Italian · Everyday Verbs
"to cook" in Italian: cucinare
cucinare
To cook in Italian is cucinare (koo-chee-NAH-reh). Io cucino, tu cucini, lei cucina. Cucina is also the noun kitchen—context tells you which.
Weeknight plan
Stasera cucino io la pasta.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce cucinare
Say it
koo-chee-NAH-reh
/kutʃiˈna.re/
Cucinare stresses NAH: koo-chee-NAH-reh. Cucino is koo-CHEE-noh.
"to cook" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| cucinare | to cook Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| cucino / cucini / cucina | I cook / you cook / he-she cooks Present singular. | Present singular. |
| cuciniamo | we cook Shared meals. | Shared meals. |
| cucinato | cooked Past participle. | Past participle. |
How to use cucinare in real life
- 1Weeknight plan
Stasera cucino io la pasta.
Tonight I'll cook the pasta.
Cucino.
- 2Complimenting a host
Lei cucina sempre cose semplici e buone.
She always cooks simple, good things.
Cucina as verb.
- 3Roommate rota
Domani cuciniamo insieme, ok?
Tomorrow we cook together, ok?
Cuciniamo.
Mistakes English speakers make with cucinare
Incorrect: Io cucinare la cena.
Correct: Cucino la cena.
Conjugate: io cucino.
Incorrect: Vado in cucinare.
Correct: Vado in cucina. / Sto cucinando.
Cucina is the kitchen; cucinare is the verb.
Good to know
Cucinare is everyday pride talk—who cooks tonight matters as much as the recipe. Saying cucino io is a friendly offer, not a boast.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Deciding dinner duties
ChatPal
Chi cucina stasera?
Who's cooking tonight?
You
Cucino io, se tu fai la spesa.
I'll cook if you do the shopping.
ChatPal
Affare fatto. Tu cucini il risotto?
Deal. Are you cooking the risotto?
You
Sì, e tu apparecchi.
Yes, and you set the table.
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 Italian
How do I say I cook?
Cucino.
Cucina verb or kitchen?
Both: lei cucina (verb) vs la cucina (room).
We cook?
Cuciniamo.
Past?
Ho cucinato.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
Keep reading
- How to Learn Italian Fast and Speak with ConfidenceLearn how to learn Italian with a clear roadmap, speaking-first tactics and daily habits that turn basics into real conversation confidence.
- Translate Hello in Italian with ConfidenceLearn how to translate hello in Italian with context, pronunciation, and practice prompts. Master ciao, buongiorno, buonasera, and salve for real conversations.
