die Küche
kitchen
The room in an apartment or house where food is prepared and cooked.
EXAMPLE
Die neue Wohnung hat eine große, moderne Küche.
The new apartment has a large, modern kitchen.
die Küche
kitchen / cuisine
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Meanings
die Küche
cuisine
The typical style of cooking and the complete range of dishes of a country, region, or particular era.
EXAMPLE
Ich mag die leichte und gesunde mediterrane Küche.
I like the light and healthy Mediterranean cuisine.
die Küche
kitchen staff
The staff who work in a kitchen, especially in a restaurant or cafeteria.
EXAMPLE
Die Küche schließt heute bereits um 22 Uhr.
The kitchen closes at 10 p.m. today.
Usage tips
Word family
The word 'die Küche' (kitchen) belongs to the word family of 'kochen' (to cook) and 'der Koch' (the male cook/chef) or 'die Köchin' (the female cook/chef). All of these words relate to preparing food.
EXAMPLE
Der neue Koch probiert in der Küche ein Rezept aus.
The new chef is trying out a recipe in the kitchen.
Dative and accusative
When you describe a location, you use 'in der Küche' (in the kitchen) with the dative. When you describe movement into the room, you use 'in die Küche' (into the kitchen) with the accusative.
EXAMPLE
Er sitzt in der Küche und trinkt Kaffee.
He is sitting in the kitchen and drinking coffee.
Type of food
When 'Küche' (cuisine) describes a style of cooking, it almost always appears with an adjective that names a region or style. Typical examples are 'italienische Küche' (Italian cuisine), 'asiatische Küche' (Asian cuisine), or 'gutbürgerliche Küche' (traditional home-style cuisine).
EXAMPLE
Im Urlaub haben wir die lokale Küche sehr genossen.
On vacation, we really enjoyed the local cuisine.
Context clue
When 'die Küche' (the kitchen) means the staff, it is often combined with verbs that refer to working hours or actions by people. You can recognize this meaning in sentences like 'Die Küche macht Pause' (The kitchen is taking a break) or 'Die Küche schließt bald' (The kitchen is closing soon).
EXAMPLE
Fragen Sie den Kellner, ob die Küche noch Bestellungen annimmt.
Ask the waiter whether the kitchen is still taking orders.
Compare with
Küche vs Essen
food / meal / eating
Here, Essen refers to the specific food someone eats. Küche, by contrast, refers to the typical style of cooking and the range of dishes associated with a country or region. Use Essen when you mean individual dishes; Küche is more suitable for the culinary tradition.
Küche
Ich mag die italienische Küche, besonders ihre einfachen Zubereitungsarten.
I like Italian cuisine, especially its simple ways of preparing food.
Essen
Ich mag das italienische Essen, besonders die frischen Nudelgerichte.
I like Italian food, especially the fresh pasta dishes.
In real life
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