Essential cooking vocabulary in English (use it tonight)

• Chop — cut into small, uneven pieces. Chop the onions and carrots for the soup.
• Slice — cut into thin, flat pieces; also “a slice of bread/cake.” Slice the tomatoes for your sandwich.
• Dice — cut into small cubes. Dice the potatoes before frying them.
• Mince — cut very finely. Mince the garlic before adding it.
• Julienne — cut into matchstick strips. Julienne the carrots for a colourful salad. Clear definition at the Cambridge Dictionary.
• Peel — remove the outer skin. Peel the onion before chopping it.

How to practise cooking vocabulary in English (10-minute plan)

1. Watch & say: play a 60–90s recipe video and say the verbs aloud when you hear them: chop, slice, dice, mince, julienne, peel.
2. Cook & narrate: while preparing food, describe each step in English. Keep it simple: “I peel… I dice… I slice…”.
3. Write & repeat: after eating, write three micro-sentences: “I chopped the onions,” “I diced the potatoes,” “I julienned the carrots.”

Mini dialogues using cooking vocabulary in English

At a class: “Could you slice the tomatoes while I dice the potatoes?” — “Sure. Do you want me to peel them first?”

At home: “I’ll mince the garlic if you julienne the carrots.” — “Deal. Then let’s chop the herbs together.”

Make the words stick

Learning cooking vocabulary in English works because the verbs connect to actions you can see and feel. Real-life context improves memory, confidence, and fluency.

Next steps

Want more practical English in daily life? Explore our Programs or General English for Adults to keep learning through real activities.