Learn Hardcore German: Was wir morgen kochen, wärmen wir am Abend im Becher mit Deckel auf. - Whatever we cook tomorrow, we warm up in the evening in the cup with a lid.

German main clauses are verb-second (V2). The entire clause Was wir morgen kochen occupies the first position. Therefore, the finite verb wärmen must come next, followed by the subject wir: Was wir morgen kochen, wärmen wir …

Why is there a lone auf at the very end?

aufwärmen is a separable verb. In a main clause, the prefix auf moves to the clause-final position: … wärmen wir … auf. In subordinate clauses or with an infinitive/zu, it stays attached: …, dass wir es … aufwärmen; … es aufzuwärmen.

Is was a question word here?

No. Here was introduces a free relative clause: Was wir morgen kochen = “what(ever) we cook tomorrow.” It functions as the direct object of wärmen. Within that clause, was is in the accusative (object of kochen), but it looks the same as nominative.

Could I say Das, was wir morgen kochen, … or Was auch immer wir morgen kochen, …?

Yes.

Das, was … emphasizes “the thing that …”
Was auch immer … adds the sense “no matter what …” All three variants are correct; the nuance changes slightly.

Why present tense (wir morgen kochen) instead of future (kochen werden)?

German commonly uses the present tense with a future time adverbial. Wir kochen morgen is natural for “we will cook tomorrow.” Wir werden morgen kochen is also correct but often unnecessary.

Should it be morgen Abend instead of am Abend?

To avoid ambiguity, morgen Abend is clearer. Am Abend by itself could, in isolation, mean “in the evening” (not necessarily tomorrow). In context, many would still understand it as “that evening (tomorrow evening),” but morgen Abend is the safest choice.

Why is it im Becher, not in den Becher?

im = in dem (dative) is used for location/state: im Becher = “in the cup (sitting in it).”
in den (accusative) is used for motion into: in den Becher = “into the cup.” Here we’re talking about reheating while the food is located in the cup, so dative is correct.

Why no article in mit Deckel? Is mit einem Deckel wrong?

mit always takes the dative; both mit Deckel and mit einem Deckel are correct. Without an article is a common concise description (often in product talk: “cup with lid”), while mit einem Deckel sounds a bit more explicit or conversational. If a specific lid is meant, you’d say mit dem Deckel.

What’s the difference between Becher and Tasse?

Becher: typically taller, often without a handle; can be plastic/paper; “beaker/cup.”
Tasse: a handled cup (ceramic/porcelain), e.g., for coffee or tea. So im Becher evokes a takeaway or microwaveable cup/container.

Is the adverbial order am Abend im Becher normal?

Yes. A common tendency is Time → Manner/Instrument → Place. Am Abend (time) before im Becher (instrument/container) is natural. Other orders are possible for emphasis.

Could I put the object clause at the end: Wir wärmen … auf, was wir morgen kochen?

Possible, but marked. More natural would be to use a correlate: Wir wärmen das … auf, was wir morgen kochen. Fronting the clause, as in the original, is very idiomatic.

Do I need a correlate like das after the comma: Was wir morgen kochen, das wärmen wir …?

It’s optional. Adding das can add emphasis or clarity, but the sentence is fully correct without it.

Why is there a comma after kochen?

Because Was wir morgen kochen is a subordinate clause. German requires a comma between a subordinate clause and the main clause.

Does aufwärmen specifically mean “reheat”? How does it differ from erwärmen and wärmen?

aufwärmen: to warm up (often “reheat” food).
erwärmen: to warm/heat to a moderate temperature (more formal/technical), not necessarily “again.”
wärmen: to keep/provide warmth (e.g., Die Suppe wärmt = “The soup warms [you].”)

Can I add wieder: wieder aufwärmen?

Yes; many people say it. It’s somewhat redundant (since aufwärmen often implies “again”), but it’s idiomatic and widely used.

Why is morgen lowercase, but Abend, Becher, Deckel are capitalized?

Nouns are capitalized in German: der Abend, der Becher, der Deckel. morgen here is the adverb “tomorrow” (lowercase). Morgen with a capital M is the noun “morning” (as in am Morgen).