English · A1 · vocabulary · 4 minutes
Kitchen basics
Name common tools and locate them with simple place prepositions.
Understand the choice
Kitchen nouns become useful when tied to position and action. Place tools on a counter, food in the refrigerator, and dishes next to one another.
Core rule: Use on for a surface, in for an enclosed space, and next to/beside for proximity.
Notice it in context
The pot is on the stove, and the knife is on the table.
La olla está en la estufa y el cuchillo está en la mesa.
Pot and knife are subjects; on introduces the supporting surfaces stove and table.
The pan is next to the pot.
The shallow cooking container is beside the deep one.
Pan and pot are linked by next to.
Put the cup and plate in the refrigerator.
Move the cup and plate inside the cold appliance.
Cup, plate, and refrigerator appear in a destination command.
What to remember
- Fridge is the common short form of refrigerator.
- Cooker is common UK English where US English often says stove.
Common trap: Do not use in for an object resting on top of a surface.