The Present Tense of cocinar is used to describe actions happening right now or habitual actions, for example: Cocino una cena deliciosa para mi familia. (I cook a delicious dinner for my family.)

Cocinar is a regular -ar verb, so its conjugations in the present tense follow the typical pattern for this verb type.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Cocinar (to cook) in the Present Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):

Cocinar generally means to cook or prepare food, but has several different meanings in the Present Tense, some of which might surprise you.

Literal meaning: To cook or prepare food, for example, Yo cocino una cena deliciosa. (I cook a delicious dinner.)

Slang/Idiomatic: To scheme or plot something, often with negative connotations, for example, Ellos cocinan algo malo contra nosotros. (They are cooking up something bad against us.)

Colloquial: To be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, for example, Estás cocinado, ¿verdad? (You’re cooked, aren’t you?)

Rude/Vulgar: To have sexual relations (vulgar), for example, ¿Qué cocinan ustedes dos en la habitación? (What are you two cooking up in the bedroom?)

Examples

Examples of Cocinar in the Present Tense

Yo cocino la cena todas las noches. (I cook dinner every night.)

¿Tú cocinas o prefieres pedir comida? (Do you cook or do you prefer to order food?)

Ella cocina platos deliciosos con ingredientes frescos. (She cooks delicious dishes with fresh ingredients.)

Nosotros cocinamos juntos los fines de semana. (We cook together on weekends.)

Ellos cocinan comida casera en lugar de comer afuera. (They cook homemade food instead of eating out.)

En esta casa, mamá cocina y todos ayudamos. (In this house, mom cooks and we all help.)

¿Qué cocinas hoy? Huele delicioso. (What are you cooking today? It smells delicious.)

Los chefs cocinan platos gourmet en ese restaurante. (The chefs cook gourmet dishes at that restaurant.)

Siempre que viajo, cocino en el hotel para ahorrar dinero. (Whenever I travel, I cook in the hotel to save money.)

En mi trabajo, cocinamos comidas saludables para los empleados. (At my job, we cook healthy meals for the employees.)

¿Ustedes cocinan o piden comida a domicilio? (Do you all cook or order food delivery?)

Mi abuela cocina las mejores recetas tradicionales. (My grandma cooks the best traditional recipes.)

Los niños cocinan galletas con sus padres cada Navidad. (The kids cook cookies with their parents every Christmas.)

Cuando estoy estresado, cocino para relajarme. (When I’m stressed, I cook to relax.)

En este programa de cocina, los concursantes cocinan platos increíbles. (On this cooking show, the contestants cook incredible dishes.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Cocinar (to cook) in the Present Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Latin American Spanish. For Castilian Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Present tense is also known as the Simple Present, Present Simple, Present Tense, or Present Indicative in English, and as Presente de Indicativo, Presente Simple, Tiempo Presente, or Indicativo Presente in Spanish.