German · A1 · Everyday language
Food and drink in German
Learn simple German phrases for ordering food and drinks, asking about availability, and paying. German often leaves out words like “some” and “any” when asking for food.
What you'll learn
- Say that you are hungry and order politely.
- Ask whether a restaurant has a food item.
- Understand when German needs no word for “some” or “any.”
- Ask for the price and the bill.
German phrases for food and drink
Ich habe Hunger.
I am hungry.
German says “I have hunger,” using habe rather than “am.”
Ich möchte Brot.
I would like some bread.
Möchte means “would like.” No separate word for “some” is needed here.
Ein Glas Wasser, bitte.
A glass of water, please.
Say Glas Wasser without a word for “of.” Bitte makes the request polite.
Haben Sie Äpfel?
Do you have apples?
Use formal Sie with restaurant staff. Apfel becomes Äpfel in the plural.
Es ist lecker.
It is delicious.
Lecker is a common, friendly word for “delicious” or “tasty.”
Nein, danke.
No, thank you.
A short, polite way to decline an offer.
Wie viel kostet es?
How much is it?
Literally, “How much does it cost?” Use this to ask about a price.
Die Rechnung, bitte.
The bill, please.
A normal, polite way to ask for the bill in a restaurant.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
der Hunger
hunger
Use Hunger haben to say that someone is hungry.
möchte
would like
Use ich möchte for a polite request.
das Brot
bread
For an unspecified amount, simply say Brot.
das Glas
glass
Ein Glas Wasser means “a glass of water.”
das Wasser
water
German nouns always start with a capital letter.
der Apfel
apple
The plural is die Äpfel.
lecker
delicious; tasty
Use it to describe food or drinks you enjoy.
die Rechnung
bill
The restaurant bill, not a banknote.
Expressing “some” and “any”
German often uses food nouns without an article where English uses “some” or “any.” Use etwas for “some” or “a little” with an amount, and ein paar for “a few” with plural items.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Unspecified amount | möchte + food noun | Ich möchte Brot. — I would like some bread. |
| Availability question | Haben Sie + plural noun? | Haben Sie Äpfel? — Do you have any apples? |
| Some / a little | etwas + food noun | Ich möchte etwas Brot. — I would like some bread. |
| A few | ein paar + plural noun | Ich möchte ein paar Äpfel. — I would like a few apples. |
Simple statements and polite questions
In a simple statement, the verb comes second. In a yes/no question, it comes first. Formal Sie means “you” and is always capitalized.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Statement | Ich + verb + food noun | Ich möchte Brot. — I would like some bread. |
| Yes/no question | Verb + Sie + food noun? | Haben Sie Brot? — Do you have bread? |
| Price question | Wie viel + kostet + es? | Wie viel kostet es? — How much does it cost? |
More examples
Ich möchte etwas Wasser, bitte.
I would like some water, please.
Etwas expresses an unspecified amount.
Haben Sie Milch?
Do you have any milk?
No separate word for “any” is needed.
Ich möchte ein paar Äpfel, bitte.
I would like a few apples, please.
Ein paar goes with a plural noun.
Das Brot ist lecker.
The bread is delicious.
Use das when talking about a particular bread.
Ein Glas Milch, bitte.
A glass of milk, please.
Like Glas Wasser, Glas Milch needs no word for “of.”