English Vocabulary Words for the Kitchen American English
Words like ‘fork’ or ‘spatula’ can be tricky.
In this video, you’re going to see various kitchen objects,
and I’ll give you the IPA for each word.
We’ll talk about the syllable stress of multi-syllable words,
tricky sounds, or other noteworthy pronunciations,
if any, and practice each word slowly.
I encourage you to practice out loud with this video. Let’s get started!
Plate. Plate. Plaaate.
Notice I pronounced this with a Stop T. Plate.
Ending T’s are often pronounced this
way when they end a sentence or a thought.
Stop the air, plate, that’s what makes it
sound different from ‘play’. Plate.
Bowl
Booowwl
Fork.
Fooorrrrkk.
Here we have AW as in LAW vowel followed by the R consonant.
In this case, the tongue is further back and the lips round more than when the AW vowel is not followed by R.
Fooorrrk. Fork.
Knife
Kniiiiiife.
Notice, the K is silent.
Spoon
Spooooooon.
This has the OO vowel. Don’t start with
your lips in a tight circle, spooo–
but let them be relaxed and circle in.
Spooooon. Spoon. Spoon.
We call this a butter knife so we know it’s not a sharp knife.
Butter knife. Buuhhhtter knife.
The T is between vowels, so it’s a Flap T.
Just a flap of the tongue against the roof of the mouth.
Depending on your native language,
this may sound like an R to you.
Butter. Buuuhtter.
The plural of ‘knife’ is ‘knives’
Knives. The F changes to a V. Just like ‘life’, ‘lives’.
Wooden spoon
The first syllable is stressed. Wood-en.
After you put your tongue up for the D, you can
just leave it there for the second syllable.
Wood-en, wood-en. Wooden.
Tongs
Toooongs
Measuring cup
The first syllable of ‘measuring’ is stressed.
Measuring. DA-da-da.
Try to make those second syllables flatter
and quicker, -suring, -suring, -suring.
Meaaa-suring. Measuring.
Measuring spoon
Meaaasuring spoon
Mixing bowl
The ‘-ing’ ending is always unstressed.
Try to make it quieter and lower in pitch than MIX: mix-ing
Miiixing. Mixing.
Colander.
First syllable is stressed here.
Just like: ME-suring. COL-ander.
DA-da-da.
Col-ander.
Tea kettle
The double T comes between two vowel sounds.
Just like ‘butter’, it’s a Flap T. Not tt, a True T.
Kettle
Cutting board
What do you notice about the double T?
That’s right. Another Flap T.
The -ing ending is unstressed.
CUTT-ing. DA-da.
Cutting.
Baking pan or baking dish
-ing ending unstressed.
BAK-ing. ‘Pan’
Pan. Paaan…
is a special word. We have the AA vowel
followed by a nasal consonant, N.
So it’s not a pure AA, relax the tongue in the back to make ‘uh’. Paa-uhn.
At the end of the video, I’ll put a link to another video that goes over this.
Cookie sheet
This could also be a baking sheet.
Cookie, stress on the first syllable.
Here, I pronounced the final T as a True T.
Cookie sheet. Tt- tt-
Final T’s can be either Stop T’s or True T’s.
Most Americans will make them Stop T’s most of the time.
Tupperware
Tuuuhhh-pperware
This is a brand name of storage containers,
but many people use the brand name to mean ANY food storage container. Tupperware.
Cabinet
It has three syllables, but most Americans will pronounce it with just two,
dropping the middle syllable. Cabinet.
Drawer
This is a tough word. I have a video on phrases in the
kitchen that goes over the pronunciation of ‘drawer’.
See that video at the end of this video.
Sink
Faucet
Sink. Siiiii-nk.
Faucet. Faaauu-cet.
I pronounced the ending T as a Stop T.
Dish towel
Dish washer
Dish towel. Towwwel.
The first syllable is stressed. DA-da. Towel.
Dish towel
Dish washer. Diiiish washer.
A compound word. Stress is on the first syllable in a compound word.
Dish-washer. Dishwasher.
Glass
Glaaaass
Wine glass
Wiiiiine glass
Mug
Mmuuuhhg
Refrigerator
We usually call this ‘fridge’.
Refrigerator.
At five syllables, this word is the longest word in this vocabulary list.
Stress is on the second syllable: rih-FRIDGE-er-ay-der.
The T between vowels is a Flap T.
Refrigerator
Fridge. Friiiidge.
Freezer
Freeeeezer
First syllable stress. DA-da. Freezer.
Paper towel
Two words with the same stress: DA-da.
DA-da DA-da. Paper towel. Paaaper towwel.
Coffee maker
Same stress pattern as ‘paper towel’!
DA-da DA-da
Coffee maker
Coffee pot
Same vowel in ‘co-‘ as in ‘pot’.
Coffee pot.
Oven
Ohhhven
Stove
Stoooove
Pot
Lid
Pot
Lid
Frying pan or skillet
Frying, the –ing ending is unstressed.
So ‘frying’ and ‘skillet’ have the same stress: DA-da
Frying
Skilet
Ladle. That’s a tough word. Ladle.
Ladle, a tough word. It ends in the same sounds as ‘kettle’.
I made a video on ‘little’ which also ends in the same
sounds, that might help you pronounce this word better.
I’ll put a link to it at the end.
Ladle
Spatula
Three syllables, stress on the first syllable. Spaaatula.
Scissors
Two syllables, first syllable stress. DA-da. Scissors. Sciiisors.
Serving spoon
-ing ending, unstressed.
Seeerrrrving spoon.
Wisk
WH words can pronounced “hw” or just “w”.
I just make a simple W sound -ww.
At the end of this video, I’ll link to a video that goes over more of these WH words.
Whisk
Can opener
Can, just like ‘pan’: relax the AA into the UH.
Caa-uhn. Caa-uhn opener.
Opener. Three syllables, first syllable stress.
Thermometer
Second syllable stress. da-DA-da-da.
Thermometer. Thermometer. Flap T.
Grater
What can you tell me about that T? Grater.
Between vowels, a flap T. It’s a homophone
with this word, ‘greater’.
That means they are pronounced exactly the same. Graaaaater.
Funnel
DA-da. First syllable stress. Fuuunnel. Funnel.
Bottle opener.
The double T is a Flap T again. Bottle opener.
Hood
Fan
Hood
Fan. Just like ‘can’ and ‘pan’ – AA-uh. Fan.
Blender
Blender. First syllable stress. DA-da. BLEND-er.
Mixer. This is really heavy.
Mixer. First syllable stress. MIX-er.
Tin foil or aluminum foil
Tin foil. Aluminum foil.
Aaaaluuumiiinuuum.
This is one of those words that is pronounced differently in British English.
Luckily my friend Vicki is here, at the YouTube space and can help me with this word.
In American English, it’s aluminum. In British English, its:
Aluminum
Thanks Vicki.
Baggie.
Baggie. Two syllables. First syllable stress. DA-da.
Have you noticed that first syllable stress is
much more common for two syllable words?
Baggie
Plastic wrap
Plastic. First syllable stress. Plastic wrap.
Hot pad
The T in HOT is followed by a consonant. Make that a Stop T.
Hot pad
Trivet
I made that ending T a Stop T. Trivet.
Spices
Spiiiiiiiices
Microwave
We think it’s ugly so we keep it down here.
Microwave. Three syllables, first syllable stress. Miiiiicrowave.
Okay. Let’s look at all of those again.
You’ll see each clip twice. Listen the first time
and say it out loud with me the second time.
Plate
Bowl
Fork
Knife
Spoon
Wooden spoon
Tongs
Measuring cup
Measuring spoon
Mixing bowl
Colander
Tea kettle
Cutting board
Baking pan or baking dish
Cookie sheet
Tupperware
Cabinet
Drawer
Sink. Faucet.
Dish towel
Dish washer
Glass
Wine glass
Mug
Refrigerator
Fridge
Freezer
Paper towel
Coffee maker
Coffee pot
Oven
Stove
Pot. Lid.
Frying pan or skillet
Ladle. That’s a tough word. Ladle.
Spatula
Scissors
Serving spoon
Whisk
Can opener
Thermometer
Grater
Funnel
Bottle opener
Hood. Fan.
Blender
Mixer
Tin foil or aluminum foil
Baggie
Plastic wrap
Hot pad
Trivet
Spices
Microwave
What did you think of this vocab-style video?
What other vocabulary topics would you like to study?
Let me know in the comments below.
Here is the link to the video on the AA vowel
followed by nasal consonants, and the video
on phrases in the kitchen that goes over the
pronunciation of the word ‘drawer’.
And here’s the video on ‘little’ and ‘WH’
words.
These links are also in the description below.
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