Spanish Phrase
Elige cosas que no haya que cocinar.
Meaning
The sentence tells someone to pick items that don’t need to be cooked. It’s useful when you want a quick, no‑cook meal, a snack, or when you’re short on time or kitchen facilities.
When to use
Use this phrase when planning a menu, grocery shopping, or giving advice about easy meals—e.g., for a picnic, a busy workday, or a dorm‑room snack plan.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Eligecosasquenohayaquecocinar
Elige (imperative)
‘Elige’ is the informal tú imperative of the verb ‘elegir’, used to give a direct suggestion or instruction.
que (relative pronoun)
Introduces a relative clause that describes ‘cosas’; it functions like ‘that/which’ in English.
no haya que + infinitive (impersonal subjunctive)
This construction expresses a lack of necessity or obligation. The verb after ‘que’ must be in the present subjunctive (haya) because the clause is non‑specific and impersonal.
cocinar (infinitive)
The infinitive verb that follows the impersonal construction, meaning ‘to cook’. It does not change for person or number.
🗨In Conversation
¿Qué deberíamos llevar al picnic?
What should we bring to the picnic?
Elige cosas que no haya que cocinar.
Choose things that don’t have to be cooked.
✕Common Mistakes
Elige cosas que no hay que cocinar.
The relative clause after ‘cosas que’ requires the subjunctive ‘haya’; using the indicative ‘hay’ is grammatically incorrect here.
Elija cosas que no haya que cocinar.
‘Elija’ is the formal imperative; it’s correct only in formal contexts. Using it in an informal conversation sounds overly stiff.
↔Alternatives
Elige cosas que no necesiten cocinarse.
Choose things that don’t need to be cooked.
Opta por alimentos que no requieran cocción.
Opt for foods that don’t require cooking.
Escoge cosas que se puedan comer sin cocinar.
Pick things that can be eaten without cooking.
Cultural Tip
Impersonal constructions with ‘que + infinitive’ are very common in Spanish. In everyday speech many speakers replace the subjunctive form with the indicative—‘no hay que cocinar’—but the subjunctive ‘no haya que cocinar’ is required when the clause is introduced by a relative pronoun, as in this sentence. Also, ‘Elige’ is informal; in a formal setting you would say ‘Elija’. Remember that regional accents affect pronunciation: in Latin America the /s/ sound replaces the /θ/ in ‘cocinar’ (koˈsi.nar).