español · A1 · vocabulary · 4 minutes
Kitchen tools and tableware
Set the table and find the right tool for cooking.
Understand the choice
This set covers the objects needed to set a table and cook a simple meal. Learn each noun with el or la, then group tableware separately from pots and pans for faster recall.
Core rule: Use definite articles with specific kitchen objects: el vaso, el plato, la cuchara; noun gender is not always predictable from meaning.
Notice it in context
Pon el vaso, el plato y la cuchara sobre la mesa.
Put the glass, the plate, and the spoon on the table.
The command pon is followed by three specific objects, each with its own article.
La sopa está en la olla grande.
The soup is in the large pot.
Olla is feminine and commonly appears with en.
Necesito un cuchillo y una sartén.
I need a knife and a frying pan.
Sartén is feminine in most modern usage despite not ending in -a.
What to remember
- Vaso is a drinking glass; taza is a cup, usually with a handle.
- Cuchara, tenedor, and cuchillo form the basic cutlery set.
Common trap: Do not confuse vaso with copa: una copa is a stemmed glass and can also mean a serving of an alcoholic drink.