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Italian Phrase

Il piatto principale sta ancora cuocendo.

/il ˈpjat.to prin.tʃiˈpa.le sta anˈko.ra kwɔˈtʃen.do/
Meaning"The main dish is still cooking."
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Meaning

The sentence means that the main dish is still in the process of being cooked; the cooking has started but has not finished yet.

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When to use

Use this phrase in a kitchen or restaurant setting when you want to let someone know that the main course isn’t ready yet, perhaps while you’re serving appetizers or taking a short break.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Ilpiattoprincipalestaancoracuocendo

1

Definite article (Il)

Il is the masculine singular definite article used before nouns that begin with a consonant.

2

Noun (piatto)

Piatto means ‘dish’ or ‘plate’; it is masculine singular.

3

Adjective after noun (principale)

In Italian, most adjectives, including ‘principale’, follow the noun they modify.

4

Present progressive (stare + gerundio)

The construction ‘stare + gerundio’ (sta cuocendo) expresses an action that is happening right now.

5

Adverb (ancora)

Ancora means ‘still’ and is placed before the gerund to stress that the action has not finished.

6

Gerund of ‘cuocere’ (cuocendo)

The gerund of cuocere (to cook) is cuocendo; it is used with ‘stare’ to form the progressive.

🗨In Conversation

A

Il piatto principale sta ancora cuocendo.

The main dish is still cooking.

Va bene, intanto possiamo prendere un antipasto.

Alright, in the meantime we can have an appetizer.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Il piatto principale sta ancora cucinando.

    With ‘stare’ you need the gerund of ‘cuocere’ (cuocendo), not ‘cucinare’.

  • Il piatto principale è ancora è cuocendo.

    The adverb ‘ancora’ should come before the gerund, not after the verb ‘è’.

↔Alternatives

  • Il piatto principale non è ancora pronto.

    The main dish is not ready yet.

  • Il piatto principale è ancora in cottura.

    The main dish is still being cooked.

it

Cultural Tip

Italian meals are traditionally served in multiple courses. It’s common for the chef to announce that the ‘piatto principale’ is still cooking, giving guests time to enjoy antipasti or a glass of wine while they wait. Using the progressive ‘sta cuocendo’ sounds natural and conveys a sense of immediacy.