SpeeekDownload on the App Store
Back to At The Restaurant

German Phrase

Mein Steak ist noch zu roh.

/maɪ̯n ˈʃteːk ɪst nɔx t͡suː ʁoː/
Meaning"My steak is still too raw."
💡

Meaning

Literally: ‘My steak is still too raw.’ The speaker is saying the steak has not been cooked enough and would like it cooked longer.

🎯

When to use

Use this sentence in a restaurant or at home when the meat is undercooked for your taste. It’s a polite way to ask the chef or waiter to finish cooking the steak.

✦Grammar Breakdown

MeinSteakistnochzuroh

1

Possessive Determiner (Mein)

‘Mein’ agrees with the gender, number, and case of the noun it modifies; here it is masculine nominative.

2

Neuter Borrowed Noun (Steak)

‘Steak’ is a neuter noun in German (das Steak) despite its English origin.

3

Verb ‘sein’ (ist)

‘ist’ is the 3rd‑person singular present of ‘sein’, used for identity or state.

4

Adverb ‘noch’

‘noch’ means ‘still’ and is placed before the adjective phrase to indicate an ongoing state.

5

Particle ‘zu’ + Adjective

When ‘zu’ precedes an adjective, it expresses excess, i.e., ‘too …’. It is not a preposition here.

6

Adjective ‘roh’

‘roh’ means ‘raw’; in predicative position it does not take an ending.

🗨In Conversation

A

Entschuldigung, mein Steak ist noch zu roh.

Excuse me, my steak is still too raw.

Oh, das tut mir leid. Ich bringe Ihnen sofort ein neues Stück.

Oh, I’m sorry. I’ll bring you a new piece right away.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Mein Steak ist noch zu sehr roh.

    ‘zu’ already means ‘too’; adding ‘sehr’ is redundant and ungrammatical.

  • Mein Steak ist zu noch roh.

    The adverb ‘noch’ must stay before ‘zu’, not after it.

  • Mein Steak ist noch zu sehr roh.

    ‘zu’ directly modifies the adjective; ‘sehr’ is unnecessary.

↔Alternatives

  • Mein Steak ist noch nicht durchgebraten.

    My steak isn’t cooked through yet.

  • Das Steak ist noch zu blutig.

    The steak is still too rare.

  • Könnten Sie das Steak bitte etwas länger braten?

    Could you please cook the steak a little longer?

de

Cultural Tip

In Germany, the most common doneness for steak is ‘rosa’ (medium‑rare). If you prefer it more cooked, it’s perfectly acceptable to ask for it ‘durchgebraten’ (well‑done). Using ‘Entschuldigung’ or ‘Bitte’ keeps the request courteous, which is appreciated in German dining culture.