOO-puh zeet EYN-fakh ows.

The soup looks simple.

Bei „aussehen“ steht „aus“ im Hauptsatz am Ende: „sieht ... aus“.

German Vocabulary

Abendessen noun

AH-bent-ess-en dinner

für das Abendessen

aussehen verb

OWS-zay-en to look, to appear sieht ... aus

Dieses Rezept sieht einfach genug ... aus.

einfach adj

EYN-fakh simple

sieht einfach genug aus

Gemüse noun

guh-MUR-zuh vegetables

das Gemüse

genug adv

guh-NOOK enough

einfach genug

kochen verb

KOH-khen to cook, to boil

die Suppe kochen

lassen verb

LAH-sen to let, to have something done Lass

Lass sie kochen

Rezept noun

reh-TSAYPT recipe

Dieses Rezept

schneiden verb

SHNY-den to chop, to cut

das Gemüse schneiden

Suppe noun

ZOO-puh soup

die Suppe

während conj

VAY-rent while

während du Wasser kochst

Wasser noun

VAH-ser water

Wasser kochst

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

How long should the soup cook?

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Wie lange soll die Suppe kochen?

Taste it first.

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Probier sie zuerst.

Then we can season it carefully.

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Dann können wir sie vorsichtig würzen.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

vegetables

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Gemüse

simple

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einfach

to chop, to cut

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schneiden

recipe

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Rezept