In this post, we'll have a look at food vocabulary in German.
Whether you want to order a meal at a German restaurant or
just understand a recipe you've found on Youtube, we'll cover the
most important words in this post.
This article just focuses on food & meals in German.
We have separate posts on German drinks vocabulary or
how to order a coffee in German.
German Food Vocabulary
Let's start with some very common words.
| German | English |
|---|
| das Essen | food |
| das Gericht | dish |
| die Vorspeise | starter |
| das Hauptgericht | main course |
| der Nachtisch | dessert |
| der Snack | snack |
| das Fleisch | meat |
| Molkereiprodukte (pl.) | dairy |
| die Süßigkeiten (pl.) | sweets |
| Backwaren (pl.) | baked goods |
| die Meeresfrüchte (pl.) | seafood |
| die Suppe | soup |
| der Salat | salad |
Meat Vocabulary
German vocabulary related to meat is an essential aspect of the language for anyone interested in cooking, eating, or discussing food in a German-speaking context.
The general word for "meat" in German is "Fleisch", which can refer to the flesh of any animal used as food.
Some common types of meat in German include "Rindfleisch" (beef), "Schweinefleisch" (pork), "Lammfleisch" (lamb), and "Geflügel" (poultry).
| German | English |
|---|
| das Fleisch | meat |
| das Rindfleisch | beef |
| das Hähnchen | chicken |
| der Hähnchenschenkel | chicken leg |
| das Lamm | lamb |
| die Lammkeule | leg of lamb |
| das Steak | steak |
| der Schinken | ham |
| die Wurst | sausage |
| das Hackfleisch | minced meat |
| das Kalbfleisch | veal |
| das Wild | venison |
There are also some useful German verbs that are used
to describe different methods of cooking meat,
such as "braten" (to roast or fry), "grillen" (to grill), and "schmoren" (to stew).
Popular dishes in German cuisine that feature meat are "Schnitzel" (breaded and fried meat), "Currywurst" (sausage with curry-flavored ketchup), and "Bratwurst" (grilled sausage).
Fish & Seafood Vocabulary
In German, seafood is referred to as "Meeresfrüchte" - which literally means "fruits of the sea".
Some common types of seafood in Germany include "Fisch" (fish), "Krebse" (crabs),
"Muscheln" (mussels), and "Krabben" (shrimp). Here is a list of German seafood vocabulary:
| German | English |
|---|
| der Fisch | fish |
| die Muschel | mussels / clams |
| der Lachs | salmon |
| die Forelle | trout |
| das Sushi | sushi |
| der Tintenfisch | squid |
| der Oktopus | octopus |
| die Auster | oyster |
| die Garnele | prawn |
| die Krabbe | crab |
| der Hummer | lobster |
| die Makrele | mackerel |
| die Sardine | sardine |
| die Sardelle | anchovy |
Seafood is often served in restaurants as a main course, and it is also a popular ingredient in
traditional German dishes such as "Fischbrötchen" (fish sandwiches) and "Krabbencocktail" (crab cocktail).
Fruit & Vegetables Vocabulary
| German | English |
|---|
| das Obst | fruits |
| das Gemüse | vegetables |
| der Apfel | apple |
| die Banane | banana |
| die Erdbeere | strawberry |
| der Salat | lettuce |
| die Tomate | tomato |
| die Kartoffel | potato |
| die Melone | melon |
| der Blumenkohl | cauliflower |
| der Brokkoli | broccoli |
| die Erbse | pea |
Breakfast Vocabulary
| German | English |
|---|
| der Kaffee | coffee |
| der Tee | tea |
| der Orangensaft | orange juice |
| das Brötchen | roll (bread) |
| die Butter | butter |
| die Haferflocken | oats (plurlal) |
| das Toastbrot | slice of toast |
| der Toast | toast |
| das Müsli | muesli / cereal |
| der Pfannkuchen | pancake |
| das Rührei | scrambled egg |
| das Spiegelei | fried egg |
Herbs & Spices Vocabulary
| German | English |
|---|
| das Salz | salt |
| der Pfeffer | pepper |
| das Gewürz | spice, herb |
| die Petersilie | parsley |
| der Koriander | coriander |
| das Basilikum | basil |
| der Schnittlauch | chives |
| der Rosmarin | rosemary |
| der Thymian | thyme |
| die Paprika | paprika |
| der Kümmel | cumin |
| der Chili | chili |
| die Nelke | clove |
Dairy Products Vocabulary
| German | English |
|---|
| die Milch | milk |
| der Käse | cheese |
| der Joghurt | yoghurt |
| die Butter | butter |
| die Sahne | cream |
| der Ziegenkäse | goat cheese |
| die Buttermilch | butter milk |
Baked Goods Vocabulary
| German | English |
|---|
| das Brot | bread |
| der Keks | cookie |
| der Kuchen | cake / pie |
| der Bagel | bagel |
| das Brötchen | bread roll |
| der Cupcake | cupcake |
| der Brownie | brownie |
| das Gebäck | pastry |
| die Tarte | tart |
| der Blätterteig | puff pastry |
Pasta, Rice & Grains Vocabulary
| German | English |
|---|
| die Nudeln (pl.) | pasta |
| die Ravioli (pl.) | ravioli |
| die Spaghetti | spaghetti |
| der Reis | rice |
| der Bulgur | bulgur |
| der / das Couscous | couscous |
| das Gnocchi | gnocchi |
| die Maultasche | (Swabian) ravioli |
Sweets & Snacks Vocabulary
| German | English |
|---|
| die Süßigkeiten | sweets |
| der Snack | snack |
| die Schokolade | chocolate |
| die Gummibärchen | gummi bears |
| die Chips | crisps |
| das Popcorn | popcorn |
| die Olive | olive |
| der Cracker | cracker |
| das Studentenfutter | trail mix |
| das Eis am Stiel | popsicle |
| die Erdnuss | peanut |
Common German Meals Vocabulary
| German | English |
|---|
| die Lasagne | lasagna |
| der stramme Max | eggs and ham on toast |
| die Roulade | filled rolled meat |
| die Käsespätzle | egg noodles with cheese |
| der Eintopf | one pot stew |
| der Sauerbraten | marinated meat roast |
| die Schweinshaxe | pickled ham hock |
| das Schnitzel | schnitzel |
| die Frikadelle | meat patty |
| der Döner | doner kebab |
| die Currywurst | currywurst |
| die Mantaplatte | currywurst, fries and mayonnaise |
| Currywurst Pommes Mayo | currywurst, fries and mayonnaise |
| das Fischbrötchen | fish sandwich |
Drinks Vocabulary
| German | English |
|---|
| das Getränk | drink, beverage |
| der Kaffee | coffee |
| der Tee | tea |
| das Wasser | water |
| die Cola | coke |
| die Milch | milk |
| die Limonade | lemonade |
| der Wein | wine |
| das Bier | beer |
Dips, Sauces & Oils Vocabulary
| German | English |
|---|
| das Öl | oil |
| der Zucker | sugar |
| das Ei, die Eier | egg |
| der Ketchup | ketchup |
| die Mayonnaise | mayonnaise |
| der Senf | mustard |
