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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