Cooking & Markets

1. ¿Ónde ta'l mercáu llocal?

   Where is the local market?

   Usage

   Asked when looking for fresh local produce

   Grammar Note

   ta + el contracts to ta'l. "Market" is mercáu (-áu ending) and "local" is llocal, starting with ll-. Composed sentence; native review recommended.

2. ¿Cómo se llama esti ingrediente?

   What is this ingredient called?

   Usage

   Point at an unfamiliar ingredient at a market or class and ask its name

   Grammar Note

   "This" is esti (not Spanish este), and "is called" uses the reflexive se llama. Composed sentence; native review recommended.

3. ¿Esti platu ye mui picante?

   Is this dish very spicy?

   Usage

   Used to check how spicy a dish is before ordering or cooking it

   Grammar Note

   "Very" is mui (not muy) and "is" is ye; picante has one form for both genders, and platu ends in -u. Composed sentence; native review recommended.

4. ¿Pue recomendame un cursu de cocina?

   Can you recommend a cooking class?

   Usage

   A polite request at a hotel desk or tourist office for a local cooking class

   Grammar Note

   Pue is the polite (usté) form of poder, and me attaches after the verb; cursu ends in -u. Composed sentence; native review recommended.

5. ¿Cómo se fai esti platu?

   How do you prepare this dish?

   Usage

   Asked when you want to learn how a dish you like is made

   Grammar Note

   "To make" is facer (not hacer); the impersonal se fai means "is made". Composed sentence; native review recommended.

6. ¿Ónde puedo mercar verdures fresques?

   Where can I buy fresh vegetables?

   Usage

   Used to find a shop or market selling fresh vegetables for cooking

   Grammar Note

   "To buy" is mercar. Verdura becomes verdures and the adjective takes the feminine plural fresques (fresca → fresques). Composed sentence; native review recommended.

7. Quixera deprender a cocinar comida llocal.

   I'd like to learn to cook local food.

   Usage

   Says you want to learn the regional cuisine, to a school or host

   Grammar Note

   "To learn" is deprender (not aprender) and llocal begins with ll-; quixera is the polite "I would like". Composed sentence; native review recommended.

8. ¿Tien ingredientes vexetarianos?

   Do you have vegetarian ingredients?

   Usage

   A polite question at a class or food shop about meat-free ingredients

   Grammar Note

   Tien is the polite (usté) form and tienes the informal one; vexetarianos is spelled with x (/ʃ/), unlike Spanish vegetarianos. Composed sentence; native review recommended.

9. ¿Qué especias s'usen nesti platu?

   What spices are used in this dish?

   Usage

   Asked about the seasonings in a dish, for example if you want to avoid one

   Grammar Note

   S'usen is the passive plural, with se elided before a vowel; en + esti contracts to nesti. Composed sentence; native review recommended.

10. El sal

    Salt

    Usage

    Point at it to ask for salt, or to ask for less of it

    Grammar Note

    In Asturian sal is masculine, so el sal (Spanish la sal).

11. L'azucre

    Sugar

    Usage

    For asking for sugar, or for something without it

    Grammar Note

    Azucre ends in -re with no accent mark (Spanish azúcar), and the article contracts to l'azucre.

12. La pimienta negra

    Black pepper

    Usage

    Ground or whole black pepper; not to be confused with bell peppers or chilies

    Grammar Note

    Spelled like Spanish. Pimienta is feminine, hence negra.

13. L'aceite

    Oil

    Usage

    Cooking oil in general; olive oil is aceite d'oliva

    Grammar Note

    Aceite is masculine, and the article contracts to l' before the vowel.

14. El vinagre

    Vinegar

    Usage

    For asking for vinegar or checking whether a dish contains it

    Grammar Note

    Spelled like Spanish. Both genders are attested (el vinagre / la vinagre).

15. La mantega

    Butter

    Usage

    For asking for butter, or for a dish made without it

    Grammar Note

    "Butter" is mantega (not mantequilla); it is feminine.

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