New here? This is lesson 200 of a free 240-lesson Japanese course.
Cooking at home in Japanese
Rain keeps tapping on Leo's window in Yanaka, and Haruka has come over to his tiny kitchen. He has instant ramen, a pot, and very little cooking experience.
Haruka reads the packet's instructions while Leo does each step. She keeps an eye on the timer as the noodles cook.
Learn to give simple cooking instructions in order, say how long something takes, and explain that you do not cook much.
まず and 次に help a listener follow the recipe.
By the end of this lesson
Follow and give simple recipe steps.
- まずお湯を沸かしてください。First, bring the water to a boil.
- 次に麺を入れてください。Next, put the noodles in.
- 3分ぐらいで大丈夫です。About three minutes is enough.
- 少し塩を足してください。Add a little salt.
- 柔らかくなるまで待ってください。Wait until they go soft.
- 私はあまり料理しません。I don't cook much.
Scene — rain at the window
Rain runs down the window of Leo's small second-floor room in Yanaka. His tiny kitchen has one counter, a pot, and a packet of instant ramen.
Haruka stands beside him with the ramen packet. She reads its instructions aloud while Leo follows them, and a phone timer sits near the stove.
Learn — steps for ramen
These six lines guide someone from boiling water to waiting for soft noodles. One also lets you explain that you do not cook often.
Notice how まず and 次に keep the steps in order.
まずお湯を沸かしてください。
First, bring the water to a boil.
When to use it: Use this to give the first step in a simple recipe.
まず marks this as the first step, and ください makes the instruction polite.
次に麺を入れてください。
Next, put the noodles in.
When to use it: Use this to give the next step in a recipe.
次に signals that this step follows the one before it.
3分ぐらいで大丈夫です。
About three minutes is enough.
When to use it: Use this to say that about three minutes will be enough.
ぐらい means approximately, so the time is not exact.
少し塩を足してください。
Add a little salt.
When to use it: Use this to ask someone to add a small amount of salt.
足す means to add; 塩を names what you add.
柔らかくなるまで待ってください。
Wait until they go soft.
When to use it: Use this to say how long someone should wait.
まで marks the point you wait up to: the noodles becoming soft.
私はあまり料理しません。
I don't cook much.
When to use it: Use this to explain that you do not cook often.
あまり with a negative verb means not much or not often.
Say it: 料理 has a long ō sound; hold it for two beats.
Story — a tiny kitchen
Rainy weather brings Haruka to Leo's small kitchen. She reads the ramen packet's steps while Leo works through the recipe and keeps an eye on the pot.
Highlighted lines are the new expressions. Turn on Show English if you want a gloss.
- Rain taps at the window. Haruka arrives with a packet of instant ramen.
Leoこんにちは。Hello.
Haruka雨の日は、家で食べるのがいいね。On a rainy day, eating at home is nice.- Leo私はあまり料理しません。I don't cook much.
- Harukaまずお湯を沸かしてください。First, bring the water to a boil.
- Leoうん、沸いたよ。Yeah, it's boiled.
- Haruka次に麺を入れてください。Next, put the noodles in.
- Leo麺を入れたよ。I put the noodles in.
- Haruka3分ぐらいで大丈夫です。About three minutes is enough.
- Leoタイマーをセットしたよ。I set the timer.
- Haruka少し塩を足してください。Add a little salt.
- Leo塩はこれくらい？Is this about the right amount of salt?
- Haruka柔らかくなるまで待ってください。Wait until they go soft.
- Leoいただきます。Thanks for the food.
Practice — follow the recipe
Ten short tasks ask you to listen, fill gaps, build instructions, and choose natural replies. You will also check a particle and change a verb.
Keep the recipe sequence in mind as you work through them.
0 of 10 done
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
First, bring the water to a boil.
まずお湯____沸かしてください。
Build the line
Build the line
Next, put the noodles in.
。
Tap the words in order.
What do you say?
What do you say?
Haruka asks if you cook often. Tell her that you don't cook much.
Swap the word
Swap the word
Give the recipe instruction to add a little salt, not to put it in.
少し塩を____ください。
Pick the reply
Haruka says:
Pick the reply
あと何分くらい？
About how many more minutes?
And you reply with:
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
柔らかくなるまで待ってください。
Find the mistake
Find the mistake
What do you say?
What do you say?
Haruka arrives at your door. Greet her.
What do you say?
What do you say?
You are about to eat the ramen. Say the customary phrase before a meal.
Say it — talk through the steps
You are Leo in the small kitchen. Haruka asks what you know about the recipe, and you answer from the packet's instructions.
When the cue is yours, say the line. Tap play first if you want to hear the model; this is a recording activity, not a pronunciation score.
- Haruka料理はよくする？Do you cook often?
- Leo (you)Tell her that you don't cook much.
Tell her that you don't cook much.
私はあまり料理しません。
I don't cook much.
0 of 4 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Japanese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| まずお湯を沸かしてください。 | First, bring the water to a boil. | |
| 次に麺を入れてください。 | Next, put the noodles in. | |
| 3分ぐらいで大丈夫です。 | About three minutes is enough. | |
| 少し塩を足してください。 | Add a little salt. | |
| 柔らかくなるまで待ってください。 | Wait until they go soft. | |
| 私はあまり料理しません。 | I don't cook much. |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Keep these recipe steps handy. Open the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them later.
A quick review will help you keep the cooking steps in order.
Open Yak Cards