What I Learned in a Cooking Class | Learn German in English

German lesson set in a contemporary Berlin everyday setting: After a cooking class, two adults discuss useful techniques, feedback on a dish, and growing confidence to host dinner..

EN → DE / Level: B1

About This Lesson

Use What I Learned in a Cooking Class to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Der Kochkurs war nützlicher, als ich erwartet hatte.

dayr KOKH-koors vahr NUETS-li-kher, ahls ikh er-VAR-tet HAT-tuh. The cooking class was more useful than I expected.
B

Welche Technik hast du von der Köchin gelernt?

VEL-khuh tekh-NEEKH hast doo fon dayr KUR-khin geh-LAIRNT? What technique did you learn from the chef?
A

Sie zeigte uns, wie wir langsam würzen und oft probieren.

zee TSEYK-tuh oons, vee veer LAHNG-zahm VUERTS-en oont oft proh-BEER-en. She showed us how to season slowly and taste often.
B

Das ist eine praktische Gewohnheit, nicht nur ein Rezept.

dahs ist EYE-nuh PRAK-ti-shuh geh-VOHN-hайт, nikht noor eye-n reh-TSEPT. That is a practical habit, not just a recipe.
A

Ich habe auch gelernt, wie ich die Portionsgröße besser kontrollieren kann.

ikh HAH-buh owkh geh-LAIRNT, vee ikh dee por-tsi-OHNS-grohs-uh BES-er kon-troh-LEER-en kahn. I also learned how to control portion size better.
B

Hast du Feedback zu deinem Gericht bekommen?

hast doo FEED-bek tsoo DYE-nem geh-RIKHT beh-KOM-men? Did you get feedback on your dish?
A

Die Soße war gut, aber ich habe die Nudeln zu lange gekocht.

dee ZOH-suh vahr goot, AH-ber ikh HAH-buh dee NOO-deln tsoo LAHNG-uh geh-KOKHT. The sauce worked, but I cooked the pasta too long.
B

Das lässt sich durch gutes Timing leicht verbessern.

dahs lest zikh doorch GOO-tes TYE-ming lyekht fer-BES-ern. That is easy to improve with timing.
A

Durch den Kurs habe ich mehr Selbstvertrauen, Freunde zum Abendessen einzuladen.

doorch dehn koors HAH-buh ikh mair ZELPST-fer-TROW-en, FROYN-duh tsoom AH-bent-es-en EYN-tsoo-LAH-den. The class gave me more confidence to invite friends for dinner.
B

Dann hat es sich gelohnt, auch wenn du nur ein paar Dinge gelernt hast.

dahn hat ess zikh geh-LOHNT, owkh ven doo noor eye-n pahr DING-uh geh-LAIRNT hast. Then it was worth it, even if you only learned a few things.

Word by Word

Der The exact form 'Der' means 'the' here and identifies the specific cooking class in 'Der Kochkurs'. Its capital letter is sentence-initial; a reusable pattern is a definite article before a specific noun.
Kochkurs 'Kochkurs' means cooking class, the class being discussed. The compound combines cooking with class, and 'Der Kochkurs' is useful when referring to a particular cooking class.
war The exact form 'war' means 'was' and describes the cooking class in the past. It is reused to evaluate something with an adjective, as in 'war nützlicher' or 'war gut'.
nützlicher 'Nützlicher' means more useful in the speaker's comparison of the class with their expectations. It is a comparative form used before 'als' in 'nützlicher, als ich erwartet hatte'.
als Here 'als' means than and introduces the comparison with the speaker's expectation. A reusable comparison pattern is an adjective followed by 'als' and a comparison clause.
ich The exact form 'ich' means I and refers to the speaker in 'als ich erwartet hatte'. It is used as the subject when the speaker describes their own expectation or experience.
erwartet 'Erwartet' means expected here and appears in the expression 'erwartet hatte'. It describes what the speaker had previously thought would happen, and it can be reused for expectations about an event or result.
hatte The exact form 'hatte' helps place the expectation earlier in 'als ich erwartet hatte'. A reusable pattern is to use it with 'erwartet' when referring to an earlier expectation.
Welche 'Welche' means which or what when asking the listener to identify one technique. In 'Welche Technik', it comes directly before the noun being selected.
Technik 'Technik' means technique, specifically a cooking method learned in the class. The reusable phrase pattern is 'Welche Technik' when asking which method someone learned or used.
hast The exact form 'hast' means have in the question 'hast du ... gelernt'. It helps ask whether the listener has learned something, and it appears with 'du' as the subject.
du The exact form 'du' means you and addresses the other person directly. In 'hast du von der Köchin gelernt', it is the person whose learning experience is being asked about.
von Here 'von' means from and identifies the source of the learning in 'von der Köchin'. A reusable pattern is 'von' followed by a person or source when saying where something was learned or received from.
Köchin 'Köchin' means female chef, the person who taught the cooking technique. The phrase 'von der Köchin' identifies the person from whom the speaker learned.
gelernt 'Gelernt' means learned in 'von der Köchin gelernt'. It describes acquiring knowledge or a skill, and it can be reused for something learned from a person, class, or experience.
Sie The exact form 'Sie' means she here and refers to the female chef. In 'Sie zeigte uns', it is the subject who demonstrates the cooking method.
zeigte 'Zeigte' means showed and describes what the chef did for the learners. It is useful in a pattern where someone demonstrates something or explains how to do it.
uns The exact form 'uns' means us and refers to the people receiving the demonstration in 'zeigte uns'. A reusable pattern is to show or explain something to 'uns' or another group of learners.
wie Here 'wie' means how and introduces the method the chef demonstrated. In 'wie wir langsam würzen und oft probieren', it introduces actions to be learned or explained.
wir The exact form 'wir' means we and refers to the learners carrying out the cooking actions. It is the subject in 'wie wir langsam würzen und oft probieren'.
langsam 'Langsam' means slowly and describes the manner of seasoning in 'langsam würzen'. It can be reused before an action when that action should be done at a slow pace.
würzen 'Würzen' means season, referring here to adding seasoning to food. The exact phrase 'langsam würzen' gives a practical cooking instruction.
und The exact form 'und' means and and connects the two cooking actions in 'würzen und oft probieren'. It is useful for joining actions that belong to the same instruction.
oft 'Oft' means often and shows that tasting should happen repeatedly during cooking. The reusable pattern 'oft probieren' places a frequency word before the action.
probieren Here 'probieren' means taste, referring to tasting the food while cooking. In 'oft probieren', it describes checking the result repeatedly; in other contexts it can also refer to trying something.
Das The exact form 'Das' means that and refers to the habit just described. In 'Das ist eine praktische Gewohnheit', it introduces an evaluation or identification of the previous idea.
ist 'Ist' means is and links 'Das' with the description 'eine praktische Gewohnheit'. The reusable pattern 'Das ist' is used to identify or evaluate something.
eine The exact form 'eine' means a and introduces the non-specific habit in 'eine praktische Gewohnheit'. It is reused before a singular noun when referring to one example or item.
praktische 'Praktische' means practical and describes the habit as useful in real cooking. The phrase 'eine praktische Gewohnheit' can be reused to describe a useful repeated practice.
Gewohnheit 'Gewohnheit' means habit, here the repeated practice of seasoning slowly and tasting often. A reusable pattern is an adjective followed by 'Gewohnheit' to describe the character of a repeated practice.
nicht The exact form 'nicht' means not and helps reject the idea that the learning is only a recipe. It appears in the useful limiting expression 'nicht nur ein Rezept'.
nur Here 'nur' means only or just and limits the description to 'ein Rezept'. Together with 'nicht', 'nicht nur ein Rezept' says that the practice is more than one recipe.
ein The exact form 'ein' means a and introduces 'Rezept' as one example of what the habit is not limited to. It is reused before a singular noun such as 'Rezept'.
Rezept 'Rezept' means recipe, referring to written or structured cooking instructions. In 'nicht nur ein Rezept', it contrasts a practical habit with learning only a recipe.
habe The exact form 'habe' means have and helps express the completed learning in 'habe auch gelernt'. It is useful when the speaker reports something they have learned or experienced.
auch 'Auch' means also and adds portion-size control to the earlier technique the speaker learned. In 'Ich habe auch gelernt', it marks another learning result.
die The exact form 'die' means the in 'die Portionsgröße'. It identifies the specific portion size being discussed, and the same article appears sentence-initially as 'Die' in 'Die Soße'.
Portionsgröße 'Portionsgröße' means portion size, the amount of food served or prepared at one time. The phrase 'die Portionsgröße besser kontrollieren' is a reusable cooking-related pattern.
besser 'Besser' means better and shows that the speaker can control the portion size more effectively than before. It appears directly before 'kontrollieren' in 'besser kontrollieren'.
kontrollieren Here 'kontrollieren' means control or manage the portion size. The reusable phrase 'die Portionsgröße besser kontrollieren' describes managing how much food is used or served.
kann The exact form 'kann' means can and expresses ability in 'wie ich die Portionsgröße besser kontrollieren kann'. In this subordinate clause, it appears after the action being described.
Feedback 'Feedback' means feedback or an evaluation, here comments about the learner's dish. The useful pattern is 'Feedback zu' followed by the dish or subject being evaluated.
zu Here 'zu' means about or on in 'Feedback zu deinem Gericht'. The pattern 'Feedback zu' introduces the subject that the feedback concerns.
deinem 'Deinem' means your and shows that the dish belongs to or was prepared by the person being addressed. It appears in the phrase 'deinem Gericht'.
Gericht Here 'Gericht' means dish, referring to the prepared meal rather than a legal court. The phrase 'Feedback zu deinem Gericht' is useful when asking for comments on someone's prepared food.
bekommen In 'Feedback zu deinem Gericht bekommen', 'bekommen' means get or receive. It is reusable with something received, such as feedback, information, or help.
Soße 'Soße' means sauce, the sauce in the speaker's dish. In 'Die Soße war gut', it is the food item being evaluated.
gut Here 'gut' means good and evaluates the result of the sauce. The phrase 'war gut' can be reused to say that a dish, component, or result turned out well.
aber The exact form 'aber' means but and contrasts the successful sauce with the pasta being cooked too long. It is useful for connecting a positive point with a correction or limitation.
Nudeln 'Nudeln' means pasta or noodles, referring to the pasta the speaker cooked. The phrase 'die Nudeln ... gekocht' identifies them as the food being cooked.
lange Here 'lange' expresses duration, meaning for a long time. In 'zu lange gekocht', it combines with 'zu' to say that the pasta was cooked longer than appropriate.
gekocht 'Gekocht' means cooked and describes what happened to the pasta in 'die Nudeln zu lange gekocht'. It can be reused when talking about food that has been cooked.
lässt In 'Das lässt sich durch gutes Timing leicht verbessern', 'lässt' is part of a construction expressing that improvement is possible. The reusable pattern 'lässt sich' is used with an action to describe something that can be done to the subject.
sich In 'Das lässt sich durch gutes Timing leicht verbessern', 'sich' refers back to 'Das' as part of the construction meaning that the thing can be improved. It is not being used alone; the whole 'lässt sich ... verbessern' construction supplies the meaning.
durch Here 'durch' means by or through and introduces the means of improvement in 'durch gutes Timing'. A reusable pattern is 'durch' followed by a method or cause.
gutes 'Gutes' means good and describes the timing that can improve the cooking result. The exact phrase 'durch gutes Timing' presents good timing as the helpful means.
Timing 'Timing' means timing, especially choosing the right moment or duration during cooking. The phrase 'gutes Timing' is useful when a result depends on acting at the right time.
leicht Here 'leicht' means easily and shows that the problem is not difficult to improve. It appears with 'verbessern' in 'leicht verbessern'.
verbessern 'Verbessern' means improve, or make something better, in 'Das lässt sich durch gutes Timing leicht verbessern'. The full construction can be reused when describing a problem or result that can be made better.
den The exact form 'den' means the and identifies the specific course in 'Durch den Kurs'. This phrase presents the course as the means through which the speaker gained confidence.
Kurs 'Kurs' means class or course, here referring to the cooking class. The phrase 'Durch den Kurs' is useful for explaining what caused a learning result or change.
mehr 'Mehr' means more and indicates an increased amount of confidence. In 'mehr Selbstvertrauen', it is placed before the noun whose amount has increased.
Selbstvertrauen 'Selbstvertrauen' means confidence or self-confidence, here the confidence to invite friends for dinner. The phrase 'mehr Selbstvertrauen' is useful when describing increased confidence after practice or learning.
Freunde 'Freunde' means friends, the people the speaker now feels able to invite. In 'Freunde zum Abendessen einzuladen', it is the people receiving the invitation.
zum Here 'zum' means for the or to the and appears in 'zum Abendessen'. It is the contracted form used in this phrase to introduce the dinner occasion.
Abendessen 'Abendessen' means dinner, the meal for which the friends may be invited. The phrase 'zum Abendessen einzuladen' is a reusable way to describe inviting someone for dinner.
einzuladen 'Einzuladen' means to invite in 'Freunde zum Abendessen einzuladen'. It names the action the speaker has gained confidence to do, and it is useful after a phrase expressing confidence or readiness to invite someone.
Dann The exact form 'Dann' means then and draws a conclusion from the speaker's increased confidence. In 'Dann hat es sich gelohnt', it introduces the conclusion that the class was worthwhile.
hat The exact form 'hat' means has and helps form the evaluation in 'hat es sich gelohnt'. It is used with the rest of that expression to say that an experience was worthwhile.
es In 'hat es sich gelohnt', 'es' refers to the class or overall experience being evaluated. The complete expression is used when deciding whether an activity was worthwhile.
gelohnt In 'hat es sich gelohnt', 'gelohnt' means been worth it. The expression can be reused to evaluate a class, activity, effort, or experience after it has happened.
wenn Here 'wenn' means even if and introduces a condition that does not cancel the conclusion. The phrase 'auch wenn du nur ein paar Dinge gelernt hast' adds a possible limitation to the positive evaluation.
paar 'Paar' means a few in 'ein paar Dinge', referring to a small number of things learned. The reusable pattern is 'ein paar' followed by a plural noun.
Dinge 'Dinge' means things, referring here to the techniques or lessons learned in the class. In 'ein paar Dinge gelernt', it names a small number of learned items without specifying each one.

Grammar Points

Komparativ mit „-er“ und „als“

Der Kochkurs war nützlicher als erwartet.

dayr KOKH-koors vahr NUETS-li-kher ahls er-VAR-tet.

The cooking class was more useful than expected.

German forms many comparatives with -er and uses als to introduce the comparison.

Reflexives Verb im Perfekt: „sich gelohnt haben“

Der Kochkurs hat sich gelohnt.

dayr KOKH-koors hat zikh geh-LOHNT.

The cooking class was worth it.

The fixed expression uses the reflexive pronoun sich and forms the perfect with haben.

German Vocabulary

erwarten verb
er-VAR-ten to expect erwartet
Gewohnheit noun
geh-VOHN-hайт habit
Köchin noun
KUR-khin female chef
Kochkurs noun
KOKH-koors cooking class
nützlich adj
NUETS-likh useful nützlicher
Portionsgröße noun
por-tsi-OHNS-grohs-uh portion size
praktisch adj
PRAK-ti-shuh practical praktische
probieren verb
proh-BEER-en to taste; to try
Rezept noun
reh-TSEPT recipe
Technik noun
tekh-NEEKH technique
würzen verb
VUERTS-en to season
zeigen verb
TSY-gen to show zeigte

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to season

Show Answerwürzen

female chef

Show AnswerKöchin

technique

Show AnswerTechnik

practical

Show Answerpraktische