How to order food in German: A big restaurant menu & dining guide

Do you remember the German word “Gaumenschmaus”? It literally translates to “a party for the gums” and describes a delicious meal.

German-speaking countries have quite a few of those and you’re about to learn them all - from “Käsespätzle” to “Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte”!

When you’re learning German, you don’t wanna skip this specific chapter of your language learning journey. There are too many good reasons why you’ll need all the fun food vocab that German has to offer:

1. Trying new foods is a highlight of getting to know a different culture

A country’s cuisine tells you so much about its culture. It’s fascinating to see what people consume in other countries and oftentimes it hints at their landscapes and lifestyles. Many of the commonly consumed foods also find their way into idioms and sayings, so learning about them will help you understand a country’s everyday language better.

2. Finding food is a basic survival skill

You literally need food to survive, so when you’re in Germany, Austria or Switzerland, it’s crucial that you’re able to find or order food and also make sure you know its ingredients, especially if you have food allergies. So study like your life depends on it!

3. Try out German recipes

German cuisine can be delicious. Whether you’re trying to cook “Knödel” or bake a “Käsekuchen”, you’ll find an abundance of recipes online and if you want the most authentic ones, you should google them in German!

We’ll help you translate recipes, teach you how to order food at a restaurant in German and how to make sure you understand all the ingredients to avoid any unpleasant surprises in a dish you don’t know.

As a bonus, we’ll give you a free downloadable restaurant menu in German, so you can go ahead and practice your newly acquired skills right away!

German phrases for restaurant dining

In Germany, takeout is a little less common than in the US and restaurants are also not an everyday thing for most of us. Fresh foods are significantly cheaper, so many people tend to cook in order to save money.

Of course everyone has their own unique eating habits and preferences. Some people never eat breakfast. Some go out to restaurants every weekend, and some prefer to eat their meals with chopsticks.

There are so many things to consider when we talk about food: mealtimes, utensils, dietary habits and food allergies - And we want to make sure you know the German expressions for all those things.

Restaurant vocabulary in German

English	German	IPA
Meal	Mahlzeit	[ˈmaːlˌtsaɪ̯t]
Dish	Gericht	[ɡəˈʁɪçt]
Breakfast	Frühstück	[ˈfʁyːˌʃtʏk]
Lunch	Mittag	[ˈmɪtaːk]
Dinner	Abendbrot	[aːbntˌbːot]
Starter	Vorspeise	[ˈfoːɐ̯ˌʃpaɪ̯zə]
Small dish	Kleines Gericht	[ˈklaɪ̯nəs ɡəˈʁɪçt]
Entrée	Hauptgang	[ˈhaʊ̯ptˌɡaŋ]
Main	Hauptgericht	[ˈhaʊ̯ptɡəˌʁɪçt]
Table	Tisch	[tɪʃ]
Menu	Speisekarte	[ˈʃpaɪ̯zəˌkaʁtə]
Utensils	Besteck	[bəˈʃtɛk]
Knife	Messer	[ˈmɛsɐ]
Fork	Gabel	[ˈɡaːbl̩]
Spoon	Löffel	[ˈlœfl]
Teaspoon	Teelöffel	[ˈteːˌlœfl]
Chopsticks	Stäbchen	[ˈʃtɛːpçən]
Bread	Brot	[bʁoːt]
Napkin	Serviette	[zɛʁˈvi̯ɛtə]
Salt	Salz	[zalts]
Pepper	Pfeffer	[ˈpfɛfɐ]
Waiter	Kellner	[ˈkɛlnɐ]
Waitress	Kellnerin	[ˈkɛlnəʁɪn]
Host	Wirt	[vɪʁt]
Hostess	Wirtin	[ˈvɪʁtɪn]
Chef	Koch; Köchin	[kɔx; ˈkœçɪn]
Water	Wasser	[ˈvasɐ]
Wine	Wein	[vaɪ̯n]
Food	Essen	[ˈɛsn̩]
Drinks	Getränke	[ɡəˈtʁɛŋkə]
Glass	Glas	[ɡlaːs]
Plate	Teller	[ˈtɛlɐ]
Cup	Tasse	[ˈtasə]
Bowl	Schüssel	[ˈʃʏsl̩]
Bottle	Flasche	[ˈflaʃə]
Vegetarian	Vegetarisch	[veɡeˈtaːʁɪʃ]
Gluten free	Glutenfrei	[ɡluˈteːnˌfʁaɪ̯]
Dairy free	Milchfrei	[mɪlçfʁaɪ̯]
Vegan	Vegan	[veˈɡaːn]
Plant-based	Pflanzlich	[pflantslɪç]
Pescatarian	Pescetarisch	[pɛskeˈtaːʁɪʃ]
Fat-reduced	Fettarm	[ˈfɛtˌʔaʁm]
Fat-free	Fettfrei	[fɛtfʁaɪ̯]
Lactose-free	Lactosefrei	[lakˈtoːzəˌfʁaɪ̯]
Egg-free	Eifrei	[aɪ̯fʁaɪ̯]
Allergic	Allergisch	[ˌaˈlɛʁɡɪʃ]
Kosher	Koscher	[ˈkoːʃɐ]
Halal	Halal	[haˈlaːl]

How to ask for a table in German

It’s helpful to know how to make a reservation in German. Especially if you’re planning to dine at a smaller local restaurant outside of the bigger cities, the hosts may not speak English.

Be brave and call them ahead of time. It’s great practice!

Most importantly, remember to tell the restaurant which time you’re planning to come in and the number of people in your party.

English	German	IPA
I would like to make a reservation for three people, please.	Ich möchte bitte für drei Personen reservieren.	[ɪç ˈmœçtə bɪtə fy:ɐ̯ dʁaɪ̯ pɛɐ̯zo:nən ʁɛzɛɐ̯vi:ʁən]
Hello! A table for two people please!	Hallo! Einen Tisch für zwei Personen bitte!	[halo: aɪ̯nən tɪʃ fy:ɐ̯ tsvaɪ̯ pɛɐ̯zo:nən bɪtə]
Do you have any tables available for a group of four?	Haben Sie Platz für eine Gruppe von vier Personen?	[ha:bən zi: plats fy:ɐ̯ aɪ̯nə gʁʊpə fɔn fi:ɐ̯ pɛɐ̯zo:nən]
Is it free seating?	Kann man sich einfach irgendwo setzen?	[kan man zɪç aɪ̯nfax ɪɐ̯gəntvo: zɛt͡sən]
Can we sit where we want?	Können wir sitzen, wo wir wollen?	[kœnən vi:ɐ̯ zɪt͡sən vo: vi:ɐ̯ vɔlən]
Can we sit here?	Können wir hier sitzen?	[kœnən vi:ɐ̯ hi:ɐ̯ zɪt͡sən]
Can I take this chair?	Kann ich den Stuhl nehmen?	[kan ɪç de:n ʃtʊl ne:mən]
Is there room at the bar?	Gibt es freie Plätze an der Bar?	[gi:pt ɛs fʁaɪ̯ə plɛt͡sə an de:ɐ̯ ba:ɐ̯]
Can we get a table on the inside?	Können wir einen Tisch drinnen bekommen?	[kœnən vi:ɐ̯ aɪ̯nən tɪʃ dʁɪnən bəkɔmən]
Can we get a table on the outside?	Können wir einen Tisch draußen bekommen?	[kœnən vi:ɐ̯ aɪ̯nən tɪʃ dʁaʊ̯szən bəkɔmən]
Can we get a spot by the window?	Können wir einen Fensterplatz bekommen?	[kœnən vi:ɐ̯ aɪ̯nən fɛnstɐplat͡s bəkɔmən]
How long is the wait?	Wie ist die Wartezeit?	[vi: ɪst di: vaɐ̯tət͡saɪ̯t]
How long are you open until?	Bis wann habt ihr geöffnet?	[bɪs van ha:pt i:ɐ̯ gəœfnət]

How to order at a restaurant in German

It can be challenging to order food at a restaurant in a different country. Most of the menu items may look unfamiliar and then there’s the language barrier. Just keep in mind that if you do it right, the reward is gonna be a delicious meal that is exactly what you’ve been craving!

English	German	IPA
Can I get that to go?	Kann ich das zum Mitnehmen bestellen?	[kan ɪç das tsʊm mɪtne:mən bəʃtɛlən]
Could I please see the drinks menu?	Könnte ich die Getränkekarte sehen?	[kœntə ɪç di: gətʁɛŋkəkaɐ̯tə ze:ən]
What are the vegetarian options?	Was sind die vegetarischen Optionen?	[vas zɪnt di: ve:ge:taʁɪʃən ɔpt͡sjo:nən]
Do you have vegan options?	Gibt es vegane Optionen?	[gi:pt ɛs ve:ga:nə ɔpt͡sjo:nən]
I’m allergic to…	Ich bin allergisch auf…	[ɪç bɪn alɛɐ̯gɪʃ aʊ̯f]
May I please order a bottle of wine?	Kann ich bitte eine Flasche Wein bekommen?	[kan ɪç bɪtə aɪ̯nə flaʃə vaɪ̯n bəkɔmən]
May I please order a cocktail?	Kann ich bitte einen Cocktail bekommen?	[kan ɪç bɪtə aɪ̯nən kɔktɛ:aɪ̯ bəkɔmən]
May I please get a glass of water?	Kann ich bitte ein Glas Wasser bekommen?	[kan ɪç bɪtə aɪ̯n gla:s vasɐ bəkɔmən]
A bottle of water for the table, please.	Eine Flasche Wasser für den Tisch, bitte.	[aɪ̯nə flaʃə vasɐ fy:ɐ̯ de:n tɪʃ bɪtə]
Which wine do you recommend?	Welchen Wein empfehlen Sie?	[vɛlçən vaɪ̯n ɛmp͡fe:lən zi:]
What do you recommend?	Was empfehlen Sie?	[vas ɛmp͡fe:lən zi:]
What’s your favorite here?	Was mögen Sie hier am liebsten?	[vas ˈmøːɡn̩ zi: hi:ɐ̯ am ˈliːpstn]
Can I get…	Kann ich … bekommen?	[kan ɪç … bəkɔmən]
I’ll have the…	Ich nehme …	[ɪç ne:mə]
Can I get the sauce on the side?	Kann ich die Soße an der Seite kriegen?	[kan ɪç di: ˈzoːsə an de:ɐ̯ zaɪ̯tə kʁi:gən]
Can I have that with extra veggies?	Kann ich das mit extra Gemüse haben?	[kan ɪç das mɪt ɛkstʁa gəmy:zə ha:bən]
Can I substitute the meat for tofu?	Kann ich das Fleisch mit Tofu ersetzen?	[kan ɪç das flaɪ̯ʃ mɪt to:fʊ ɛɐ̯zɛt͡sən]
What are the specials of the day?	Was sind die Angebote des Tages?	[vas zɪnt di: angəbo:tə dɛs ta:gəs]
I’m hungry	Ich hab Hunger.	[ɪç ha:p hʊŋɐ]
I’m starving	Ich bin am Verhungern.	[ɪç bɪn am fɛɐ̯hʊŋɐn]
I’m good	Ich bin satt.	[ɪç bɪn zat]
I’m so full	Ich bin so voll.	[ɪç bɪn zo: fɔl]
Could I please have the check/bill?	Kann ich bitte die Rechnung bekommen?	[kan ɪç bɪtə di: ʁɛçnʊŋ bəkɔmən]
It was very tasty!	Es war sehr lecker!	[ɛs va:ɐ̯ ze:ɐ lɛkɐ]
That was delicious!	Das war vorzüglich!	[das va:ɐ̯ fo:ɐ̯t͡sy:klɪç]
Compliments to the chef!	Mein Kompliment an den Koch oder die Köchin!	[maɪ̯n kɔmplɪmɛnt an de:n kɔx o:dɐ di: kœçɪn]
Is the tip included?	Ist das Trinkgeld inbegriffen?	[ɪst das tʁɪŋkgɛlt ɪnbəgʁɪfən]
Do you tip here?	Gibt man hier Trinkgeld?	[gi:pt man hi:ɐ̯ tʁɪŋkgɛlt]
Can you add a 20% tip to that?	Können Sie 20 Prozent Trinkgeld dazugeben?	[kœnən zi: ˈtsvantsɪç pʁoˈt͡sɛnt ˈtʁɪŋkˌɡelt daˈtsuˌɡeːbn]
Do you take American Express?	Akzeptieren Sie American Express?	[aktsɛpti:ʁən zi: ame:ʁɪkən ɛkspʁɛs]
I’d like to pay cash	Ich möchte bar bezahlen.	[ɪç ˈmœçtə ba:ɐ̯ bəˈtsalən]

Conversation example with translation

We want to give you the opportunity to practice real dialogues. So here’s a possible conversation between you and a German restaurant worker when you first enter a restaurant.

Speaker	English	German	IPA
You	Hello, a table for two, please.	Hallo, einen Tisch für zwei, bitte.	[halo: aɪ̯nən tɪʃ fy:ɐ̯ tsvaɪ bɪtə]
Waiter	Do you prefer inside or outside?	Lieber drinnen oder draußen?	[li:bɐ dʁɪnən o:dɐ dʁaʊ̯szən]
You	Outside, please. The weather is so nice today.	Draußen, bitte. Das Wetter ist so schön heute.	[dʁaʊ̯szən bɪtə. das vɛtɐ ɪst zo: ʃø:n hɔʏ̯tə]
Waiter	Sure, follow me please. Here’s the menu.	Gerne, folgen Sie mir bitte. Hier ist die Speisekarte.	[gɛɐ̯nə, fɔlgən zi: mi:ɐ̯ bɪtə. hi:ɐ̯ ɪst di: ʃpaɪ̯zɛkaɐ̯tə]
You	Thank you!	Danke!	[daŋkə]

German phrases for restaurant workers and waiters

The restaurant staff might ask you a number of questions but don’t worry. Keep in mind they just want to make sure you have everything you need. Just keep saying please and thank you and they’re guaranteed to forgive you for needing some time to understand them.

English	German	IPA
Would you like still or sparkling water?	Hätten Sie gern stilles Wasser oder Sprudelwasser?	[hɛtən zi: gɛɐ̯n ʃtɪləs vasɐ o:dɐ ʃpʁu:dəlvasɐ]
What would you like to drink?	Was würden Sie gerne trinken?	[vas ˈvʏʁdn̩ zi: gɛɐ̯nə tʁɪŋkən]
What would you like to eat?	Was würden Sie gerne essen?	[vas ˈvʏʁdn̩ zi: gɛɐ̯nə ˈɛsn̩]
Would you like to order?	Möchten Sie bestellen?	[møçtən zi: bəʃtɛlən]
Would you like to hear the daily specials?	Möchten Sie die Tagesgerichte hören?	[ˈmœçtn zi: di: ta:gəsgəʁɪçtə hø:ʁən]
Would you like to see the dessert menu?	Möchten Sie die Dessertkarte sehen?	[ˈmœçtn zi: di: dɛˈseːɐ̯kaɐ̯tə ze:ən]
Would you like a high chair?	Möchten Sie einen Hochstuhl?	[ˈmœçtn zi: aɪ̯nən ho:xʃtu:l]
Another drink?	Noch einen Drink?	[nɔx aɪ̯nən dʁɪŋk]
Is there anything else you’d like?	Darf es sonst noch etwas sein?	[daɐ̯f ɛs zɔnst nɔx ɛtvas zaɪ̯n]
How is your meal?	Wie schmeckt Ihr Essen?	[vi: ʃmɛkt i:ɐ̯ ɛsən]
How was it?	Wie war’s?	[vi: va:ɐ̯s]
Can I take this plate?	Kann ich diesen Teller abräumen?	[kan ɪç di:zən tɛlɐ ˈapˌʁɔɪ̯mən]
Was everything to your satisfaction?	War alles zu Ihrer Zufriedenheit?	[va:ɐ̯ aləs tsu: i:ʁɐ tsu:fʁi:dənhaɪ̯t]
Would you like a box for takeaway?	Möchten Sie eine Box zum Mitnehmen?	[ˈmœçtn zi: aɪ̯nə bɔks tsʊm mɪtne:mən]
Do you have room for dessert?	Möchten Sie noch Nachtisch?	[møçtən zi: nɔx naxtɪʃ]

Conversation example with translation

Once you sit down, the conversation can get a little bit more complex, depending on how picky you are and how much you need to know about a dish before you order. Focus on these basics.

Speaker	English	German	IPA
Waitress	Would you like sparkling water or still water?	Möchten Sie Sprudelwasser oder stilles Wasser?	[ˈmœçtn zi: ʃpʁu:dəlvasɐ o:dɐ ʃtɪləs vasɐ]
You	Still water please.	Stilles Wasser bitte.	[ʃtɪləs vasɐ bɪtə]
Waitress	And do you already know what you’d like to order or do you need a moment?	Und wissen Sie schon, was Sie bestellen möchten oder brauchen Sie noch einen Moment?	[ʊnt vɪsən zi: ʃo:n vas zi: bəʃtɛlən ˈmœçtn o:dɐ bʁaʊ̯xən zi: nɔx aɪ̯nən mo:mɛnt]
You	What do you recommend?	Was empfehlen Sie denn?	[vas ɛmp͡fe:lən zi: dɛn]
Waitress	I can recommend the “Leipziger Allerlei”.	Ich kann das Leipziger Allerlei empfehlen.	[ɪç kan das laɪ̯pt͡sɪgɐ alɐlaɪ̯ ɛmp͡fe:lən]
You	Is that vegetarian?	Ist das vegetarisch?	[ɪst das ve:ge:taʁɪʃ]
Waitress	Yes, it’s a vegetable dish.	Ja, das ist ein Gemüsegericht.	[ja:, das ɪst aɪ̯n ɡəˈmyːzəɡəˌʁɪçt]
You	Sounds good. Then I’ll take that.	Klingt gut. Dann nehme ich das.	[klɪŋt gu:t. dan ne:mə ɪç das]
Waitress	Coming right up.	Kommt sofort.	[kɔmt zo:fɔɐ̯t]

Restaurant menu in German

Many Germans are vegetarian or vegan and we sure love our plant-based meals! So check out our German veggie guide and our fruit guide in German first of all.

Of course some more traditional German meals are more meat-heavy and we’ll teach you about those, too.

English	German	IPA
Vegetables	Gemüse	[ɡəˈmyːzə]
Fruits	Früchte; Obst	[ˈfʁʏçtə; ɔpst]
Rice	Reis	[ʁaɪ̯s]
Pizza	Pizza	[ˈpɪt͡sa]
Pasta	Pasta	[ˈpasta]
Noodles	Nudeln	[ˈnuːdln]
Vegetable stir-fry	Gemüsepfanne	[ɡəˈmyːzəˈp͡fanə]
Bread	Brot	[bʁoːt]
Bread spread	Aufstrich	[ˈaʊ̯fˌʃtʁɪç]
Cold cuts	Aufschnitt	[ˈaʊ̯fʃnɪt]
Burger	Burger	[ˈbœːɐ̯ɡɐ]
French fries	Fritten; Pommes	[ˈfʁɪtn̩; ˈpɔməs]
Grilled cheese sandwich	Käsetoast	[ˈkɛːzətoːst]
Tacos	Tacos	[ˈtakos]
Stew	Eintopf	[ˈaɪ̯nˌtɔp͡f]
Casserole	Auflauf	[ˈaʊ̯fˌlaʊ̯f]
Tater tots	Kartoffelröllchen	[kaʁˈtɔfl̩ˈʁœlçən]
Salad	Salat	[zaˈlaːt]
Soup	Suppe	[ˈzʊpə]
Sauce	Soße	[ˈzoːsə]
Dip	Dip	[dɪp]
Sandwich	Sandwich	[ˈzɛntvɪt͡ʃ]
Meat	Fleisch	[flaɪ̯ʃ]
Pork	Schweinefleisch	[ˈʃvaɪ̯nəˌflaɪ̯ʃ]
Steak	Steak	[stɛɪ̯k]
Chicken	Hühnchen	[ˈhyːnçən]
Fish	Fisch	[fɪʃ]
Seafood	Meeresfrüchte	[ˈmeːʁəsˌfʁʏçtə]
Prawns	Garnelen	[ɡaʁˈneːlən]
Oysters	Austern	[ˈaʊ̯stɐn]
Mussels	Muscheln	[ˈmʊʃl̩n]
Squid	Tintenfisch	[ˈtɪntn̩ˌfɪʃ]
Paella	Paella	[paˈɛlja]
Sushi	Sushi	[ˈsuʃi]
Bibimbap	Bibimbap	[bi:bɪmbap]
Pad Thai	Pad Thai	[pe:t taɪ̯]
Aloo Gobi	Kartoffeln mit Blumenkohl	[kaʁˈtɔfl̩n mɪt ˈbluːmənkoːl]
Dumplings	Maultaschen	[ˈmaʊ̯lˌtaʃn̩]
Meatballs	Frikadellen	[fʁikaˈdɛlən]
Doner; Kebab	Döner	[ˈdœnɛr]
Potatoes	Kartoffeln	[kaʁˈtɔfl̩n]
Mashed potatoes	Kartoffelbrei	[kaʁˈtɔfl̩ˌbʁaɪ̯]
Chipped potatoes	Bratkartoffeln	[ˈbʁaːtkaʁˌtɔfəln]
Hash browns	Kartoffelpuffer; Reibekuchen	[kaʁˈtɔfl̩ˌpʊfɐ; ʁaɪ̯bəˌkuːxn̩]
Spaetzle / German egg dumplings	Spätzle	[ˈʃpɛt͡slə]
German dumpling balls	Knödel; Klöpse; Klöße	[ˈknøːdl; ˈklœpsə; ˈkløːsə]
Yeast dumplings	Dampfnudeln	[ˈdampfnuːdln]
Roulades	Rouladen	[ʁuˈlaːdn̩]
Schnitzel	Schnitzel	[ˈʃnɪt͡sl̩]
Bratwurst	Bratwurst	[ˈbʁaːtˌvʊʁst]
Asparagus with hollandaise sauce	Spargel mit Sauce Hollandaise	[ˈʃpaʁɡl̩ mɪt zoːs ɔlɑ̃ˈdɛːs]
Kale with caramelized potatoes	Grünkohl mit süßen Kartoffeln	[ˈɡʁyːnˌkoːl mɪt ˈzyːsn kaʁˈtɔfl̩n]

Desserts in German

The German word for dessert is “Nachtisch”, literally translated as “After-table”. Germans know how to make some great cakes and German and Swiss chocolate are world famous for a reason!

English	German	IPA
Cake	Kuchen	[ˈkuːxn]
Pie	Torte	[ˈtɔʁtə]
Icecream	Eis	[aɪ̯s]
Gelato	Gelato	[ʒelaˈto]
Mousse	Mousse	[mʊs]
Chocolate mousse	Mousse au Cho·co·lat	[mʊsoʃɔkɔˈla]
Chocolate	Schokolade	[ʃokoˈlaːdə]
Filled chocolates	Pralinen	[pʁaˈliːnən]
Cookies	Kekse	[ˈkeːksə]
Pannacotta	Pannacotta	[panaˈkɔta]
Crème brulée	Crème brulée	[kʁɛːm bʁyˈleː]
Churros	Churros	[tʃuˈʁoːz]
Tiramisu	Tiramisu	[tiʁamiˈzuː]
Baklava	Baklava	[ˈbaklava]
Mochi	Mochi	[ˈmoːçiː]
Apple strudel	Apfelstrudel	[ˈapfltʁudl]
Rice pudding	Milchreis	[ˈmɪlçʁaɪ̯s]
Semolina pudding	Grießbrei	[ˈɡʁiːsˌbʁaɪ̯]
Chocolate blancmange	Schokoladenpudding	[ʃokoˈlaːdn̩ˌpʊdɪŋ]
Vanilla blancmange	Vanillepudding	[vaˈnɪləˌpʊdɪŋ]
Jello	Wackelpudding, Götterspeise	[vaklˌpʊdɪŋ; ˈɡœtɐˌʃpaɪ̯zə]
Red berry compote	Rote Grütze	[ˈʁoːtə ˈɡʁʏt͡sə]
Pancakes	Pfannkuchen	[pfankuxn]
Waffles	Waffeln	[ˈvafln]
Crêpe	Crêpe	[kʁɛp]
Banana bread	Bananenbrot	[baˈnaːnənˌbʁoːt]

Test your knowledge

Now that you know how to order food in German, try ordering something off of our Berlitz German menu. There are lots of local specials to choose from.

What to expect from German food

No free water

When you’re out in a restaurant, don’t expect the water to be free. It’s usually just as much as soda, and Germans will buy it anyway because it’s the most popular (and healthiest) option to go with your meal.

Tips are not a necessity like they are in the US

Tips are certainly appreciated but service workers in tipped positions are not excluded from the minimum wage like they are in the US. So a service worker's wage does not depend on the guest's generosity.

Expect smaller fridges and tiny freezers

Germans eat a lot less processed and frozen foods. Fresh foods are more affordable and more popular, too. Fridges tend to be smaller and many people don’t even have freezers, just a little frozen food compartment in the fridge, the so-called “Kühlfach” (Cool-shelf).

Don’t expect an “Extrawurst”

Sending food back is frowned upon in Germany. You can still ask for what you want of course but you certainly won’t find the same level of service you do in the US.

When people make lots of requests and act particularly picky, there’s an expression for this in German: “eine Extrawurst wollen” (asking for an extra sausage) and it’s not appreciated.

Grab a spoonful of alphabet soup

After all this talk about food, you’re probably pretty hungry, so we’ll let you figure out your next meal - maybe you want to try something German?

Keep up your learning journey and picture the language like a colorful bowl of soup. The grammar is the broth and each new word you learn consists of a few letters that swim around in it.

All you gotta do is grab a spoon and dig in! We promise you, it’s gonna be delicious. So Guten Appetit!

If you’re also hungry for more German vocab articles, check out our deliciously fun German blog.