German · Everyday Verbs
"to cook" in German: kochen
kochen
To cook in German is kochen. Say Ich koche heute Pasta and Kochst du gern?. Past participle is gekocht.
Weeknight plan
Ich koche heute nur Reis mit Gemüse.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce kochen
Say it
KOKH-en
/ˈkɔxn̩/
KOKH-en. The ch is like the rasp in Scottish loch after o.
"to cook" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| kochen | to cook / to boil Core verb; also boiling water. | Core verb; also boiling water. |
| ich koche / du kochst / er kocht | I/you/he cook(s) Present. | Present. |
| gekocht | cooked / boiled Past participle. | Past participle. |
| der Koch / die Köchin | cook / chef Different noun; not the verb. | Different noun; not the verb. |
How to use kochen in real life
- 1Weeknight plan
Ich koche heute nur Reis mit Gemüse.
I'm only cooking rice with vegetables today.
Ich koche.
- 2Asking a friend
Kochst du morgen für uns?
Are you cooking for us tomorrow?
Kochst is the du form.
- 3Leftovers
Das Gemüse ist schon gekocht.
The vegetables are already cooked.
Gekocht counts.
Mistakes English speakers make with kochen
Incorrect: Ich bin kochen.
Correct: Ich koche. / Ich bin am Kochen.
Use ich koche for present; am Kochen is a spoken progressive.
Incorrect: Der Koch macht das Essen. (only, for the verb)
Correct: Er kocht das Essen.
Der Koch is the person; kocht is the verb form you need here.
Good to know
Kochen covers home cooking and boiling. Restaurant chefs are often der Koch / die Köchin, but everyday plans use Ich koche heute.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Planning dinner
ChatPal
Kochst du heute Abend oder bestellen wir?
Are you cooking tonight or are we ordering?
You
Ich koche, wenn du einkaufst.
I'll cook if you do the shopping.
ChatPal
Deal. Was kochst du?
Deal. What are you cooking?
You
Nudeln. Das geht schnell.
Pasta. That's quick.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to cook" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to cook" in German
How do you conjugate kochen?
Ich koche, du kochst, er/sie kocht, wir kochen, ihr kocht, sie kochen.
Past participle?
Gekocht.
Does kochen mean boil?
Yes, water or eggs can also kochen.
Cook as a job title?
Der Koch / die Köchin — different word from the verb.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
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- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
