These are the cheapest items on a menu for good reason.
| brain |
Hirn heern |
| foot / hoof |
Fuss foos |
| head |
Kopf kohpf |
| horse meat |
Pferdefleisch pfehr-deh-flīsh |
| intestines |
Gedärme geh-dehr-meh |
| kidney |
Niere nee-reh |
| liver |
Leber lay-behr |
| lung |
Lunge loong-eh |
| mouth |
Maul mowl |
| neck |
Hals hahls |
| organs |
Innereien in-neh-rī-ehn |
| tongue |
Zunge tsoong-eh |
| tripe |
Kutteln koo-tehln |
| sweetbreads of calf / lamb |
Kalbsbries / Lammbries kahlbs-brees / lahm-brees |
| tail |
Schwanz shvahnts |
| head of a suckling pig |
Spanferkelkopf shpahn-fehr-kehl-kohpf |
Many of these items are most often linked with the word Kalbs (calf or veal), for example, Kalbsschwanz (veal tail).
Snack and Appetizer Specialties
Appetizers can also include smaller portions of the items listed under “Main Course Specialties,” on the next page.
Bündnerfleisch bewnd-nehr-flīsh
air-dried beef, thinly sliced |
Bauernomelett bow-ehrn-ohm-leht
omelet with bacon and onion |
Brathering braht-heh-ring
fried, marinated herring |
Brezel brayt-sehl
pretzel |
Käsebrot kay-zeh-broht
bread with cheese |
Käsespätzle / Kasnocken (Aus.) kay-zeh-shpehts-leh / kahz-noh-kehn
Spätzle (short egg noodles) with cheese |
Leiterchen lī-tehrkh-yehn
spareribs (“little ladders”) |
Pellkartoffeln / Gequellde pehl-kar-tohf-ehln / geh-kvehl-deh
potatoes that are boiled, then peeled |
Rollmops rohl-mohps
pickled herring fillet rolled around a pickle |
Sauerkrautplatte zow-ehr-krowt-plah-teh
assorted cold cuts with sauerkraut |
Toast mit Schinken und Käse “toast” mit shink-ehn oont kay-zeh
toast with ham and cheese |
Main Course Specialties
Dampfnudel dahmpf-noo-dehl
steamed bread roll with various toppings (also available sweet) |
Flammkuchen / Dünnele flahm-kookh-ehn / dewn-eh-leh
German version of white pizza, on a thin, yeastless dough |
Fleischlaberl / Faschierte Laibchen flīsh-lah-behr-ehl / fah-sheer-teh lībkh-yehn
minced meat patties / large meatballs, usually pan-fried (Aus.) |
Fleischtorte flīsh-tor-teh
meat pie |
Frikadelle frik-ah-dehl-eh
large, hamburger-like meatball |
Geschnetzeltes geh-shneht-sehl-tehs
strips of veal or chicken braised in a rich sauce and served with noodles or Rösti (Switz.) |
Hasenpfeffer / Rehpfeffer hah-zehn-pfeh-fehr / ray-pfeh-fehr
spicy rabbit / deer stew with mushrooms and onions (Aus. and Switz.) |
Kassler kahs-lehr
salted, slightly smoked pork |
Kohlroulade kohl-roo-lah-deh
cabbage leaves stuffed with minced meat |
Königsberger Klopse / Sossklopse kur-nigs-behr-gehr klohp-seh / zohs-klohp-seh
meatballs with capers and potatoes in a white sauce (eastern Ger.) |
Kümmelbraten kew-mehl-brah-tehn
crispy roast pork with caraway |
Labskaus lahbs-kows
mushy mix of salted meat, potatoes, often beets, and sometimes herring |
Linsen mit Spätzle lin-zehn mit shpehts-leh
Spätzle (short egg noodles) with lentils |
Matjesfilet auf Hausfrauenart maht-yehs-fee-lay owf hows-frow-ehn-art
herring fillets sautéed with apples, onions, and sour cream |
Maultaschen mowl-tahsh-ehn
“mouth pockets”—ravioli with various fillings, such as veal, cheese, and spinach |
Naturschnitzel nah-toor-shnit-sehl
veal cutlet served with rice and sauce |
Ratsherrentopf rahts-hehr-rehn-tohpf
stew of roasted meat with potatoes |
Rinderroulade / Roulade rin-dehr-roo-lah-deh / roo-lah-deh
a strip of beef rolled up with bacon, onion, and pickles, then braised |
Rostbrätel rohsht-bray-tehl
marinated and grilled pork neck |
Rösti rur-stee
Swiss hash browns often mixed with cheese, ham, eggs, and / or vegetables |
Sauerbraten zow-ehr-brah-tehn
“sour roast”—marinated roast beef (sometimes pork), typically served with red cabbage and potato dumplings |
Saure Zipfel zow-reh tsip-fehl
Bratwurst cooked in vinegar and onions |
Schäufele shoy-fehl-eh
oven-roasted pork shoulder with gravy |
Schinkenfleckerl shink-ehn-flehk-ehrl
casserole with ham (Schinken), flat egg noodles (Fleckerl), and cheese (Aus.) |
Schlachtplatte / Schlachtschüssel shlakht-plah-teh / shlakht-shlew-sehl
“butcher’s plate”—usually blood sausage, Leberwurst, and other meat over hot sauerkraut |
Schlesisches Himmelreich shleh-zish-ehs him-mehl-rīkh
“Silesian Heaven”—pork roast, ham, dumplings, and stewed fruit in a white sauce (Silesia) |
Schweinebraten / Schweinsbraten shvīn-eh-brah-tehn / shvīns-brah-tehn
roasted pork with gravy |
Schweinshaxe shvīns-hahk-seh
pork knuckle |
Spargel shpar-gehl
big, white asparagus in season May-June, served in various ways |
Speckpfannkuchen shpehk-pfahn-kookh-ehn
large, savory crêpe with bacon |
Stolzer Heinrich shtohlts-ehr hīn-rikh
grilled sausage in beer sauce (Berlin) |
Tafelspitz tah-fehl-shpits
boiled beef with apple and horseradish sauce (Aus. and Switz.) |
Tiroler Bauernschmaus tee-roh-lehr bow-ehrn-shmowz
several types of meat served with sauerkraut, potatoes, and dumplings |
Wiener Schnitzel vee-nehr shnit-sehl
breaded, fried veal cutlet |
There are several regional terms for Frikadelle (large meatballs)—in Berlin look for Buletten, in northern Germany ask for Klopse, and in Bavaria they’re called Fleischpfanzerl.
During fall hunting season in the Black Forest and the Alps, venison (Wildbret or Reh) and chamois (Gämse, a goat-like antelope) are often featured on the menu.
An Asian rice or noodle dish, a freshly baked pizza, or a Turkish sandwich is quick and a good value—and a welcome break from Germanic fare.
One of the most popular take-out items throughout Germany is the Döner Kebab. Storefronts display tall piles of meat slowly spinning on a vertical spit (döner means “spin” in Turkish). Brought to Germany by the many Turkish Gastarbeiter (guest workers) who flocked here a generation ago, Döner Kebab comes in various versions:
Döner Kebab durn-ehr keh-bahp
sliced rotisserie-grilled meat (usually beef and lamb, sometimes chicken), vegetables (often lettuce, onion, and tomato), and sauce (typically hummus, garlicky cream sauce, and / or spicy red sauce) served in pita bread |
Döner Dürüm / Dürüm Kebab / Yufka durn-ehr dew-rewm / doo-rewm keh-bahp / yoof-kah
the same fillings in a thin, tortilla-like flatbread wrap |
Döner Teller durn-ehr tehl-ehr
the same toppings on a plate instead of in bread |
Falafel fah-lah-fehl
deep-fried chickpea croquettes (a good vegetarian alternative) |
Lahmacun / türkische Pizza lah-mah-koon / tewr-kish-eh “pizza”
“Turkish pizza”—flatbread topped with vegetables, minced meat, and sauce |
One word you’ll often see stuck on the beginning and end of menu items is braten (which can mean roasted, grilled, or pan-fried)—as in Bratkartoffeln (roasted potatoes), Schweinebraten (roasted pork), and, of course, Bratwurst (grilled sausage).
| aged |
abgehängt ahp-geh-hehngt |
| assorted |
gemischte geh-mish-teh |
| baked |
gebacken geh-bah-kehn |
| barbecued |
gegrillt geh-grilt |
| boiled |
gekocht geh-kohkht |
| braised |
geschmort geh-shmort |
| breaded |
paniert pah-neert |
| broiled |
ofengegrillt ohf-ehn-geh-grilt |
| browned |
gebraten geh-brah-tehn |
| cold |
kalt kahlt |
| cooked |
gekocht geh-kohkht |
| chopped |
gehackt geh-hahkt |
| crispy |
knusprig keh-noos-prig |
| deep-fried |
frittiert frit-eert |
| fillet |
Filet fee-lay |
| fresh |
frisch frish |
| garnish |
garnierung gar-neer-oong |
| glazed |
glasiert glah-zeert |
| grated |
gerieben geh-ree-behn |
| grilled |
gegrillt geh-grilt |
| homemade |
hausgemacht hows-geh-mahkht |
| hot |
heiss hīs |
| in cream sauce |
in Rahmsauce in rahm-zoh-seh |
| marinated |
mariniert mah-ree-neert |
| melted |
geschmolzen geh-shmohlt-sehn |
| mild |
mild meelt |
| minced |
gehackt geh-hahkt |
| mixed |
gemischte geh-mish-teh |
| pickled |
eingelegt / sauer īn-geh-lehgt / zow-ehr |
| poached |
pochierte pohkh-eer-teh |
| raw |
roh roh |
| roasted |
geröstet geh-rurs-teht |
| sautéed |
pfannengebraten pfahn-nehn-geh-brah-tehn |
| skewer(ed) |
(am) Spiess (ahm) shpees |
| smoked |
geräuchert geh-roykh-ehrt |
| steamed |
gedünstet geh-dewn-steht |
| stuffed |
gefüllt geh-fewlt |
| topped with cheese |
mit Käseschicht mit kay-zeh-shikht |
| with garlic sauce |
mit Knoblauchsauce mit keh-noh-blowkh-zoh-seh |
| spicy (flavorful) |
würzig vewrt-sig |
| spicy (hot) |
scharf sharf |
| (too) salty |
(zu) salzig / versalzen (tsoo) zahlt-sig / fehr-zahlt-sehn |
| sour |
sauer zow-ehr |
| sweet |
süss zews |
| bitter |
bitter bit-tehr |
| anise |
Anis ah-nees |
| basil |
Basilikum bah-zee-lee-koom |
| cardamom |
Kardamom kar-dah-mohm |
| cayenne |
Cayennepfeffer kah-yeh-neh-pfehf-ehr |
| cilantro (coriander) |
Koriander koh-ree-ahn-dehr |
| cinnamon |
Zimt tsimt |
| citrus |
Zitrus tsit-rohs |
| clove |
Nelke nehl-keh |
| cumin |
Kreuzkümmel kroyts-kew-mehl |
| dill |
Dill dil |
| garlic |
Knoblauch keh-noh-blowkh |
| ginger |
Ingwer ing-vehr |
| herbs |
Kräuter kroy-tehr |
| horseradish |
Meerrettich / Kren (Bav. and Aus.) mehr-eh-tikh / krehn |
| lavender |
Lavendel lah-vehn-dehl |
| licorice |
Lakritze lah-krit-seh |
| maple (syrup) |
Ahorn (sirup) ah-horn (zee-rohp) |
| mint |
Minze mint-seh |
| nutmeg |
Muskatnuss moos-kaht-noos |
| oregano |
Oregano oh-ray-gah-noh |
| paprika |
Paprika pah-pree-kah |
| parsley |
Petersilie pay-tehr-zeel-yeh |
| pepper |
Pfeffer pfehf-ehr |
| rosemary |
Rosmarin rohs-mah-reen |
| saffron |
Safran zah-frahn |
| sage |
Salbei zahl-bī |
| salt |
Salz zahlts |
| sugar |
Zucker tsoo-kehr |
| tarragon |
Estragon ehs-trah-gohn |
| thyme |
Thymian tew-mee-ahn |
You can look up more herbs and spices in the Menu Decoder (next chapter).
| vegetables |
Gemüse geh-mew-zeh |
| mixed vegetables |
gemischtes Gemüse geh-mish-tehs geh-mew-zeh |
| artichoke |
Artischocke ar-tish-oh-keh |
| arugula (rocket) |
Rucola roo-koh-lah |
| asparagus |
Spargel shpar-gehl |
| avocado |
Avocado ah-voh-kah-doh |
| bean |
Bohne boh-neh |
| beet |
rote Bete / rote Rübe roh-teh bay-teh / roh-teh rew-beh |
| broccoli |
Brokkoli broh-koh-lee |
| cabbage |
Kohl kohl |
| carrot |
Karotte / Möhre kah-roh-teh / mur-eh |
| cauliflower |
Blumenkohl / Karfiol (Aus.) bloo-mehn-kohl / kar-fee-ohl |
| corn |
Mais / Kukuruz (Aus.) mīs / koo-koo-roots |
| cucumber (or pickle) |
Gurke goor-keh |
| eggplant |
Aubergine / Melanzani (Aus.) oh-behr-zhee-neh / meh-lahnt-sah-nee |
| endive |
Endive ehn-dee-veh |
| fennel |
Fenchel fehnkh-ehl |
| garlic |
Knoblauch keh-noh-blowkh |
| green bean |
grüne Bohne / Fisole (Aus.) grew-neh boh-neh / fee-zoh-leh |
| leek |
Lauch lowkh |
| lentil |
Linse lin-zeh |
| mushroom |
Pilz pilts |
| olive |
Olive oh-lee-veh |
| onion |
Zwiebel tsvee-behl |
| pea |
Erbse ehrb-zeh |
| (green / red / yellow) pepper |
(grüner / roter / gelber) Paprika (grew-nehr / roh-tehr / gehl-behr) pah-pree-kah |
| pickle |
Essiggurke eh-sig-goor-keh |
| radish |
Radiesch rah-dish |
| red cabbage (raw / cooked) |
Rotkohl / Blaukraut roht-kohl / blow-krowt (“blow” rhymes with “cow”) |
| sauerkraut |
Sauerkraut zow-ehr-krowt |
| spinach |
Spinat shpee-naht |
| tomato |
Tomate / Paradeiser (Aus.) toh-mah-teh / pah-rah-dī-zehr |
| turnip |
weisse Rübe vī-seh rew-beh |
| zucchini |
Zucchini tsoo-kee-nee |
Since most Germanic food tends to be heavy on meat and starch, a good way to get your greens is to order a gemischter Salat (mixed salad)—either as a starter (Vorspeise) or as a side dish (Beilagen).
In May and June, you’ll see the word Spargel on menus. It’s thick, white asparagus—a seasonal favorite during Spargelzeit (asparagus season). You’ll see Stengenspargel (asparagus spears) prepared many different ways, Spargelsuppe (asparagus soup), and much more.
Many German meals are accompanied by various types of Knödel (dumplings) and/or Kartoffeln (potatoes) cooked in different ways. Here are some you’ll likely see:
| dumplings |
Knödel keh-nur-dehl |
| potatoes |
Kartoffeln / Erdäpfel (Aus.) kar-tohf-ehln / ehrd-ehp-fehl |
| roasted potatoes |
Bratkartoffeln braht-kar-tohf-ehln |
| mashed potatoes |
Kartoffelpüree kar-tohf-ehl-pew-ray |
| potatoes boiled in salty water |
Salzkartoffeln zahlts-kar-tohf-ehln |
| baked potato |
Ofenkartoffel oh-fehn-kar-tohf-ehl |
| potato pancake |
Reibekuchen rī-beh-kookh-ehn |
| hash browns |
Rösti (Switz.) rur-shtee |
| French fries |
Pommes frites / Pommes pom frits / poh-mehs |
| pasta |
Pasta / Teigwaren “pasta” / tīg-vah-rehn |
| noodles |
Nudeln noo-dehln |
| spaghetti |
Spaghetti “spaghetti” |
| rice |
Reis “rice” |
The ubiquitous potato pancake—Reibekuchen—is also called Kartoffelpuffer or, in Bavaria, Reiberdatschi.
Noodle and Dumpling Specialties
Semmelknödel zehm-ehl-keh-nur-dehl
bread dumpling |
Kartoffelknödel kar-tohf-ehl-keh-nur-dehl
potato dumpling |
Griessklösschen / Griessnockerl (Aus.) grees-klurs-yehn / grees-noh-kehr-ehl
semolina dumpling |
Germknödel gehrm-keh-nur-dehl
sourdough dumpling |
Leberknödel lay-behr-keh-nur-dehl
liver dumpling |
Markklösschen / Markknödel (Aus.) mark-klurs-yehn / mark-keh-nur-dehl
marrow dumpling |
Klösse klur-seh
big, puffy, tennis ball-shaped potato dumpling |
Pizokel (Switz.) pit-soh-kehl
cheesy flour dumplings |
Spätzle shpehts-leh
short, round egg noodles |
Fleckerl fleh-kehrl
flat egg noodles (Aus.) |
Schupfnudeln shoopf-noo-dehln
thick, finger-sized potato noodles |
geröstete Knödel geh-rurs-teh-teh keh-nur-dehl
roasted dumplings |
The quintessential Germanic noodle is Spätzle—an egg-and-flour batter that’s dripped through a wide-holed sieve into boiling water to create simple but very filling little bits of dough. They’re also called Knöpfle or Eiernockerl.
| fruit |
Frucht / Obst frookht / ohpst |
| fruit cup |
Früchtebecher frewkh-teh-behkh-ehr |
| fruit smoothie |
Frucht Smoothie frookht smoo-tee |
| apple |
Apfel ahp-fehl |
| apricot |
Aprikose / Marille (Aus.) ahp-rik-oh-zeh / mah-ril-eh |
| banana |
Banane bah-nah-neh |
| berries |
Beeren behr-ehn |
| bilberry |
Heidelbeere hī-dehl-behr-eh |
| black currant |
schwarze Johannisbeere shvarts-eh yoh-hah-nis-behr-eh |
| blackberry |
Brombeere brohm-behr-eh |
| blueberry |
Blaubeere blow-behr-eh (“blow” rhymes with “cow”) |
| cantaloupe |
Melone meh-loh-neh |
| cherry |
Kirsche keer-sheh |
| ...sour cherry |
...Sauerkirsche / Weichsel (Aus.) zow-ehr-keer-sheh / vīkh-sehl |
| cranberry |
Preiselbeere prī-zehl-behr-eh |
| date |
Dattel daht-ehl |
| fig |
Feige fī-geh |
| grapefruit |
Pampelmuse / Grapefruit pahm-pehl-moo-zeh / “grapefruit” |
| grape |
Traub trowb |
| honeydew melon |
Honigmelone hoh-nig-meh-loh-neh |
| lemon |
Zitrone tsee-troh-neh |
| mango |
Mango mahn-goh |
| orange |
Apfelsine / Orange ahp-fehl-zee-neh / oh-rahn-zheh |
| peach |
Pfirsich pfeer-zikh |
| pear |
Birne beer-neh |
| persimmon |
Persimone pehr-zee-moh-neh |
| pineapple |
Ananas ahn-ahn-ahs |
| plum |
Pflaume / Zwetsche pflow-meh / tsveht-sheh |
| pomegranate |
Granatapfel grah-naht-ahp-fehl |
| prune |
Backpflaume bahk-pflow-meh |
| raisin |
Rosine roh-zee-neh |
| raspberry |
Himbeere him-behr-eh |
| red currant |
rote Johannisbeere roh-teh yoh-hah-nis-behr-eh |
| strawberry |
Erdbeere ehrd-behr-eh |
| tangerine |
Mandarine mahn-dah-ree-neh |
| watermelon |
Wassermelone vahs-ehr-meh-loh-neh |
| nuts |
Nüsse new-seh |
| almond |
Mandel mahn-dehl |
| cashew |
Kaschunuss kah-shoo-noos |
| chestnut |
Kastanie kahs-tahn-yeh |
| coconut |
Kokosnuss koh-kohs-noos |
| hazelnut |
Haselnuss hah-zehl-noos |
| peanut |
Erdnuss ehrd-noos |
| pine nut |
Pinienkern peen-yehn-kehrn |
| pistachio |
Pistazien pis-taht-see-ehn |
| seeds |
Kerne kehr-neh |
| sunflower seeds |
Sonnenblumenkerne zoh-nehn-bloo-mehn-kehr-neh |
| walnut |
Walnuss vahl-noos |
| I’d like... |
Ich hätte gern... ikh heh-teh gehrn |
| We’d like... |
Wir hätten gern... veer heh-tehn gehrn |
| dessert |
Nachspeise / Nachtisch nahkh-shpī-zeh / nahkh-tish |
| cookies |
Kekse kayk-zeh |
| candy |
Bonbons bohn-bohns |
| pastries |
Gebäck geh-behk |
| strudel |
Strudel shtroo-dehl |
| cake |
Kuchen kookh-ehn |
| pie |
Torte tor-teh |
| ice cream |
Eis īs |
| a scoop of... |
ein Kugel... īn koo-gehl |
| vanilla |
Vanille vah-nee-leh |
| chocolate |
Schokolade shoh-koh-lah-deh |
| strawberry |
Erdbeer ehrd-behr |
| lemon |
Zitrone tsee-troh-neh |
| ...in a cone |
...in einer Waffel in ī-nehr vah-fehl |
| ...in a cup |
...in einem Becher in ī-nehm behkh-ehr |
| ice cream cake |
Eistorte īs-tor-teh |
| sorbet |
Sorbet zor-bay |
| pralines |
Pralinen prah-lee-nehn |
| cupcake |
Cupcake “cupcake” |
| tart |
Törtchen turtkh-yehn |
| whipped cream |
Schlagsahne / Schlag / Schlagobers (Aus.) shlahg-zah-neh / shlahg / shlahg-oh-behrs |
| chocolate mousse |
Schokoladenmousse shoh-koh-lah-dehn-moos |
| pudding |
Pudding “pudding” |
| low calorie |
kalorienarm kah-loh-ree-ehn-arm |
| homemade |
hausgemacht hows-geh-mahkht |
| We’ll split one. |
Wir teilen uns eine. veer tī-lehn oons ī-neh |
| Two forks / spoons, please. |
Zwei Gabeln / Löffel, bitte. tsvī gah-behln / lurf-fehl bit-teh |
| I shouldn’t, but... |
Ich sollte nicht, aber... ikh zohl-teh nikht ah-behr |
| Delicious! |
Köstlich! kurst-likh |
| Yum! |
Lecker! lehk-ehr |
| Exquisite! |
Vorzüglich! fort-sew-glikh |
| Death by chocolate. |
Tod durch Schokolade. tohd durkh shoh-koh-lah-deh |
| Better than sex. |
Besser als Sex. behs-sehr ahls “sex” |
| A moment on the lips, forever on the hips. |
Ein Weilchen auf der Zunge, ewig auf der Hüfte.
īn vīlkh-yehn owf dehr tsoong-eh ay-vig owf dehr hewf-teh |
For a list of pastries, SEE HERE.
A slogan familiar to German kids and kids-at-heart is Haribo macht Kinder froh, und Erwachsene ebenso (Haribo makes kids happy, and adults, too). Most famous as the inventors of Gummi Bears (Goldbären), the German Haribo company produces a wide variety of candies available at any grocery store, including fruit, cola, berries, sour (sauer), yogurt (Joghurt), and assorted licorice (Konfekt). Buy a bag of the Color-Rado variety mix to sample a few pieces of each type.
For a little bit of Italy, try Gelato (Italian ice cream) at a gelateria (a.k.a. Eiscafé). In addition to the flavors listed in the previous table, you’ll see many fruits and berries (SEE HERE); flavors named for candy bars (such as Bounty or Lion); and lots more. Spaghettieis is a popular ice-cream sundae that resembles—you guessed it—spaghetti.
Teutonic Treats
Buchtel bookh-tehl
yeasty sweet roll filled with jam (Aus.) |
Cremeschnitte kraym-shnit-eh
flaky pastry layered with cream, topped with vanilla and chocolate icing |
(Dresdner) Eierschecke (drehsd-nehr) ī-ehr-sheh-keh
eggy cheesecake with vanilla pudding, raisins, and almond shavings (Dresden) |
Florentiner floh-rehn-teen-ehr
crispy round cookie |
Germknödel gehrm-keh-nur-dehl (hard "g")
sourdough dumplings (Aus.) |
Grüne Grütze grew-neh grewt-seh
gooseberry fruit pudding |
Kaiserschmarren kī-zehr-shmar-ehn
fluffy, caramelized pancake strips, usually served with jam or raisins and nuts (Aus.) |
Linzertorte lints-ehr-tor-teh
almond cake with raspberry (Aus.) |
Marzipan marts-i-pahn
almond-based candy that can be sculpted into various shapes |
Mohnkuchen mohn-kookh-ehn
poppy-seed cake |
(Nürnberger) Lebkuchen / Pfefferkuchen (newrn-behr-gehr) layb-kookh-ehn / pfehf-fehr-kookh-ehn
gingerbread in every shape and size (German Christmas specialty) |
Nusstorte noos-tor-teh
rich walnut cake (Switz.) |
Pfannkuchen / Eierkuchen / Palatschinken (Aus.) pfahn-kookh-ehn / ī-ehr-kookh-ehn / pah-laht-shink-ehn
thin, crêpe-like pancakes often served with berries and powdered sugar (but in Berlin, Pfannkuchen means “doughnut”) |
Prinzregententorte prints-ray-gehn-tehn-tor-teh
“prince regent’s cake,” with skinny, alternating layers of sponge cake and chocolate cream |
Quarkkäulchen qvark-koylkh-yehn
small pancakes made of Quark (sweet curd cheese) and mashed potatoes, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar |
Rote Grütze roh-teh grewt-seh
raspberry and currant pudding topped with cream |
Sacher-Torte zahkh-ehr-tor-teh
chocolate cake layered with chocolate cream and apricot jam |
Salzburger Nockerl zahlts-boor-gehr nohk-ehrl
fluffy baked pudding |
Schneeballen shnay-bahl-ehn
bland pie crusts crumpled into a ball and dusted with powdered sugar or frosted (Rothenburg) |
Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte shvarts-vehl-dehr keersh-tor-teh
Black Forest cherry cake with alternating layers of schnapps-soaked chocolate cake, cherries, and whipped cream |
Streusselkuchen shtroy-sehl-kookh-ehn
coffee cake squares with crumbled topping |
Vermicell vehr-mee-sehl
chestnut mousse in noodle shape with rum and cream (Switz.) |
Zwetschgenknödel tsvehtsh-gehn-keh-nur-dehl
plum dumplings boiled, then fried in bread crumbs |
In Germany at Christmas time, look for the spiced gingerbread, Lebkuchen, packaged inside tins shaped like cottages, bells, animals, and fanciful Christmas designs.
The Swiss changed the world in 1875 with their invention of milk chocolate; today Europe has an astounding variety of chocolates. The percentage on the wrapper reflects how much actual cocoa the chocolate contains (the higher the percentage, the darker—and more bitter—the chocolate). But the chocolate itself is just the beginning; chocolate bars can also have lots of add-in flavors (many of them fruits—SEE HERE).
| chocolate |
Schokolade shoh-koh-lah-deh |
| milk (25-35%) |
Vollmilch fohl-milkh |
| dark (35-99% / 55-99%) |
Bitterschokolade / dunkle Schokolade bit-ehr-shoh-koh-lah-deh / doonk-leh shoh-koh-lah-deh |
| semi-sweet (36%) |
Edelvollmilch ay-dehl-fohl-milkh |
| half-sweet (50%) |
Halbbitter hahlb-bit-ehr |
| semi-dark (55%) |
Zartbitter tsart-bit-ehr |
| very dark (up to 99%) |
Edelbitter ay-dehl-bit-ehr |
| white chocolate |
weisse Schokolade vī-seh shoh-koh-lah-deh |
| yogurt |
Joghurt yoh-goort |
| caramel |
Caramel kah-rah-mehl |
| hazelnut |
Haselnuss hah-zehl-noos |
| coconut |
Cocos koh-kohs |
| vanilla |
Vanille vah-nee-leh |
| chili powder |
Chili “chili” |
| nougat |
Nougat “nougat” |
| raisin-nut |
Trauben-Nuss trow-behn-noos |
| mousse (filling) |
Mousse moos |
| chocolate with mint |
After Eight / Minz-Schokolade “after eight” / mints-shoh-koh-lah-deh |
In Switzerland, Nestlé, Suchard, and Lindt are the major producers and sometimes offer factory tours—and samples, of course. In Berlin you might want to try Fassbender & Rausch; in Köln (Cologne) look for Stollwerck.
Nussnougat Crème (chocolate-hazelnut cream) is a popular spread all over Europe, especially the Italian brand, Nutella. Anything dipped in Nutella becomes a tasty cultural experience.
Ritter Sport, a popular square chocolate bar that comes with endless fillings and flavors, can be broken into 16 little squares for a snack.
Water
Key Phrases: Drinking
Milk
Juice and Other Drinks
Coffee and Tea
Viennese Coffee Lingo
Wine Lingo
Ordering Wine
Wine Labels
Beer
Ordering Beer
Bar Talk
Brauhauses and Biergartens
On a menu, you’ll find drinks listed under Getränkekarte (drink menu).
| mineral water... |
Mineralwasser... min-eh-rahl-vahs-ehr |
| ...with / without carbonation |
...mit / ohne Gas mit / oh-neh gahs |
| tap water |
Leitungswasser lī-toongs-vahs-ehr |
| (not) drinking water |
(kein) Trinkwasser (kīn) trink-vahs-ehr |
| Is the water safe to drink? |
Ist das Trinkwasser? ist dahs trink-vahs-sehr |
If you ask for Wasser in a restaurant, you’ll be served mineral water. Germans rarely drink tap water at the table; try the inexpensive, classy Mineralwasser (also called Tafelwasser, table water). Bubbly mineral water might be listed on menus or in stores as mit Kohlensäure (with carbon dioxide) or mit Sprudel (with bubbles). But when you’re requesting it, the easy-to-remember mit Gas will do the trick. To get water without bubbles, look for ohne Kohlensäure / Sprudel / Gas. If you have your heart set on free tap water, try asking for Leitungswasser and be persistent.
| milk |
Milch milkh |
| whole milk |
Vollmilch fohl-milkh |
| skim milk |
Magermilch mah-gehr-milkh |
| cream |
Sahne / Obers (Aus.) zah-neh / oh-behrs |
| fresh milk |
frische Milch frish-eh milkh |
| cold / warm |
kalt / warm kahlt / varm |
| straw |
Strohhalm shtroh-hahlm |
| acidophilus |
Acidophilus / Kefir ah-see-doh-fil-oos / keh-feer |
| hot chocolate |
heisse Schokolade / Kakao hī-seh shoh-koh-lah-deh / kah-kow |
In Switzerland, instead of hot chocolate, sample Ovomaltine—a maltderived vitamin supplement, flavored with chocolate so kids will drink it. It’s marketed as Ovaltine in North America and Britain.
| fruit juice |
Fruchtsaft frookht-zahft |
| 100% juice |
reiner Fruchtsaft rī-nehr frookht-zahft |
| orange juice |
Orangensaft oh-rahn-zhehn-zahft |
| apple juice |
Apfelsaft ahp-fehl-zahft |
| fizzy apple drink |
Apfelschorle / Apfelsaft gespritzt (Aus.) ahp-fehl-shor-leh / ahp-fehl-zahft geh-shpritst |
| grape juice |
Traubensaft trow-behn-zahft |
| grapefruit juice |
Grapefruitsaft “grapefruit”-zahft |
| pineapple juice |
Ananassaft ah-nah-nah-sahft |
| fruit smoothie |
Frucht Smoothie frookht smoo-tee |
| lemon soda |
Limonade lee-moh-nah-deh |
| lemonade |
frishgemachte Limonade frish-geh-mahkh-teh lee-moh-nah-deh |
| soda |
Limonade lee-moh-nah-deh |
| energy drink |
Energy-Drink “energy drink” |
| with / without... |
mit / ohne... mit / oh-neh |
| ...sugar |
...Zucker tsoo-kehr |
| ...ice cubes |
...Eiswürfeln īs-vewr-fehln |
Along with orange, apple, and grapefruit, Multivitamin juice is popular. This sweet, smooth blend of various fruits is less acidic than a citrus juice.
Germans like to cut juice or even wine with mineral water to turn it into a Schorle (spritzer; in Austria, just add gespritzt at the end). The half-apple juice, half-carbonated water drink called Apfelschorle is refreshing, available eveywhere, and healthier than soda. Austrian cafés may have Himbeersoda (raspberry soda) and the refreshing Holunder gespritzt (sparkling water flavored with elderberry blossoms).
Aside from the predictable American biggies, Germanic soft drinks include the Fanta/Coke blend called Mezzo Mix or Spezi. Rivella is a Swiss soft drink that’s made from (but does not taste like) milk serum; its flavor resembles chewable vitamins. Almdudler is a ginger ale-like Austrian soda.
To get a diet drink, use the word “light” instead of “diet” (for instance, Diet Coke is called Coke Light). Coke Zero, which is also diet, is widely available in Europe.
Confusingly, in German Limonade does not refer to lemonade; it means lemon soda (like Sprite or 7-Up), though it’s often also used as a generic word for all fizzy soft drinks, including cola. Even if you ask for lemonade by saying eine frischgemachte Limonade or eine Naturlimonade, you may still get a soft drink (depending, in part, on your waiter’s patience with your odd request).
If you’d like ice in your drink, ask for Eiswürfel—a request for Eis may get you ice cream.
In Germany and Switzerland, coffee is more popular than espresso drinks—though Vienna in Austria has a thriving café culture (see sidebar).
| coffee... |
Kaffee... kah-fay |
| ...with milk |
...mit Milch mit milkh |
| ...with cream |
...mit Sahne mit zah-neh |
| ...with sugar |
...mit Zucker mit tsoo-kehr |
| ...with ice cubes |
...mit Eiswürfeln mit īs-vewr-fehln |
| black coffee |
schwarzer Kaffee shvarts-ehr kah-fay |
| coffee with lots of hot milk |
Milchkaffee milkh-kah-fay |
| instant coffee |
Pulverkaffee / Nescafé pool-vehr-kah-fay / “Nescafé” |
| decaffeinated |
koffeinfrei / Kaffee Haag koh-fay-in-frī / kah-fay hahg |
| espresso (single) |
Espresso “espresso” |
| double espresso |
Doppelter Espresso dohp-ehl-tehr “espresso” |
| double espresso with lots of milk |
Latte Macchiato lah-tay mah-kee-ah-toh |
| cappuccino |
Cappuccino “cappuccino” |
| Americano (espresso with water) |
Kaffee verlängert kah-fay fehr-lehng-ehrt |
| coffee with ice cream |
Eiskaffee īs-kah-fay |
| hot water |
heisses Wasser hī-sehs vahs-ehr |
| tea |
Tee tay |
| lemon |
Zitrone tsee-troh-neh |
| tea bag |
Teebeutel tay-boy-tehl |
| herbal tea |
Kräutertee kroy-tehr-tay |
| chamomile |
Kamillentee kah-meel-ehn-tay |
| black tea |
Schwarztee shvarts-tay |
| English breakfast tea |
English Breakfast “English breakfast” |
| green tea |
Grüner Tee grew-nehr tay |
| lemon tea |
Zitronentee tsit-roh-nehn-tay |
| orange tea |
Orangentee oh-rahn-zhehn-tay |
| fruit tea |
Früchtetee frewkh-teh-tay |
| peppermint tea |
Pfefferminztee pfehf-ehr-mints-tay |
| chai tea |
Chai-Tee “chai” tay |
If you know you’ll want a second cup, you should order eine Portion Kaffee or eine Kanne Kaffee (your own little pitcher) rather than ein Kaffee (just a cup). If you order ein Kaffee, and then want a refill, you’ll have to order an additional cup.
In some cafés, Milchkaffee is a shot of espresso in hot milk (like a caffè latte); in others, it’s drip coffee with hot milk. To find out, you can ask Mit Espresso oder mit Kaffee? (With espresso or with coffee?).
Three-quarters of German, Austrian, and Swiss wines are white. The best-known German whites are from the Rhine and Mosel regions, and there are some good reds, especially from the south. In Austria, the wine (85 percent white) from the Danube River Valley is particularly good. Swiss wines are best from the south and west.
| wine |
Wein vīn |
| table wine |
Tafelwein tah-fehl-vīn |
| house wine |
Hausmarke hows-mar-keh |
| local |
einheimisch īn-hī-mish |
| of the region |
regional reh-gee-ohn-ahl (hard "g") |
| red |
rot roht |
| white |
weiss vīs |
| rosé |
Rosé roh-zay |
| sparkling white wine |
Sekt zehkt |
| light / heavy |
leicht / schwer līkht / shvehr |
| sweet |
süss zews |
| semi-sweet |
lieblich leeb-likh |
| semi-dry |
halbtrocken hahlb-trohk-ehn |
| (very) dry |
(sehr) trocken (zehr) trohk-ehn |
| full-bodied |
vollmundig fohl-moon-dig |
| mature |
trinkreif trink-rīf |
| fruity |
fruchtig frookh-tig |
| chilled |
gekühlt geh-kewlt |
| at room temperature |
Raumtemperatur rowm-tehm-pehr-ah-toor |
| cork |
Korken kor-kehn |
| corkscrew |
Korkenzieher kor-kehnt-see-hehr |
| vineyard |
Weinberg / Weingut vīn-behrg / vīn-goot |
| vintage |
Lese / Weinlese lay-zeh / vīn-lay-zeh |
A thirst-quenching, summer-evening drink is Weissweinschorle (vīs-vīn-shor-leh), a mix of white wine with sparkling water. Traubenmost (trow-behn-most) is a heavenly grape juice—alcohol-free but on the verge of wine. Most is the same thing, but lightly alcoholic. Partially fermented wine is called Federweisser (feh-dehr-vī-sehr) in Germany, Suuser (zoo-zehr) in Switzerland, and Sturm (shtoorm) in Austria. Staubiger (shtow-big-ehr) is a cloudy, fully fermented Austrian wine. In fall, try the red “new” wine, roter Sturm; it’s so fruity that locals say “Eat up!” when toasting with it.
Regional Wines
Apfelwein / Schoppe / Ebbelwoi ahp-fehl-vīn / shoh-peh / ay-behl-voy
“apple wine”—hard cider served in ceramic jugs or ribbed glasses (Frankfurt) |
Blauburger blow-boor-gehr (“blow” rhymes with “cow”)
velvety, deeply colored red with berry aromas (Aus.) |
Blaufränkisch / Lemburger blow-frehn-kish / lehm-boor-gehr
medium to full-bodied tannic red (Aus.) |
(Blauer) Portugieser (blow-ehr) por-too-gee-zehr
mild, light, tart red (Aus.) |
Dole doh-leh
light-bodied blend of pinot noir and gamay grapes—best-known Swiss red |
Dornfelder dorn-fehl-dehr
velvety, often oaky, sometimes sweet red |
Eiswein īs-vīn
ultra-sweet dessert white made from frozen shriveled grapes |
Fendant fehn-dahnt
dry white, good with cheese dishes (Switz.) |
Gewürztraminer geh-voorts-trah-mee-nehr
aromatic, intense, and “spicy” (as its name means) white |
Glühwein glew-vīn
hot spiced wine |
Grauburgunder grow-boorg-oon-dehr
pinot gris (soft, full-bodied white) |
Grüner Veltliner grew-nehr fehlt-leen-ehr
dry, fruity, light white—most popular Austrian white |
Gutedel / Chasselas goot-ay-dehl / shah-seh-lahs
full, fruity, dry white (Switz.) |
Heuriger hoy-rig-ehr
“new wine,” young and often tart (Aus.) |
Liebfraumilch leeb-frow-milkh
“beloved maiden’s milk”; semi-sweet white blending Riesling with Silvaner and Müller-Thurgau |
Merlot del Ticino mehr-loh dehl teen-chee-noh
full-bodied red from Switzerland’s Italian-speaking region |
Müller-Thurgau mew-lehr-toor-gow
light and flowery white, best when young, smooth, and semi-sweet |
Pinot Blanc pee-noh blahnk
semi-dry white with a fruity nose (Aus.) |
Riesling reez-ling
fruity, fragrant, white—main grape of Germany’s Rhine and Mosel |
Sekt zehkt
festive sparkling wine, usually made from Riesling, found in range of sweetness levels |
Silvaner / Grüner Silvaner zil-vah-nehr / grew-nehr zil-vah-nehr
acidic, fruity white in jug-shaped bottle—most popular wine of Germany’s Franconia |
Spätburgunder / Blauburgunder shpayt-boorg-oon-dehr / blow-boorg-oon-dehr (“blow” rhymes with “cow”)
pinot noir (medium-bodied, velvety red with varied bouquets) |
St. Saphorin sahnkt zah-foh-reen
lovely, fruity white from Lake Geneva (Switz.) |
Zweigelt tsvī-gehlt
light, spicy, floral red (Aus.) |
As you travel through wine-growing regions, you’ll see Probieren signs inviting you in for a free (or nearly free) wine tasting.
The Heuriger (hoy-rig-ehr) is a uniquely Viennese institution: wine gardens in the hills selling their homemade “new wine.” The Heurigen in the Vienna hills also serve a variety of foods at a buffet (sold by weight, often in 10 dag units—that’s 100 grams, or about a quarter-pound).
| I’d like... |
Ich hätte gern... ikh heh-teh gehrn |
| We’d like... |
Wir hätten gern... veer heh-tehn gehrn |
| ...the wine list. |
...die Weinkarte. dee vīn-kar-teh |
| ...a glass... |
...ein Viertel / ein Glas... īn feer-tehl / īn glahs |
| ...a small glass... |
...ein Achtel / ein kleines Glas... īn ahkh-tehl / īn klī-nehs glahs |
| ...a carafe... |
...eine Karaffe... ī-neh kah-rah-feh |
| ...a half-bottle... |
...eine halbe Flasche... ī-neh hahl-beh flah-sheh |
| ...a bottle... |
...eine Flasche... ī-neh flah-sheh |
| ...of red wine. |
...Rotwein. roht-vīn |
| ...of white wine. |
...Weisswein. vīs-vīn |
| What do you recommend? |
Was empfehlen Sie? vahs ehmp-fay-lehn zee |
| Choose for me, please. |
Wählen Sie bitte für mich. vay-lehn zee bit-teh fewr mikh |
| Around ____ euros. |
Ungefähr ____ Euro. oon-geh-fehr ____ oy-roh |
| Another, please. |
Noch einen, bitte. nohkh ī-nehn bit-teh |
Typically, you order a glass of wine by saying ein Viertel (a quarter liter) or ein Achtel (an eighth liter). In Switzerland, a Pfiff is two deciliters of red wine, and a Bocalino is a small, decorated ceramic jug with two deciliters of a light Swiss red wine called Dole.
As with most European countries, Germany has a strict set of rules dictating how quality wine is produced: The higher the percentage of natural grape sugar, the higher the alcohol content, the higher the rating. While there are some variations, you can identify the origin of many German wines by the color or shape of the bottle: brown (Rhine), green (Mosel), or jug-shaped (Franconian). The Weinsiegel (wine seal) on the neck of the bottle is also color-coded—yellow for dry, green for semi-dry, and red for sweet. Switzerland and Austria produce less wine than Germany but follow similar standards. Listed below are terms to help you decipher the information on a wine label.
Kabinett: Lightest and usually driest wine
QmP (Qualitätswein mit Prädikat): Highest quality wine
QbA (Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete): Quality wine of a specific region
Qualitätswein: Mid-quality wine
Landwein: Country wine, dry to semi-dry
Tafelwein: Table wine—lowest category
Sekt: Sparkling, Champagne-like wine
Heuriger: New wine (Austria)
Additionally, Germany’s sweet, late-harvest white wines are classified according to how late the harvest occurred—and, therefore, in increasing order of sugar content:
Spätlese: “Late harvest”—grapes picked at least seven days after main harvest
Auslese: “Select harvest”—made from carefully selected clusters of late-harvest grapes
Beerenauslese: “Select berry harvest”—made with overripe grapes, some with “noble rot” (Edelfäule, a fungus that contributes to the high sugar concentration and distinctive, sought-after taste of late harvest grapes)
Eiswein: “Ice wine”—frozen and shriveled grapes, picked during a frost, rare and exquisite
Trockenbeerenauslese: “Dried select harvest berries”—selected shriveled-on-the-vine grapes, picked late, often affected by coveted noble rot (explained under “Beerenauslese”)
Germany is Europe’s beer capital. Its beer is regulated by the Reinheitsgebot (Purity Decree) of 1516—the oldest food and beverage law in the world—which dictates that only four ingredients may be used: malt, yeast, hops, and water. This was modified, but only slightly, by 1993’s Vorläufiges Biergesetz (Preliminary Beer Law).
The most popular Germanic beers belong to four major categories:
Helles Bier (hehl-ehs beer): Generic name for pale lager—light-colored (but not “lite” as in low-calorie), similar to pilsners (but with more malt), and served in a straight glass or a mug
Dunkles Bier (doonk-lehs beer): Generic name for dark beer, served in a straight glass or a mug; in Munich it’s sweet and malty, while farther north it’s drier and hoppier
Weissbier / Weizenbier (vīs-beer / vīt-sehn-beer): “White” or “wheat” beer (better known in North America as “Hefeweizen”)—yeasty, highly caloric, sometimes cloudy (especially in the south), and poured slowly to build a frothy head in a tall, curvaceous glass with a wedge of lemon
Pilsner / Pilsener / Pils (pilz-nehr / pilz-ehn-ehr / pils): Barley-based, bottom-fermented, flavorful, hoppy, light-colored beer; most common in the north; usually served in a tulip glass that might take a while to arrive—they’re waiting for the head to die down
Beyond these basic options, there are many other types and regional variations. Popular examples are listed next.
Beer Specialties
Altbier ahlt-beer
smooth, balanced amber (Düsseldorf area) |
Berliner Weisse (mit Schuss) behr-lee-nehr vī-seh (mit shoos)
Berlin’s fizzy, slightly sour wheat beer (with a shot of red / raspberry or green / woodruff-herb syrup) |
Bockbier bohk-beer
high-alcohol, high-calorie, hoppy, bittersweet amber (Bav.) |
Eisbier / Eisbock īs-beer / īs-bohk
lager that’s partially frozen and filtered to maximize alcohol content |
Hefeweizen hay-feh-vīt-sehn
unfiltered (cloudy), yeasty wheat beer |
Kellerbier / Zwickelbier kehl-ehr-beer / tsvik-ehl-beer
unfiltered lager (similar to cask ale) |
Kölsch kurlsh
pale, mild, highly fermented beer served in trays of small, straight glasses (Köln) |
Kristallweizen kree-stahl-vīt-sehn
clear, filtered, yeast-free wheat beer |
(Leipziger) Gose (līp-zig-ehr) goh-zeh
extremely acidic-tasting light wheat beer, often sweetened with a shot of syrup (Leipzig) |
Märzen(bier) / Oktoberfestbier mehrt-sehn(beer) / ohk-toh-behr-fehst-beer
the typical Oktoberfest lager: light, malty, and highly alcoholic (Bav.) |
Rauchbier rowkh-beer
dark beer with a “smoky” flavor from roasted malt (Bamberg) |
Roggenbier roh-gehn-beer
dark-colored wheat beer made with rye |
Schwarzbier shvarts-beer
very dark (“black”) lager with heavy, chocolaty flavor |
Starkbier shtark-beer
“strong beer,” usually refers to Bockbier |
Weihnachtsbier / Festbier vī-nahkhts-beer / fehst-beer
seasonal, dark “Christmas” beer |
Two famous Bavarian beers were originally seasonal, though now you can get them anytime: Märzenbier was traditionally brewed in March (März)—perfect timing to be ready to drink for Oktoberfest. Bockbier (“goat beer”—look for a goat on the label) was traditionally consumed during Lent, when monks were fasting and needed liquid nourishment. Bockbier variations include Weizenbock (wheat version), Dunkler Bock (dark version), and Doppelbock (highly alcoholic, malty dark beer).
Beers labeled Export or Spezial are usually stronger pale lagers (helles Bier).
Low- or No-Alcohol Beers
alkoholfreies Bier ahl-koh-hohl-frī-ehs beer
non-alcoholic beer; popular brands include Clausthaler, Bitburger Drive, and Jever Fun |
Malzbier / Malztrunk mahlts-beer / mahlts-troonk
sweet, dark, non-alcoholic malt beer that children drink |
Nährbier nehr-beer
barely alcoholic “near beer,” considered healthy and caloric |
Radler (Bav. and Aus.) / Alsterwasser (N. Germ.) / Panaché (Switz.) rahd-lehr / ahls-tehr-vahs-ehr / pah-nahkh-eh
shandy (lager with lemon soda); this “cyclist” drink was allegedly invented in Munich for athletic types on hot days |
Russ / Russe / Russ’n roos / roo-seh / roo-sehn
mix of wheat beer and lemon soda |
Diesel / Schmutziges / Krefelder “diesel” / shmoot-sig-ehs / kray-fehl-dehr
mix of lager and cola |
Colaweizen “cola”-vīt-sehn
mix of wheat beer and cola |
While virtually all non-alcoholic brews in the US are watery, bitter lagers, Germany also produces excellent alkoholfreies (non-alcoholic) Weissbier—sweet, smooth, and refreshing on a hot day.
| I’d like... |
Ich hätte gern... ikh heh-teh gehrn |
| We’d like... |
Wir hätten gern... veer heh-tehn gehrn |
| beer |
Bier beer |
| from the tap |
vom Fass fom fahs |
| glass |
Glas glahs |
| mug |
Krug kroog |
| bottle |
Flasche flah-sheh |
| liter |
Mass mahs |
| half-liter |
Halbe / Krügerl (Aus.) hahl-beh / krew-gehrl |
| third-liter |
Stange / Seidel (Aus.) shtahng-eh / zī-dehl |
| fifth-liter |
Pfiff (Aus.) / Herrgöttli (Switz.) pfiff / hehr-gurt-lee |
| local / imported |
einheimisches / importiertes īn-hī-mish-ehs / im-por-teer-tehs |
| small / large |
kleines / grosses klī-nehs / groh-sehs |
| low-calorie (“lite”) beer |
leichtes Bier līkh-tehs beer |
In most places, if you order simply ein Bier, you’ll get a half-liter of helles (pale lager) in a standard glass or mug. In Bavarian beer halls and gardens, the default is eine Mass (a liter mug—about a quart!).
Some drink menus list exactly how many deciliters you’ll get in your glass. A 5 dl beer is a half-liter, or about a pint (16 ounces). Beer can also be listed by the third-liter (about 10 ounces served in a rod-shaped glass) or fifth-liter (about 7 ounces).
The closest thing to our “lite” beer is leichtes Bier. It’s lower in both calories and alcohol—designed for someone who wants the refreshment of beer without the full-on buzz. It’s typically only available for wheat beer; you’ll rarely find it for light or dark beer.
Notice that the bartender dips the glass in cold water before filling it. This lets him control the amount and quality of head (Schaum).
For drinks at reasonable prices, do what the locals do. Visit an atmospheric Weinstube (wine bar) or Biergarten (beer garden) to have a drink and chat with friends.
| Let’s go out for a drink. |
Komm, wir gehen etwas trinken. kohm veer gay-ehn eht-vahs trink-ehn |
| May I buy you a drink? |
Darf ich dir einen Drink spendieren? darf ikh deer ī-nehn drink shpehn-deer-ehn |
| My treat. |
Ich lade ein. ikh lah-deh īn |
| The next one’s on me. |
Die nächste Runde geht auf mich. dee nehkh-steh roon-deh gayt owf mikh |
| What would you like? |
Was hättest du gern? vahs heh-tehst doo gehrn |
| I’ll have a ____. |
Ich nehme ein ____. ikh nay-meh īn ____ |
| I don’t drink alcohol. |
Ich trinke keinen Alkohol. ikh trink-eh kīn-ehn “alcohol” |
| What’s the local specialty? |
Was ist hier die Spezialität? vahs ist heer dee shpayt-see-ahl-ee-tayt |
| Straight. |
Pur. poor |
| with / without ice |
mit / ohne Eis mit / oh-neh īs |
| with / without alcohol |
mit / ohne Alkohol mit / oh-neh “alcohol” |
| One more. |
Noch einen. nohkh ī-nehn |
| I’m a little drunk. |
Ich bin ein bisschen betrunken. ikh bin īn bis-yehn beh-troonk-ehn |
| Cheers! |
Prost! prohst |
| To your health! |
Auf Ihre Gesundheit! owf ee-reh geh-zoond-hīt |
| I have a hangover (“I have a tomcat”). |
Ich hab’ ‘nen Kater. ikh hahp nehn kah-tehr |
When they’re out on the town, Germans, Austrians, and the Swiss often take turns buying a round for the whole group.
The bartender will often throw down a coaster (Bierdeckel) at your place and keep track of your bill by keeping a stroke tally on the coaster. To get your bill, hand your coaster to the bartender.
Specialty Spirits
Appenzeller Alpenbitter ah-pehnt-sehl-ehr ahl-pehn-bit-ehr
digestif made from 65 different flowers and roots (Switz.) |
Aprikosenlikör ahp-rik-oh-zehn-li-kur
apricot liqueur |
Bärenfang / Bärenjäger behr-ehn-fahng / behr-ehn-yay-gehr
honey-flavored liqueur |
Eierlikör ī-ehr-li-kur
eggnog-like liqueur |
Glühwein glew-vīn
hot spiced wine |
Jägermeister yay-gehr-mī-stehr
anise- and herb-flavored digestive |
Jägertee (“hunter’s tea”) yay-gehr-tay
half tea and half brandy with rum |
Kirsch / Kirschwasser keersh / keersh-vahs-ehr
cherry eau de vie |
Korn korn
grain-based Schnaps |
Obstler ohpst-lehr
fruit brandy |
Pflümli pflewm-lee
plum eau de vie (Switz.) |
Schnaps shnahps
generic term for spirits with high alcohol content |
The best place to sample Germanic beer culture is at a Brauhaus or Biergarten (beer hall or garden). When you order beer, ask for eine Mass for a whole liter (about a quart—I call it “ein pitcher”) or eine Halbe for a half-liter (about a pint—though this size may not be available). You can also use the terms listed SEE HERE to specify what type of beer you want: for example, eine Mass helles (a liter of light beer), eine Mass dunkles (a liter of dark beer), or eine Mass Radler (a liter of half beer, half lemon-lime soda—a good alternative if a full liter of beer is too much for you).
If the place rotates among various types of beer, a Heute im Ausschank sign identifies the brew of the day. When looking for a place to sit, avoid any table with a Stammtisch sign, which means that it’s reserved for regulars.
Many Germans flock to a Brauhaus, Biergarten, or bar after work for Feierabend, a special word for happy hour, which typically takes place between 16:00 and 18:00. This is a time to meet up with friends and family (often including kids and dogs), relax, and maybe grab a bite to eat before heading home.
Biergartens are an especially memorable way to experience Germanic food and drink. Biergartens typically have long, skinny picnic tables stretching beneath shady chestnut trees. If the tables have tablecloths, that means they’re part of a restaurant with table service. If you bring your own food (or buy it from a self-service stand), you can sit at any table that doesn’t have a tablecloth. (A Wirtsgarten or Gastgarten is a private beer garden with table service only.)
Buy your beer first, then your food (so the food doesn’t get cold). Most beer gardens have a deposit (Pfand) system for their big glass steins: You pay €1 extra, and when you’re finished, you can take the mug and your deposit token (Pfandmarke) to the returns clerk (Pfandrückgabe) for your refund, or leave it on the table and lose your money.
The food is usually Selbstbedienung or Selbstdienst (self-service)—a sign may say Bitte bedienen Sie sich selbst (Please serve yourself). If two prices are listed, Schank is for self-service, while Bedienung is for table service.
Brauhaus and Biergarten Fare
Besides beer, most Brauhauses and Biergartens also serve hearty, basic food. The menu often includes different types of Wurst (SEE HERE) and Brotzeit ( SEE HERE). Here are a few other items that you’ll find only at a beer hall or garden; because the Biergarten is a Bavarian specialty, some of these terms are in the Bavarian dialect:
Brotzeit broht-sīt
big wooden platter of cold cuts, spreads, and other items listed under “Brotzeit” SEE HERE |
Fleischpfanzerl / Fleischklösse / Frikadelle flīsh-pfahnt-sehr-ehl / flīsh-klur-seh / frik-ah-dehl-eh
meatballs |
Grosse Brez’n / grosse Brezel groh-seh brayt-sehn / groh-seh brayt-sehl
gigantic pretzel |
Hendl / Brathähnchen hehnd-ehl / braht-hehnkh-yehn
roasted chicken |
Radi rah-dee
radish that’s thinly spiral-cut and salted |
Schweinrollbraten shvīn-rohl-brah-tehn
pork belly |
Schweinshax’n / Hax’n shvīns-hahk-sehn / hahk-sehn
pork knuckle |
Spareribs “spareribs”
spareribs |
Steckerlfisch shteh-kehrl-flīsh
a whole fish (usually mackerel) herbed and grilled on a stick |
At a large Biergarten, assemble your dream feast by visiting various counters, which may be marked this way:
| Bier / Bierkrüge |
beer / beer mugs |
| Wein / Alkoholfreie Getränke |
wine / soft drinks |
| Bratwürste |
sausages |
| Brotzeiten |
lighter fare served cold (spreads, sandwiches, etc.); this may include salads |
| Salate |
salads |
| Brez’n |
pretzels |
| Grill-Spezialitäten |
grilled foods |
| Kaffee / Kuchen |
coffee / cakes |
After the meal, reclaim your deposit and bus your dirty dishes (Geschirr)—look for Geschirrrückgabe or Geschirrabgabe signs.
Tasty Picnic Words
Picnic-Shopping Phrases
Produce Markets
While you can opt for a one-stop Lebensmittelgeschäft (grocery store) or Supermarkt (supermarket), it’s more fun to assemble your picnic at smaller specialty shops or at a Markt (open-air market). For a fast snack, stop at an Obststand (fruit stand) or Imbiss (fast-food stand).
| picnic |
Picknick “picnic” |
| sandwich |
Sandwich zehnd-vich |
| bread |
Brot broht |
| whole-wheat bread |
Dunkelbrot doon-kehl-broht |
| roll |
Brötchen brurtkh-yehn |
| ham |
Schinken shink-ehn |
| sausage |
Wurst voorst |
| cheese |
Käse kay-zeh |
| mustard... |
Senf... zehnf |
| ...mild / hot / sweet |
...mild / scharf / süss meelt / sharf / zews |
| mayonnaise... |
Mayonnaise... mah-yoh-nay-zeh |
| ...in a tube |
...in der Tube in dehr too-beh |
| olives... |
Oliven... oh-lee-vehn |
| pickles... |
Essiggurken... eh-sig-goor-kehn |
| ...in a jar |
...im Glas im glahs |
| yogurt |
Joghurt yoh-goort |
| fruit |
Frucht / Obst frookht / ohpst |
| juice |
Saft zahft |
| cold drinks |
kalte Getränke kahl-teh geh-trehnk-eh |
| plastic... |
Plastik... plah-steek |
| ...spoon / fork |
...Löffel / Gabel lurf-fehl / gah-behl |
| paper... |
Papier... pah-peer |
| ...plate / cup |
...Teller / Becher tehl-ehr / behkh-ehr |
Meat and cheese are sold by the gram. One hundred grams is about a quarter-pound, enough for two sandwiches.
| Self-service? |
Selbstbedienung? zehlpst-beh-dee-noong |
| Fifty grams. |
Fünfzig Gramm. fewnf-tsig grahm |
| One hundred grams. |
Hundert Gramm. hoon-dehrt grahm |
| More. / Less. |
Mehr. / Weniger. mehr / vay-nig-ehr |
| A piece. |
Ein Stück. īn shtewk |
| A slice. |
Eine Scheibe. ī-neh shī-beh |
| Four slices. |
Vier Scheiben. feer shī-behn |
| Sliced (fine). |
In (feinen) Scheiben. in (fī-nehn) shī-behn |
| Half. |
Halb. hahlb |
| A small bag. |
Eine kleine Tüte. ī-neh klīn-eh tew-teh |
| A bag, please. |
Eine Tüte, bitte. ī-neh tew-teh bit-teh |
| Ripe for today? |
Jetzt reif? yehtst rīf |
| Can I taste it? |
Kann ich es probieren? kahn ikh ehs proh-beer-ehn |
| Can you make me / us...? |
Können Sie mir / uns... machen? kurn-ehn zee meer / oons... mahkh-ehn |
| ...a sandwich |
...ein Sandwich īn zehnd-vich |
| ...two sandwiches |
...zwei Sandwiche tsvī zehnd-vich-eh |
| For takeout. |
Zum Mitnehmen. tsoom mit-nay-mehn |
| Can you please slice it? |
Bitte schneiden? bit-teh shnī-dehn |
| Does this need to be cooked? |
Muss man das kochen? moos mahn dahs kohkh-ehn |
| May I use the microwave? |
Darf ich die Mikrowelle benutzen? darf ikh dee mee-kroh-vehl-eh beh-noot-sehn |
| May I borrow a...? |
Darf ich ein... leihen? darf ikh īn... lī-ehn |
| Do you have a...? |
Haben Sie ein...? hah-behn zee īn |
| Where can I buy / find a...? |
Wo kann ich einen... kaufen / finden? voh kahn ikh ī-nehn... kow-fehn / fin-dehn |
| ...corkscrew |
...Korkenzieher kor-kehnt-see-hehr |
| ...can opener |
...Dosenöffner doh-zehn-urf-nehr |
| ...bottle opener |
...Flaschenöffner flahsh-ehn-urf-nehr |
| Is there a park nearby? |
Gibt es einen Park in der Nähe? gibt ehs ī-nehn park in dehr nay-eh |
| Where is a good place to picnic? |
Wo kann man gut picknicken? voh kahn mahn goot “picnic”-ehn |
| Is picnicking allowed here? |
Darf man hier picknicken? darf mahn heer “picnic”-ehn |
To weigh and price your produce at the grocery store, put it on the scale, push the photo or number (keyed to the bin it came from), and then stick your sticker on the food.
To borrow a shopping cart (Einkaufswagen), put a coin into a lock to release one. When you return the cart, your coin pops out again.
If you want a sturdy plastic bag (Tüte), you’ll be charged a small amount. You’re expected to bag your own groceries; locals put them back into the basket or cart, then take them over to the Packtisch (packing table) to load them up.
It’s considered rude for customers to touch produce; instead, tell the clerk what you want. Pointing and gesturing go a long way. Pay careful attention, as the unit of measure can differ. It could be per kilo (listed as pro kg or pro Kilo—a little over 2 pounds), per half-kilo (either pro ½ kg or pro 500 g), per quarter kilo (pro ¼ kg—about a half-pound), or per 100 grams (pro 100 g). Some items are priced by the dag—that’s decigram, or 10 grams (10 dag = 100 grams = about a quarter-pound). You’ll also see items priced by the Stück (piece), Bund (bunch), Behälter (container), or Topf (pot—for plants).
| kilo |
Kilo kee-loh |
| ½ kilo |
halbes Kilo hahl-behs kee-loh |
| ¼ kilo |
viertel Kilo feer-tehl kee-loh |
| 100 grams |
hundert Gramm hoon-dehrt grahm |
| that |
das dahs |
| this much |
so viel zoh feel |
| more / less |
mehr / weniger mehr / vay-nig-ehr |
| too much |
zu viel tsoo feel |
| enough |
genug geh-noog |
| piece |
Stück shtewk |
| one / two |
ein / zwei īn / tsvī |
| bunch (handful) |
Bund boont |
| bunch (a lot) |
viel feel |
| container |
Behälter beh-hehl-tehr |