How do you say food in German?

The German word for food is das Essen (noun, neuter). You'll also encounter die Speise (dish/food item, used in compound words like Nachspeise for dessert and Speisekarte for menu) and das Lebensmittel (groceries/foodstuffs, used in shopping contexts like Lebensmittelgeschäft for grocery store).

How do you say beer in German?

Beer in German is das Bier (neuter noun). To order one, say Ein Bier, bitte. For a large beer (0.5L), say Ein großes Bier, bitte. At Oktoberfest, beer is served in a Maß — a full liter mug. The most common types are Pils (pilsner), Weizen (wheat beer), Helles (light lager), and Radler (beer mixed with lemonade).

What are essential German restaurant phrases?

The five phrases you need in any German restaurant are: Die Speisekarte, bitte (The menu, please), Ich hätte gerne... (I would like...), Die Rechnung, bitte (The bill, please), Zusammen oder getrennt? (Together or separate?), and Stimmt so (Keep the change). These cover ordering, paying, and tipping.

How much should you tip in Germany?

The standard tip in Germany is 5–10%, not 15–20% as in the US. Service charges are included in menu prices. The easiest way to tip is to round up — if the bill is €17.50, say Achtzehn (eighteen) when paying. Say Stimmt so (keep the change) when handing over cash. Always tip your server directly rather than leaving money on the table.

What is the difference between Sprudelwasser and Stilles Wasser?

Sprudelwasser (also called Sprudel or Mineralwasser mit Kohlensäure) is sparkling water — the default in German restaurants. Stilles Wasser is still (flat) water, which you must specifically request. If you just order Wasser in a German restaurant, you will almost always receive sparkling water. Tap water (Leitungswasser) is safe to drink but rarely served in restaurants.

German Food and Drink Vocabulary: Order Like a Local

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Germany's food culture runs deep. From the morning Brötchen at the corner bakery to the evening Bier at a Biergarten, every meal has its own vocabulary — and its own rituals. If you want to eat well in Germany (and you will), learning the right words makes the difference between pointing at a menu and actually having a conversation with your server.

This guide covers 100+ food and drink words organized by category, complete with der/die/das for every noun. Bookmark the tables, drill the restaurant phrases, and you'll be ordering like a local within a week.

Getränke (Drinks)

Let's start with what Germans care about most at the table: drinks. Germany is a country that takes its beverages seriously — from the morning coffee ritual to the evening beer.

German	Article	English	Notes
das Bier	das	beer	Germany's national drink
der Wein	der	wine	Strong wine regions along the Rhine and Mosel
der Kaffee	der	coffee	Germans drink more coffee than beer per capita
der Tee	der	tea	Popular in northern Germany
der Saft	der	juice	der Orangensaft, der Apfelsaft
das Wasser	das	water	Always specify: sparkling or still
das Sprudelwasser	das	sparkling water	Also called Sprudel — the German default
das Stilles Wasser	das	still water	You must ask for this specifically
die Limonade	die	lemonade / soft drink	Not the same as American lemonade
die Milch	die	milk	die Vollmilch (whole), die Magermilch (skim)
der Kakao	der	hot chocolate	Pronounced kah-KOW
die Schorle	die	spritzer	Apfelschorle = apple juice + sparkling water

One cultural note that trips up visitors: when you order Wasser in a German restaurant, you will get sparkling water unless you say otherwise. Ask for Stilles Wasser if you want it flat. And Leitungswasser (tap water) is drinkable but rarely served in restaurants — it's considered unusual to request it.

Study Tip: Apfelschorle is one of the most popular drinks in Germany and a great conversation starter. Order one at any restaurant and you'll blend right in — plus it gives you an excuse to practice saying a compound word.

Frühstück (Breakfast)

German breakfast is a serious affair. Hotels lay out elaborate buffets, and even a simple home breakfast involves fresh bread, cold cuts, and cheese. Here's what you'll find on the table.

German	Article	English
das Brötchen	das	bread roll
das Brot	das	bread
das Vollkornbrot	das	whole grain bread
die Butter	die	butter
die Marmelade	die	jam
der Honig	der	honey
das Müsli	das	muesli / granola
das Ei	das	egg
das gekochte Ei	das	boiled egg
das Rührei	das	scrambled eggs
das Spiegelei	das	fried egg (sunny side up)
der Käse	der	cheese
die Wurst	die	sausage / cold cuts
der Schinken	der	ham
der Joghurt	der	yogurt
das Croissant	das	croissant

The word Brötchen changes by region. In Bavaria, it's die Semmel. In Berlin, it's die Schrippe. In Hamburg, das Rundstück. If you learn one, learn Brötchen — everyone understands it.

For more everyday vocabulary to pair with your breakfast reading, see our essential German words guide.

Mittagessen und Abendessen (Lunch and Dinner)

This is where German cuisine shines. Hearty, satisfying, and built around meat, potatoes, and sauces. Here are the dishes and ingredients you'll encounter most.

Hauptgerichte (Main Dishes)

German	Article	English
das Schnitzel	das	breaded cutlet (usually pork or veal)
die Bratwurst	die	grilled sausage
die Currywurst	die	sausage with curry ketchup
das Hähnchen	das	chicken
der Schweinebraten	der	roast pork
der Sauerbraten	der	marinated pot roast
die Forelle	die	trout
der Eintopf	der	stew (one-pot dish)
die Suppe	die	soup
der Auflauf	der	casserole / gratin

Beilagen (Side Dishes)

German	Article	English
die Kartoffel	die	potato
die Pommes frites	die (pl.)	french fries (say "POM-mess")
der Kartoffelsalat	der	potato salad
die Kartoffelpuffer	die (pl.)	potato pancakes
das Sauerkraut	das	fermented cabbage
die Spätzle	die (pl.)	egg noodles (Swabian specialty)
der Knödel	der	dumpling
der Reis	der	rice
die Nudeln	die (pl.)	pasta / noodles
der Salat	der	salad

Spätzle deserves special mention. These soft, irregular egg noodles from southwestern Germany are comfort food at its finest. You'll find them as a side dish throughout Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, often topped with cheese (Käsespätzle) as a main course.

Obst (Fruits)

Fruit vocabulary is practical for shopping at markets, reading menus, and understanding ingredients. Every noun here comes with its article — learn them together.

German	Article	English
der Apfel	der	apple
die Birne	die	pear
die Erdbeere	die	strawberry
die Banane	die	banana
die Kirsche	die	cherry
die Traube	die	grape
die Orange	die	orange
die Zitrone	die	lemon
die Himbeere	die	raspberry
die Blaubeere	die	blueberry
der Pfirsich	der	peach
die Pflaume	die	plum
die Wassermelone	die	watermelon

Study Tip: Notice the pattern — most fruits ending in -e are feminine (die). Der Apfel and der Pfirsich are the main exceptions. Patterns like this reduce the memorization burden significantly.

Gemüse (Vegetables)

German markets (Wochenmärkte) are a vocabulary goldmine. You'll hear these words shouted across stalls every Saturday morning.

German	Article	English
die Tomate	die	tomato
die Gurke	die	cucumber
die Zwiebel	die	onion
der Salat	der	lettuce / salad
die Karotte	die	carrot
die Kartoffel	die	potato
der Kohl	der	cabbage
der Blumenkohl	der	cauliflower
der Brokkoli	der	broccoli
die Paprika	die	bell pepper
der Knoblauch	der	garlic
der Pilz	der	mushroom
die Bohne	die	bean
die Erbse	die	pea
der Spargel	der	asparagus

Spargel (asparagus) is practically a religion in Germany. Every spring from April to June, the country enters Spargelzeit (asparagus season). Restaurants create entire menus around white asparagus, and roadside stands pop up everywhere. If you visit Germany in spring, you will encounter Spargel — guaranteed.

Deutsche Bierkultur (German Beer Culture)

Germany's relationship with beer is codified in law. The Reinheitsgebot (beer purity law) has regulated German brewing since 1516, allowing only water, barley, and hops as ingredients. Understanding beer vocabulary is both practical and culturally essential.

Beer Types

German	English	Description
das Weizen	wheat beer	Cloudy, fruity, served in tall glasses
das Pils	pilsner	Crisp, bitter, most popular in northern Germany
das Helles	light lager	Malty, smooth, Munich's go-to beer
das Dunkles	dark beer	Rich, malty, lower bitterness
das Radler	shandy	Beer mixed with lemonade (50/50)
das Kölsch	Kölsch	Light, top-fermented, served only in Cologne
das Altbier	Altbier	Copper-colored, Düsseldorf's specialty
der Maßkrug / die Maß	liter mug / liter of beer	Pronounced "MAHSS" — standard at Oktoberfest

Beer Ordering Phrases

Ein Bier, bitte. — A beer, please.
Ein großes Bier, bitte. — A large beer, please. (usually 0.5L)
Ein kleines Bier, bitte. — A small beer, please. (usually 0.3L)
Noch eins, bitte. — Another one, please.
Haben Sie Weizenbier vom Fass? — Do you have wheat beer on tap?
Prost! — Cheers!

When you say Prost, make eye contact. Germans consider it bad luck (and bad manners) to clink glasses without looking the other person in the eye. This is one of the most consistent cultural rules you'll encounter.

For more essential phrases for social situations, see our common German phrases guide.

Restaurant Phrases: From Entering to Paying

These are the phrases that turn a stressful restaurant experience into an enjoyable one. Memorize them as complete chunks.

Seating and Ordering

German	English
Einen Tisch für zwei, bitte.	A table for two, please.
Die Speisekarte, bitte.	The menu, please.
Ich hätte gerne...	I would like...
Was können Sie empfehlen?	What can you recommend?
Ich nehme das Schnitzel.	I'll have the schnitzel.
Ohne Zwiebeln, bitte.	Without onions, please.
Ist das scharf?	Is that spicy?
Ich bin Vegetarier/Vegetarierin.	I'm vegetarian. (m/f)
Ich bin Veganer/Veganerin.	I'm vegan. (m/f)
Haben Sie glutenfreie Gerichte?	Do you have gluten-free dishes?

During the Meal

Guten Appetit! — Enjoy your meal! (said before eating)
Das schmeckt sehr gut. — This tastes very good.
Können Sie mir noch Brot bringen? — Can you bring me more bread?
Noch ein Wasser, bitte. — Another water, please.

Paying

German	English
Die Rechnung, bitte.	The bill, please.
Zusammen oder getrennt?	Together or separate?
Zusammen, bitte.	Together, please.
Getrennt, bitte.	Separately, please.
Kann ich mit Karte zahlen?	Can I pay by card?
Stimmt so.	Keep the change.

Study Tip: Practice the full ordering sequence as a script: greet the server → request the menu → order with "Ich hätte gerne..." → ask for the bill → pay. Rehearsing the complete flow builds muscle memory that kicks in under real-world pressure.

Trinkgeld: Tipping Culture in Germany

Tipping in Germany works differently than in the US or UK. Understanding the system prevents both under-tipping (awkward) and over-tipping (unnecessary).

The standard tip is 5–10%, not 15–20%. Service charges are typically included in menu prices, and servers earn a living wage. Tipping is a gesture of appreciation, not a wage supplement.

How to tip properly:

Round up — If the bill is €17.50, say "Achtzehn" (eighteen) when paying. Quick, natural, appreciated.
Say the amount — Tell the server the total you want to pay, including tip. Bill is €42? Say "Fünfundvierzig, bitte" (forty-five, please).
Use "Stimmt so" — Hand over your payment and say Stimmt so (keep the change). This works with both cash and card.

Important: tip your server directly. Leaving money on the table after walking away is not standard practice in Germany and your tip may not reach the right person.

For number vocabulary you'll need when paying, our German numbers guide covers everything from 1 to 1,000.

Useful Compound Words for Food

German builds food vocabulary through compounds. Once you know the base words, new combinations become self-explanatory.

Compound	Parts	Meaning
der Apfelsaft	Apfel + Saft	apple juice
das Erdnussbutter	Erdnuss + Butter	peanut butter
der Kartoffelsalat	Kartoffel + Salat	potato salad
die Orangenmarmelade	Orangen + Marmelade	orange marmalade
das Schweinefleisch	Schwein + Fleisch	pork (pig + meat)
das Rindfleisch	Rind + Fleisch	beef (cattle + meat)
das Hähnchenfleisch	Hähnchen + Fleisch	chicken (meat)
der Weißwein	weiß + Wein	white wine
der Rotwein	rot + Wein	red wine
die Nachspeise	nach + Speise	dessert (after + dish)

This pattern is one of German's superpowers for learners. Our essential German words guide explains how compound word logic works across all categories.

At the Market and Grocery Store

Shopping for food requires a slightly different vocabulary set than restaurants. Here are the phrases that matter most.

Was kostet das? — What does that cost?
Ein Kilo Äpfel, bitte. — One kilo of apples, please.
Zweihundert Gramm Käse, bitte. — Two hundred grams of cheese, please.
Eine Tüte, bitte. — A bag, please. (you usually pay for bags)
Ist das Bio? — Is that organic?
Wo finde ich die Milch? — Where do I find the milk?

Germany uses the metric system. Meat and cheese at the deli counter are ordered in grams: hundert Gramm (100g), zweihundert Gramm (200g). Fruits and vegetables are sold by the kilo or per piece (pro Stück).

If you're planning a trip to Germany and want to practice these phrases in context, explore our German travel phrases guide for the full travel vocabulary toolkit.

Putting It All Together: Your Food Vocabulary Action Plan

Week 1: Learn the drinks and breakfast tables. Create a flashcard deck using the LangPodTools flashcard tool and drill daily until recall is instant.

Week 2: Add the main dishes, fruits, and vegetables. Focus on learning each noun with its article — der Apfel, not just "Apfel."

Week 3: Memorize the restaurant phrases as complete scripts. Practice the ordering sequence out loud. Pair this with podcast episodes from our German learning hub to hear these words in natural conversation.

For travel-specific vocabulary beyond food, our German travel phrases guide covers directions, transport, hotels, and emergencies.