Vocabulary
10 key words for this lesson
SAVOURY
Tasty and salty or full of flavour, not sweet — like meat, stews or cheese.
I prefer savoury pancakes to sweet ones.
ZESTY
Lively and fresh, often with citrus or spice.
I love the zesty kick of lime in this dish.
RICH
Full and heavy, often with a lot of fat or flavour.
This Alfredo pasta is so rich and creamy.
MILD
Gentle, not strong or spicy.
The salsa is mild, so kids can enjoy it.
ROBUST
Strong and full-bodied.
The red wine gives the sauce a robust flavour.
SUBTLE
Delicate and light; not strong.
The tea has a subtle hint of mint.
TART
Sharp and slightly sour, like some berries.
The lemonade is tart and refreshing.
PUNGENT
With a very strong, sharp smell or taste.
Blue cheese has a pungent aroma.
PEPPERY
Tasting of black pepper; slightly spicy.
The soup is a bit peppery and warms you up.
BITTER
A strong, sharp taste like coffee or dark chocolate.
Dark chocolate is a bit bitter.
Phrases
6 phrases and their meanings
It has a … flavour / taste.
Describe the main flavour.
"It has a really rich, smoky flavour."
It tastes a bit too…
Give a polite negative opinion.
"It tastes a bit too salty for me."
There's a hint of…
Mention a small, subtle flavour.
"There's a hint of garlic in the sauce."
It goes really well with…
Say two foods are good together.
"The zesty dressing goes really well with the fish."
It balances the…
One flavour makes another less strong.
"The bitter chocolate balances the sweetness."
It's an acquired taste.
Something you only start to like after trying it several times.
"Blue cheese is an acquired taste."
In Action
Hear how these phrases sound in real B2B situations
“Chefs love the word "balance". A sweet + sour or rich + fresh combination usually tastes better than one strong flavour.”
Register
Understand when and how to use each phrase — formal, neutral, or informal
Videos
Watch these terms used in context
Dialogue
Read the dialogue and hover the blue words for definitions
Kira
TimSo, Tim, what do you think of the curry?
It's delicious! It's quite spicy, but the coconut makes it rich and creamy.
I agree. There's a hint of lime too — it's very zesty.
And the bread? I think it's a bit too peppery for me.
Really? I like it. It goes really well with the mild yoghurt sauce.
True. Hey, what's that smell? It's very pungent!
Ha! It's the blue cheese for dessert. It's an acquired taste. They serve it with honey and tart berries.
Hmm, the sweet honey probably balances the cheese. I'll try a little — a subtle amount!
Exercises
Complete all three exercises to see your final score
Matching
Click a word, then click its correct definition.
Click a word on the left, then its definition on the right.
Words
Definitions
Fill in the Blank
Drag the correct words from the word bank to complete each sentence.
Sentence 1
The salsa is— — —, so even kids can eat it.
Sentence 2
This pasta is so— — —and creamy.
Sentence 3
There's a— — —of mint in the tea.
Sentence 4
It tastes a bit too— — —for me. I need water!
Sentence 5
Blue cheese is an acquired— — —.
Sentence 6
The dressing goes really well— — —the fish.
Tip: Think about the meaning of each word and what makes sense in the sentence.
Multiple Choice
Choose the best answer for each question about the dialogue.
1.What is the opposite of "sweet" in cooking?
2.What does "mild" mean?
3.Which word describes a strong smell like blue cheese?
4."It's an acquired taste" means…
5.In the dialogue, what makes the curry rich and creamy?
6.What is served with the blue cheese?