If you’re learning Spanish and you like food even a little, the cocina /koˈsina/ — kitchen — is your new language classroom. You don’t need subjunctive to survive breakfast, but you do need to know the difference between a cuchillo /kuˈtʃi.ʝo/ — knife — and a tenedor /teneˈðor/ — fork — when someone shouts from the other room.
This guide walks you through the most useful utensilios de cocina /uteˈnsiljos ðe koˈsina/ — kitchen utensils — so you can follow recipes, shop in Spanish, and ask for that missing pan without miming wildly at the cupboard.
By the end, you’ll be able to name the main tools, pots, pans, and baking gear in Spanish, understand a few regional differences, and actually talk about cooking instead of pointing and saying “that thing”.
Quick Primer
Some core words before we start:
- utensilio de cocina /uteˈnsiljo ðe koˈsina/ — kitchen utensil
- cubertería /kuβεɾteˈɾia/ — cutlery, silverware
- olla /ˈo.ʝa/ — pot
- sartén /saɾˈten/ — frying pan
Two quick grammar notes that keep showing up on the fridge:
- Most utensil names are either masculine (el cuchillo, el tenedor) or feminine (la cuchara, la olla). When in doubt, always learn the article with the word.
- Plurals are simple: usually just add -s or -es:
- el plato → los platos — plates
- la taza → las tazas — cups
- el plato → los platos — plates
Now let’s open the drawers and name what’s inside.
Essential Utensilios De Cocina: The Everyday Basics
These are the items that live closest to your plate: cutlery, plates, cups, and a few basic tools.
Spanish | IPA | English
cuchillo | /kuˈtʃi.ʝo/ | knife
tenedor | /teneˈðor/ | fork
cuchara | /kuˈtʃa.ɾa/ | spoon
cucharita | /kutʃaˈɾi.ta/ | teaspoon
cuchara sopera | /kuˈtʃa.ɾa soˈpe.ɾa/ | soup spoon
plato | /ˈpla.to/ | plate
plato hondo | /ˈpla.to ˈon.do/ | deep plate / bowl-like plate
vaso | /ˈβa.so/ | glass (for water, juice, etc.)
taza | /ˈta.sa/ | cup / mug
tazón | /taˈson/ | bowl
bol | /bol/ | bowl (often loanword “bowl”)
Usage notes:
Many Spanish speakers use tazón and bol loosely for “bowl”. In cafés, taza is for hot drinks (coffee, tea), vaso for cold drinks. If you ask for un vaso de café, people will probably understand, but it sounds a bit odd.
Cutting And Prep Tools
Time to slice, peel, and grate. These tools show up in recipes and in every kitchen drawer.
Spanish | IPA | English
tabla de cortar | /ˈta.βla ðe koɾˈtaɾ/ | cutting board
cuchillo de cocina | /kuˈtʃi.ʝo ðe koˈsina/ | kitchen knife
cuchillo de chef | /kuˈtʃi.ʝo ðe ʃef/ | chef’s knife
cuchillo pequeño | /kuˈtʃi.ʝo peˈke.ɲo/ | small knife / paring knife
pelador | /pelaˈðor/ | peeler
rallador | /raʝaˈðor/ | grater
tijeras de cocina | /tiˈxeɾas ðe koˈsina/ | kitchen scissors
bol para mezclar | /bol paɾa mesˈklaɾ/ | mixing bowl
espátula | /esˈpa.tu.la/ | spatula
cuchillo de pan | /kuˈtʃi.ʝo ðe pan/ | bread knife
Usage notes & common mistakes:
Many learners say “tabla” alone for cutting board and get blank stares. Say tabla de cortar, or in some regions tabla de picar /ˈta.βla ðe piˈkaɾ/ — literally “chopping board”. Also, rallador is only for grating (cheese, carrots); if you want to “scratch” something, that’s rascar, not rallar.
Cookware: Pots, Pans, And Heat
If it touches fire, it’s here. These are the heroes of soups, stir-fries, and midnight pasta.
Spanish | IPA | English
olla | /ˈo.ʝa/ | pot
cacerola | /kaseˈɾo.la/ | saucepan / small pot
sartén | /saɾˈten/ | frying pan
sartén antiadherente | /saɾˈten an.tjaðeˈɾen.te/ | non-stick pan
olla a presión | /ˈo.ʝa a pɾeˈsjon/ | pressure cooker
olla exprés | /ˈo.ʝa eksˈpɾes/ | pressure cooker (common variant)
cazuela | /kaˈswe.la/ | casserole dish / small pot
bandeja para horno | /banˈde.xa paɾa ˈoɾ.no/ | baking tray / oven tray
parrilla | /paˈri.ʝa/ | grill / grill rack
tapa | /ˈta.pa/ | lid
Usage notes & common mistakes:
The word sartén is mostly feminine in everyday speech (la sartén), though you might see el sartén too. Choose one and be consistent; la sartén will sound natural almost everywhere.
Olla a presión and olla exprés are both used for pressure cookers. In recipes, cazuela and cacerola can be slightly regional; they often refer to medium-sized pots or earthenware dishes.
Cooking Utensils: Stirring, Flipping, Serving
These are the tools that actually move food around: stirring, serving, turning, and tasting.
Spanish | IPA | English
cuchara de madera | /kuˈtʃa.ɾa ðe maˈðe.ɾa/ | wooden spoon
cuchara de servir | /kuˈtʃa.ɾa ðe seɾˈβiɾ/ | serving spoon
espátula de silicona | /esˈpa.tu.la ðe siliˈko.na/ | silicone spatula
pinzas de cocina | /ˈpin.sas ðe koˈsina/ | kitchen tongs
cucharón | /kutʃaˈɾon/ | ladle
batidor de mano | /batiˈðoɾ ðe ˈma.no/ | whisk (hand)
colador | /kolaˈðor/ | strainer
escurridor | /eskuɾiˈðor/ | colander / drainer
maja y mortero | /ˈmaxa i moɾˈte.ɾo/ | pestle and mortar
Usage notes & common mistakes:
A colador is usually a handheld strainer (for juice, sauces, tea). An escurridor is larger, for draining pasta or washing vegetables. For many people, pinzas are tongs in the kitchen and also “tweezers” in a bathroom; context does the heavy lifting.
Baking Tools And Measuring Gear
If you bake cakes, cookies, or bread, these words are your new best friends.
Spanish | IPA | English
bandeja para hornear | /banˈde.xa paɾa oɾˈne.aɾ/ | baking tray
molde | /ˈmol.de/ | mold / baking tin
molde para pastel | /ˈmol.de paɾa pasˈtel/ | cake tin
refractario | /refɾakˈta.ɾjo/ | oven-safe glass dish
papel para hornear | /paˈpel paɾa oɾˈne.aɾ/ | baking paper / parchment
rodillo | /roˈði.ʝo/ | rolling pin
báscula de cocina | /ˈbas.ku.la ðe koˈsina/ | kitchen scale
taza medidora | /ˈta.sa meðiˈðo.ɾa/ | measuring cup
cuchara medidora | /kuˈtʃa.ɾa meðiˈðo.ɾa/ | measuring spoon
Usage notes & common mistakes:
You’ll also see molde para horno — literally “oven mold”. Many Spanish recipes measure in tazas (cups) and cucharadas / cucharaditas (tablespoons / teaspoons). If you want to sound like you know what you’re doing, you can say:
- cucharada /kutʃaˈɾaða/ — tablespoon
- cucharadita /kutʃaɾaˈði.ta/ — teaspoon
Serving, Tableware, And Extras
Once the food is ready, you still need things that aren’t edible.
Spanish | IPA | English
plato llano | /ˈpla.to ˈʝa.no/ | flat plate
plato de postre | /ˈpla.to ðe ˈpos.tɾe/ | dessert plate
fuente | /ˈfwen.te/ | serving dish / platter
jarra | /ˈxa.ra/ | jug / pitcher
servilleta | /seɾβiˈʝe.ta/ | napkin
mantel | /manˈtel/ | tablecloth
posavasos | /posaˈβa.sos/ | coaster
salero | /saˈle.ɾo/ | salt shaker
pimentero | /pimenˈte.ɾo/ | pepper shaker
Usage notes & common mistakes:
Fuente is one of those flexible words: depending on context it can be a deep dish, a serving platter, or a big tray. When in doubt, think “the thing you put the food in to take it to the table”.
Small Kitchen Appliances (The Everyday Ones)
We’re staying with basic appliances you’ll hear about all the time.
Spanish | IPA | English
licuadora | /liku.aˈðo.ɾa/ | blender
batidora de mano | /batiˈðo.ɾa ðe ˈma.no/ | hand mixer / hand blender (depending on region)
batidora de vaso | /batiˈðo.ɾa ðe ˈβa.so/ | stand blender (jug blender)
microondas | /mikɾoˈon.das/ | microwave
tostadora | /tos.taˈðo.ɾa/ | toaster
cafetera | /kafeˈte.ɾa/ | coffee maker
Usage notes & common mistakes:
In many Latin American countries, licuadora is the standard blender for smoothies, soups, and sauces. In Spain, batidora de vaso is also common. Batidora de mano can be a small electric hand mixer or a stick blender, depending on who’s speaking; context helps.
If you’re lost, pointing and asking “¿Cómo se llama esto en español?” /ˈko.mo se ˈʝa.ma ˈes.to en espaˈɲol/ — “What is this called in Spanish?” — is always a good move.
Region Notes
Spanish loves regional personality, even in the kitchen:
- Bowl words: In many places, tazón is common; in others, bol (from English “bowl”) or cuenco /ˈkwen.ko/. All point to “bowl”, but tazón and bol are very learner-friendly.
- Frying pans: Sartén is standard, but in parts of Colombia and other regions you might hear paila /ˈpai.la/ for a kind of frying pan.
- Pressure cookers: Olla a presión, olla exprés, and sometimes olla rápida /ˈo.ʝa ˈrapi.ða/ in Spain. Same concept, different label.
- Blenders and mixers: Licuadora vs batidora de vaso is a Spain–Latin America split in many cases, but people will usually understand both.
The good news: if you don’t know the exact regional word, describing the function usually works:
- “Es para mezclar la masa” /es paɾa mesˈklaɾ la ˈma.sa/ — It’s for mixing the dough.
- “Es para hervir sopa” /es paɾa eɾˈβiɾ ˈso.pa/ — It’s for boiling soup.
Mini Dialogues
Dialogue 1: In The Kitchen
¿Me pasas la sartén, por favor?
/me ˈpa.sas la saɾˈten poɾ faˈβoɾ/
Can you pass me the frying pan, please?
¿La sartén grande o la pequeña?
/la saɾˈten ˈɡɾan.de o la peˈke.ɲa/
The big frying pan or the small one?
La grande, y también la cuchara de madera.
/la ˈɡɾan.de i tamˈbjen la kuˈtʃa.ɾa ðe maˈðe.ɾa/
The big one, and also the wooden spoon.
Dialogue 2: Looking For Something In A Drawer
¿Dónde está el pelador?
/ˈdon.de esˈta el pelaˈðor/
Where is the peeler?
Creo que está en el cajón, al lado de las tijeras de cocina.
/ˈkɾe.o ke esˈta en el kaˈxon al ˈla.ðo ðe las tiˈxe.ɾas ðe koˈsina/
I think it’s in the drawer, next to the kitchen scissors.
Ah, sí, aquí está.
/a si aˈki esˈta/
Oh, yes, here it is.
Dialogue 3: Buying Utensils
Busco una olla y un colador.
/ˈbus.ko ˈu.na ˈo.ʝa i un kolaˈðoɾ/
I’m looking for a pot and a strainer.
¿Qué tamaño de olla necesita?
/ke taˈma.ɲo ðe ˈo.ʝa ne.sesiˈta/
What size pot do you need?
Mediana, para hacer sopa para cuatro personas.
/meˈðja.na paɾa aˈseɾ ˈso.pa paɾa ˈkwa.tɾo peɾˈso.nas/
Medium, to make soup for four people.
Quick Reference
Spanish | IPA | English
cuchillo | /kuˈtʃi.ʝo/ | knife
tenedor | /teneˈðor/ | fork
cuchara | /kuˈtʃa.ɾa/ | spoon
cucharita | /kutʃaˈɾi.ta/ | teaspoon
plato | /ˈpla.to/ | plate
vaso | /ˈβa.so/ | glass
taza | /ˈta.sa/ | cup / mug
tazón | /taˈson/ | bowl
tabla de cortar | /ˈta.βla ðe koɾˈtaɾ/ | cutting board
olla | /ˈo.ʝa/ | pot
cacerola | /kaseˈɾo.la/ | saucepan
sartén | /saɾˈten/ | frying pan
cuchara de madera | /kuˈtʃa.ɾa ðe maˈðe.ɾa/ | wooden spoon
cucharón | /kutʃaˈɾon/ | ladle
colador | /kolaˈðor/ | strainer
escurridor | /eskuɾiˈðor/ | colander
bandeja para horno | /banˈde.xa paɾa ˈoɾ.no/ | oven tray
licuadora | /liku.aˈðo.ɾa/ | blender
microondas | /mikɾoˈon.das/ | microwave
Five-Minute Practice Plan
- Stand in your kitchen (or imagine one) and label ten objects out loud in Spanish: cuchillo, plato, vaso, olla, sartén, tabla de cortar, etc.
- Choose five utensils and make a simple sentence for each about its use: La olla es para hervir agua. La cuchara de madera es para mezclar la sopa.
- Open a recipe in English and underline five utensils. Write their Spanish names next to them from memory, then check with this list.
- Record a 20-second audio where you describe your kitchen drawer in Spanish: what’s inside and what you use most.
- Practice Mini Dialogue 1 aloud until you can say it without looking, then swap sartén for olla, cuchara de madera for another utensil and repeat.
- Write a short shopping list in Spanish for a new kitchen: at least eight items, including one pot, one pan, three utensils, and two tableware pieces.
Yak-Style Closing Spark
Once you can talk about utensilios de cocina in Spanish, recipes stop being mysterious lists and start feeling like instructions you can actually follow. Plus, the next time someone asks for la sartén grande or el colador, you’ll grab the right tool instead of opening every cupboard like a confused cooking show extra.