Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'cook'

English Word: cook

Key Russian Translations:

• готовить [ˈɡotəvʲɪtʲ] - [Informal, Verb, General use for preparing food]
• повар [ˈpovər] - [Noun, Refers to a person who cooks]
• приготовить [prʲɪɡəˈtovʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, Verb, Often used for preparing specific dishes]

Frequency: High (especially "готовить" and "повар")

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner-Intermediate for "готовить" and "повар"); B1 (Intermediate for "приготовить")

Pronunciation (Russian):

готовить: [ˈɡotəvʲɪtʲ]

Note on готовить: Stress falls on the first syllable. The "г" is pronounced as a hard "g".

повар: [ˈpovər]

Note on повар: Stress on the first syllable. The "р" is rolled slightly.

приготовить: [prʲɪɡəˈtovʲɪtʲ]

Note on приготовить: Stress on the third syllable. The prefix "при-" softens the following consonant.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To prepare food (Verb)

Translation(s) & Context:

• готовить - General term for cooking or preparing food, used in everyday speech.
• приготовить - More formal or specific, often implies preparing a particular dish or meal.

Usage Examples:

• Я люблю готовить суп на ужин.

  I love cooking soup for dinner.

• Она готовит очень вкусно.

  She cooks very deliciously.

• Можешь приготовить салат к обеду?

  Can you prepare a salad for lunch?

• Мы приготовили праздничный ужин.

  We prepared a festive dinner.

2. A person who cooks (Noun)

Translation(s) & Context:

• повар - Refers to a professional or amateur cook, often in a formal or occupational context.

Usage Examples:

• Он работает поваром в ресторане.

  He works as a cook in a restaurant.

• Моя бабушка - отличный повар.

  My grandmother is an excellent cook.

• Повар готовит новое блюдо.

  The cook is preparing a new dish.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

готовить (Verb, Imperfective): Regular verb with standard conjugation in present, past, and future tenses.

Person	Present Tense
Я (I)	готовлю
Ты (You, informal)	готовишь
Он/Она/Оно (He/She/It)	готовит
Мы (We)	готовим
Вы (You, formal/plural)	готовите
Они (They)	готовят

приготовить (Verb, Perfective): Used for completed actions. Conjugates similarly but implies a finished result.

повар (Noun, Masculine): Declines as a regular masculine noun.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	повар	повара
Genitive	повара	поваров
Dative	повару	поварам

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for готовить/приготовить (Verb):

• варить (to boil/cook, often for soups or liquids)
• жарить (to fry)

Synonyms for повар (Noun):

• кулинар (culinary specialist, more formal)

Antonyms: None directly applicable for "cook".

Related Phrases:

• готовить еду - To cook food (general expression).
• приготовить ужин - To prepare dinner (specific meal).
• повар высшего класса - A top-class cook/chef.

Usage Notes:

• "готовить" is the most versatile and commonly used term for cooking in everyday Russian. Use it for general contexts.
• "приготовить" often implies a completed action or preparation for a specific occasion, e.g., preparing a meal for guests.
• "повар" strictly refers to the person cooking, not the action. It can be used for both professional chefs and home cooks.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "повар" as a verb. Incorrect: *Я повар еду* (I cook food). Correct: Use "готовлю" instead: Я готовлю еду.
• Error: Confusing "готовить" (ongoing) with "приготовить" (completed). Incorrect: *Я готовлю торт вчера* (I cook a cake yesterday). Correct: Я приготовил торт вчера (I prepared a cake yesterday).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, cooking is often associated with family and hospitality. The term "повар" may evoke images of professional chefs in restaurants, while home cooking is highly valued and often tied to traditional recipes passed down through generations.

Related Concepts:

• кухня (kitchen)
• рецепт (recipe)
• еда (food)