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Food and eating vocabulary is among the most practical you can learn in German. Whether you are ordering at a restaurant, shopping at a Supermarkt, or following a recipe, these words appear constantly in everyday life. Many food words in German are false friends or have patterns — knowing noun genders here pays off quickly.
Grammar tip
Most food words ending in -e are feminine (die Tomate, die Kartoffel). Words ending in -er from nouns are usually masculine (der Käse, der Zucker, der Pfeffer). Neuter words often describe prepared dishes or meal types (das Frühstück, das Mittagessen, das Abendessen).
| German | English | Level |
|---|---|---|
| das Frühstück | breakfast | A1 |
| das Mittagessen | lunch | A1 |
| das Abendessen | dinner | A1 |
| essen | to eat | A1 |
| trinken | to drink | A1 |
| kochen | to cook | A1 |
| das Brot | bread | A1 |
| die Butter | butter | A1 |
| der Käse | cheese | A1 |
| das Fleisch | meat | A1 |
| das Gemüse | vegetables | A1 |
| das Obst | fruit | A1 |
| die Kartoffel | potato | A1 |
| der Hunger | hunger | A1 |
| lecker | delicious / tasty | A1 |
| die Küche | kitchen / cuisine | A1 |
| das Rezept | recipe | A2 |
| bestellen | to order (food/drink) | A2 |
| die Rechnung | bill / invoice | A2 |
| das Getränk | drink / beverage | A2 |
| der Kellner | waiter | A2 |
| die Speisekarte | menu | A2 |
| das Gericht | dish / meal (cooked) | A2 |
| der Teller | plate | A2 |
| die Portion | portion / serving | A2 |
| vegetarisch | vegetarian | A2 |
| die Zutaten | ingredients | B1 |
| würzen | to season / to spice | B1 |
| die Ernährung | diet / nutrition | B1 |
| allergisch | allergic | B1 |
See these words in action
Butterfluent shows German subtitles on real videos — and highlights noun genders in colour as you watch. Masculine words appear in blue, feminine in pink, neuter in green. Click any word to see its translation, article, and grammar explanation instantly. No more forgetting which article goes with which noun.
Many German food words follow patterns. Nouns ending in -e are usually feminine (die Tomate, die Kartoffel). Nouns ending in -er are often masculine (der Käse, der Pfeffer, der Zucker). Prepared meal names are often neuter (das Frühstück, das Abendessen). Learning these patterns speeds up vocabulary acquisition.
The most important words are: bestellen (to order), die Speisekarte (the menu), die Rechnung (the bill), lecker (delicious), and Ich möchte... (I would like...). Knowing Haben Sie...? (Do you have...?) and Können wir zahlen? (Can we pay?) will cover most restaurant situations in Germany.