German food vocabulary: Essential words for German learners

In the following guide, we’ve compiled the most important German food vocabulary. You’ll learn basic phrases about food in German, as well as in-depth vocabulary about German food items. Are you feeling hungry already? Let’s talk food in German!

Before we can start talking about bratwurst, pretzels and other yummy dishes, it’s important to know the German words used to describe food in general. You’ll probably hear people use different expressions for food, depending on the context. Common German words for food include das Essen, die Speise, die Mahlzeit and die Lebensmittel

Two young women enjoying German food together

Common German words for ‘food’

Here’s how to differentiate between them and how to use them in conversations: 

WordMeaningHow to use itExamples
das EssenFood, meal, dishYou can use das Essen as an umbrella term for every dish, meal and prepared or unprepared item of food. Hat dir das Essen geschmeckt? (Did you like the food?)
Welches Essen magst du am liebsten? (What is your favourite food/dish?)
Es gibt jetzt Essen. (The meal is ready now.)
das GerichtdishDas Gericht is commonly used for prepared food. Look out for the context on this one, because the word can also mean “court” in German. Sie haben viele Gerichte zur Auswahl. (They have many dishes to choose from.)
Welches Gericht wirst du bestellen? (Which dish are you going to order?)
die SpeisedishDie Speise is used for food that has already been prepared, such as snacks or full meals.
Although you’ll hear people use Speise sometimes, it sounds very formal and is a more traditional term for food. 
Diese Speise ist zu salzig. (This dish is too salty.)
die Mahlzeitmeal, dish, mealtime, repastWhen someone talks about a Mahlzeit, they’re referring to one of the (typically three) meals of the day: breakfast, lunch or dinner.
In southern Germany, people will also use “Mahlzeit!” to wish others a good meal.  
Hast du heute eine Mahlzeit ausgelassen? (Did you miss one of the meals today?)
Frühstück, Mittagessen und Abendessen sind Mahlzeiten. (Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are mealtimes.)
Sie bieten verschiedene Mahlzeiten an. (They offer different meals.)
die LebensmittelgroceriesWhen someone talks about Lebensmittel, they’re usually referring to groceries or food items. The expression is mostly used to refer to more than one item of food. Wir müssen Lebensmittel einkaufen gehen. (We have to go buy groceries.)
Welche Lebensmittel brauchen wir? (What kind of groceries do we need?)
die NahrungNourishment, nutritionThis word is mostly used in a scientific or nutritional context.Gras ist Nahrung für Kühe. (Gras is nutrition for cows.)
der Proviant Supplies, i.e. food you pack for a hike or on the wayThe expression is still used, but mostly in the context of hiking. Sometimes, it’s referred to jokingly — if you’re packing a sandwich for a five-minute walk, for example. Wir müssen noch Proviant besorgen. (We still have to get supplies.)
das MahlmealThis word sounds a bit antiquated and it’s not really used in everyday life. You’d more commonly see das Essen.Das war ein gutes Mahl. (That was a good meal.)

German food vocabulary can differ depending on the region, so it helps to learn German from someone who’s from or lives in the region you want to explore At Lingoda, you can learn German from native-level speakers who know all about these different language varieties and cultural differences. 

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Basic German food vocabulary

Let’s start with the basic words and phrases you need to know to talk about food in German. Think about it as ordering the starter for your language meal. 

Basic words and phrases

Let’s go to a restaurant together! Here are the basic words you need to know to order food in German:

das Essenthe food
die Speisekartethe menu
das Getränkthe drink
das Gerichtthe dish
etwas zu essensomething to eat
der Snackthe snack
der Hungerthe hunger
der Durstthe thirst
das Restaurantthe restaurant
der Supermarktthe supermarket
das Lebensmittelgeschäftthe grocery
der Geschmackthe taste
Guten Appetit!Enjoy your meal!
Ich hätte gern…I’d like to have…

Foods and ingredients

If you want to go shopping, you’ll need to know how to talk about German food items. In the following, we’ve listed the most common recipe ingredients — from fruits and vegetables to proteins and starches. 

Fruits in German

die Früchtethe fruits
der Apfelthe apple
die Bananethe banana
die Birnethe pear
die Zitronethe lemon
die Limonethe lime
die Traubenthe grapes
die Aprikosethe apricot
die Kiwithe kiwi
die Ananasthe pineapple
die Erdbeerethe strawberry
die Blaubeerethe blueberry
die Brombeerethe blackberry
die Himbeerethe raspberry
die Orangethe orange
die Zwetschkethe plum
die Melonethe melon
der Pfirsichthe peach

German vegetables

das Gemüsethe vegetables
die Gurkethe cucumber
der Salatthe salad
die Tomatethe tomato
die Paprikathe bell pepper
die Zucchinithe zucchini
die Auberginethe eggplant
die Karotte/die Möhrethe carrot
der Selleriethe celery
die Bohnethe bean
der Blumenkohlthe cauliflower
der Brokkolithe broccoli
der Rosenkohlthe sprout
der Spinatthe spinach
der Lauchthe leek
die Erbsethe pea
der Kürbisthe pumpkin

Proteins in German: Meats, fish and vegan/vegetarian alternatives

das Fleischthe meat
der Fischthe fish
die Putethe turkey
das Huhnthe chicken
das Rindfleischthe beef
das Schweinefleischthe pork
das Steakthe steak
die Wurst/das Würstchenthe sausage
das Hackfleischthe ground meat
das Schnitzelthe schnitzel
das Filetthe filet
die Garnelethe prawn
der Tintenfischthe squid
die Forellethe trout
der Dorschthe cod
der Hummerthe lobster
die Muschelnthe mussel
das Tofuthe tofu
das Seitanthe seitan
das Tempehthe tempeh
das Fleischersatzproduktthe meat substitute

Grains and starches in German

das Getreidethe grain
der Reisthe rice
die Nudelnthe pasta
das Brotthe bread
der Maisthe corn
der Couscousthe couscous
der Quinoathe quinoa
der Roggenthe rye
der Weizenthe wheat
die Haferflockenthe oats
die Linsenthe lentils
die Kichererbsenthe chickpeas
die Bohnenthe beans
die Gerstethe barley

Beverages in German

The most famous German drink? Beer, of course! However, as you can’t survive on beer alone, we’ve listed a few more to help you stay hydrated. Prost!

das Getränkthe drink
das Wasserthe water
der Kaffeethe coffee
der Teethe tea
die heiße Schokoladethe hot chocolate
der Saftthe juice
die SaftschorleMixture of fruit juice and (usually sparkling) water
die Limonadethe lemonade
die Colathe cola
der Weinthe wine
das Bierthe beer
der Schnapsthe hard liquor

German cuisine essentials

Now that we’ve learned the different names for foods and ingredients in German, we can move on to German cuisine. From Bratwurst to Kartoffelpuffer and Brezeln, it’s time to go to a German restaurant and try our top German dishes!

Vocabulary for iconic German dishes

die Bratwurstthe bratwurst (a grilled sausage)
das Schnitzelthe cutlet (breaded and fried meat)
die Kartoffelpufferthe potato pancakes
die Maultaschena kind of pasta stuffed with meat and vegetables
der Stollenthe fruitcake
der Kaiserschmarrncut-up and sugared pancakes with raisins (often enjoyed with applesauce)
der Krapfen/Berliner/Kreppeldoughnut with different fillings, like jelly or vanilla pudding
die Brezelthe (soft) pretzel
der Senfthe mustard
der Schweinebratenthe roast pork
die Schweinshaxethe knuckle of pork
die Knödelthe dumplings (made from potatoes or stale bread)
die Currywurstthe sausage (topped with curry ketchup)
die Schwarzwälder Kirschtortethe Black Forest cherry tart
die Spätzlespaetzle (traditional German food from the South, made by boiling small lumps of dough)
die Käsepätzlespaetzle with melted cheese and onions
der Leberkäsea type of meatloaf popular in Germany and Austria, often enjoyed in a roll 

Typical German mealtimes

Typically, three meals are eaten throughout the day in Germany. Even though a lot of Germans have moved away from the traditional mealtimes and not everyone follows a strict routine, for many, a day would be structured as follows: 

  • Breakfast around 8–9 a.m.
  • Lunch at 12 p.m.
  • Dinner around 6 p.m.

German breakfast is usually cold and consists of bread, muesli and, if you’re feeling fancy, an egg. Lunch used to be the big meal of the day and was served hot, but this has changed for many people due to their work schedules. These days, many working Germans simply grab something small like a sandwich or a salad at noon and eat something warm in the evening when there’s enough time to cook or go to a restaurant. 

das Frühstückthe breakfast
das Mittagessenthe lunch
das Abendessenthe dinner
die Zwischenmahlzeit/der Snackthe snack

How to talk about food in German

Being able to talk about the taste and texture of food is important. How else are you supposed to express how delicious the cake at the small bakery around the corner really is?

Describing taste and preferences

der Geschmackthe taste
schmeckento taste
süßsweet
sauersour
salzigsalty
bitterbitter
umamiumami
scharfhot
herzhafthearty
fruchtigfruity
würzigsavoury
säuerlichslightly sour
süßlichslightly sweet

Food also makes for great small talk when you’re meeting German speakers. These are the most important phrases about taste that you need to know:

Das schmeckt gut!That tastes good!
Was isst du gern?What do you like to eat?
Ich mag am liebsten…I like … the most.
Was ist dein Lieblingsessen?What is your favorite meal?
Das ist lecker!That’s tasty!
Das ist köstlich!That’s delicious!

Unique linguistic quirks about food in German

If you’ve already spent some time in a German-speaking country, you may have witnessed a dispute between people from different German regions about the correct name of a food item. A famous example: the doughnuts often served at Carnival, which are called Kreppel in Hessen, Krapfen in the South, Pfannkuchen in Berlin and Berliner in the West. 

As you might know, German is famous for its compound nouns, i.e. long words consisting of numerous nouns. One food-related compound noun is Lebensmittelgeschäft (grocery shop) which would simply be “grocery” in English. Another common one is Speisekarte (meal card), which translates to “menu.” 

Practical tips for learning German food vocabulary

There’s a lot of great German food to choose from, and even more words to describe it. 

The best way to learn German food vocabulary is to use flashcards. Try to practice a few minutes each day. Continuity goes a long way when you’re trying to learn a new language, and you don’t always have to invest hours to make progress. A great way to make it easier to remember the words is to incorporate visual images into your flashcards.

Most importantly, you should try to actively use the words you’ve learned. While mustering up the courage to speak can be hard, especially for beginners, it’s necessary if you want to be able to use your knowledge in the real world. 

Training in a safe environment can help you on your way to mastering German. That’s why language classes at Lingoda focus on speaking German. In small groups, you’ll get enough time to practice at your own pace and ask questions. 

Also, actually trying the food you’re learning about will make a real difference. Who said that learning vocabulary can’t be a great experience for your taste buds as well? 

Learning about food in German: Vocabulary practice as your daily bread

If you want to learn about food in German, starting with the basics is the best way to go about it. There’s always something new to discover when it comes to food, but in order to remember all the vocabulary about German food items and phrases around food, repetition is necessary. The good news is that practicing vocabulary for just a few minutes each day can make a huge difference. 

When learning a new language, it’s important to use the words you’ve learned, so as not to forget them or freeze in the midst of a real-life conversation. Practicing in a small group in a German course at Lingoda can help you get comfortable speaking German. As the classes are available 24/7, you can easily find time to learn German online when it fits your schedule. 

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Lea Hauke

Lea Hauke

Lea is a writer and translator for English and German and lives in Austria. Her love for literature is only met by her enthusiasm for music. During her studies in Berlin, she started writing for different music magazines and was the singer and drummer of a punk band. When she completed her Masters in English Literature, she moved to Tyrol, where she started her own business. Since then she has made it her mission to help others to find the right words for their ideas and projects. You can find more information about her on her website and on LinkedIn.