wash the vegetables

Meaning

This phrase means to clean fresh vegetables with water before cooking or eating them. It is a basic and essential step in food preparation to remove dirt, germs, and pesticides. You use it in daily cooking contexts, recipes, and kitchen instructions.

Examples

• Can you please wash the vegetables while I chop the onions?

  Can you please wash the vegetables while I chop the onions?

• It is important to wash the vegetables thoroughly to get rid of any dirt.

  It is important to wash the vegetables thoroughly to get rid of any dirt.

• She forgot to wash the vegetables before putting them in the salad.

  She forgot to wash the vegetables before putting them in the salad.

• I always wash the vegetables in cold water before I start cooking.

  I always wash the vegetables in cold water before I start cooking.

• Make sure you wash the vegetables well, especially the lettuce.

  Make sure you wash the vegetables well, especially the lettuce.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ Please clean the vegetables under the tap.

  ✓ Please wash the vegetables under the tap.

  While 'clean' is technically understood, native speakers almost always use the verb 'wash' or 'rinse' when using water to prepare fresh produce.

• ✗ I need to wash vegetables for the soup.

  ✓ I need to wash the vegetables for the soup.

  When you are preparing specific vegetables that are already in your kitchen for a meal, you must use the definite article 'the'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Before you make the salad, please ___.

  💡 Clean the fresh ingredients with water first.

  Show answer

  wash the vegetables

• Always ___ under cold running water to remove any dirt.

  💡 Do this action to the carrots and cucumbers before peeling them.

  Show answer

  wash the vegetables