noun
ingredient
B1
Means 'ingredient' (singular die Zutat), used for components of recipes or mixtures. Feminine noun with plural Zutaten and regular declension (e.g., den Zutaten). Countable; often used in plural in cooking contexts. No unusual plural or irregular form; normal adjective agreement and article usage.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.EXAMPLES
Der Koch erklärte, welche Zutat gebraucht wurde, weil das Rezept verbessert werden sollte.
The cook explained which ingredient was needed because the recipe was to be improved.
Diese Zutat fehlt im Rezept.
This ingredient is missing from the recipe.
Ich brauche Zutaten.
I need ingredients.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.DETAILS_LABEL
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.MNEMONICS
a jar labeled 'Zutat' on a kitchen shelf next to other ingredients
sounds like 'zoo-tat' — imagine a zoo keeper adding an 'ingredient' to a recipe
Die Zutat — remember 'die' (feminine) because many -t nouns (like 'Macht', 'Nacht') are feminine
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.NOTES
Common in recipes and cooking contexts. Plural is 'Zutaten'. Often used with measures (eine Zutat, zwei Zutaten).