Restaurant German word
- Speisekarte Menu
- Getränkekarte Drink menu
- Kellner Waiter
- Kellnerin Waitress
- Rechnung Bill/Check
- Reservierung Reservation
- Tisch Table
- Wasser Water
- Gabel Fork
- Messer Knife
- Löffel Spoon
- Serviette Napkin
- Brot Bread
- Wein Wine
- Bier Beer
- Vorspeise Appetizer
- Hauptgericht Main course
- Nachspeise Dessert
- Nachtisch Dessert
- Trinkgeld Tip
- Getränk Drink
- Salat Salad
- Suppe Soup
- Fisch Fish
- Fleisch Meat
Restaurant Terms in German
Diving into the culinary world of Germany offers more than just a taste adventure. Mastering restaurant terms in German can greatly enhance your dining experience. Familiarizing yourself with key phrases will help you interact seamlessly with restaurant staff and fully enjoy your meals.
Key Restaurant Terms
Here are some essential German restaurant terms to help you navigate your dining experience:
English Term |
German Translation |
Pronunciation |
Menu |
Speisekarte |
shpy-zeh-kar-tuh |
Waiter |
Kellner |
kel-ner |
Waitress |
Kellnerin |
kel-ner-in |
Bill/Check |
Rechnung |
rekh-noong |
Reservation |
Reservierung |
re-zehr-feer-oong |
Table |
Tisch |
tish |
Water |
Wasser |
vah-ser |
Fork |
Gabel |
gah-bel |
Knife |
Messer |
mes-er |
Spoon |
Löffel |
luh-fel |
Napkin |
Serviette |
ser-vee-et-tuh |
Bread |
Brot |
broht |
Dessert |
Nachtisch |
nahkh-tish |
Common Phrases for Dining
Knowing how to use these terms in common dining phrases can make your experience even better:
English Phrase |
German Translation |
Pronunciation |
Can I see the menu? |
Kann ich die Speisekarte sehen? |
kahn ikh dee shpy-zeh-kar-tuh zayn |
I would like to order. |
Ich möchte bestellen. |
ikh mø-kh-tuh besh-tel-len |
What do you recommend? |
Was empfehlen Sie? |
vahs emp-fay-len zee |
The food was delicious. |
Das Essen war köstlich. |
dahs es-sen vah kœst-likh |
Could I get the bill, please? |
Könnte ich die Rechnung bekommen, bitte? |
kuhn-te ikh dee rekh-noong be-kom-men, bi-tuh |
Do you have a vegetarian option? |
Haben Sie eine vegetarische Option? |
hah-ben zee ayn-uh veh-gay-tah-rish-uh op-tsyohn |
Useful Questions
Here are some useful questions to ask in a German restaurant:
English Question |
German Question |
Pronunciation |
Is there a table available? |
Gibt es einen freien Tisch? |
gibt es ayn-en fry-en tish |
Do you have a kids' menu? |
Haben Sie eine Kinderkarte? |
hah-ben zee ayn-uh kin-der-kar-tuh |
Can we sit outside? |
Können wir draußen sitzen? |
kuhn-en veer drow-sen sit-tsen |
Is there Wi-Fi here? |
Gibt es hier WLAN? |
gibt es heer vay-lahn |
Can I pay with a credit card? |
Kann ich mit Kreditkarte bezahlen? |
kahn ikh mit kreh-deet-kar-tuh be-tsah-len |
German Phrases for Restaurant Dining
Dining out in Germany offers a unique experience compared to the US. Takeout is less common, and eating at restaurants isn't a daily habit for most people. Instead, many Germans prefer cooking at home due to the affordability of fresh foods. This guide will introduce you to essential German phrases for restaurant dining, helping you navigate mealtimes, utensils, dietary habits, and food allergies with ease.
Essential German Phrases for Restaurant Dining
Understanding basic German phrases can make your dining experience smoother and more enjoyable. Here are some key expressions:
English Phrase |
German Translation |
Pronunciation |
I would like to make a reservation. |
Ich möchte eine Reservierung machen. |
ikh mø-kh-tuh ayn-uh re-zehr-feer-oong mah-khen |
A table for two, please. |
Ein Tisch für zwei, bitte. |
ayn tish füer tsvay, bi-tuh |
Can I see the menu? |
Kann ich die Speisekarte sehen? |
kahn ikh dee shpy-zeh-kar-tuh zayn |
What do you recommend? |
Was empfehlen Sie? |
vahs emp-fay-len zee |
I am vegetarian. |
Ich bin Vegetarier. |
ikh bin veh-gay-tah-ree-er |
I have a food allergy. |
Ich habe eine Lebensmittelallergie. |
ikh hah-beh ayn-uh lay-ben-smitt-uhl-al-er-ghee-eh |
Could you bring the bill, please? |
Könnten Sie die Rechnung bringen, bitte? |
kuhn-ten zee dee rekh-noong bring-en, bi-tuh |
Mealtimes and Dietary Preferences
Germans have distinct mealtimes and dietary preferences. Here's a quick guide:
English Term |
German Term |
Pronunciation |
Breakfast |
Frühstück |
fruuh-shtük |
Lunch |
Mittagessen |
mit-tahk-es-sen |
Dinner |
Abendessen |
ah-bent-es-sen |
Snack |
Imbiss |
im-bis |
Vegetarian |
Vegetarisch |
veh-gay-tah-rish |
Vegan |
Vegan |
veh-gahn |
Gluten-Free |
Glutenfrei |
gloo-ten-fry |
Utensils and Table Settings
Knowing the names of utensils and table settings can be quite helpful:
English Term |
German Term |
Pronunciation |
Fork |
Gabel |
gah-bel |
Knife |
Messer |
mes-er |
Spoon |
Löffel |
lø-fel |
Plate |
Teller |
tel-er |
Glass |
Glas |
glahs |
Napkin |
Serviette |
ser-vee-et-tuh |
Common Questions and Requests
When dining out, you might need to ask or request certain things:
English Phrase |
German Translation |
Pronunciation |
Can I have water, please? |
Kann ich Wasser haben, bitte? |
kahn ikh vah-ser hah-ben, bi-tuh |
Is there a vegetarian option? |
Gibt es eine vegetarische Option? |
gibt es ayn-uh veh-gay-tah-rish-uh op-tsyohn |
Do you have a kids' menu? |
Haben Sie eine Kinderkarte? |
hah-ben zee ayn-uh kin-der-kar-tuh |
Can we sit outside? |
Können wir draußen sitzen? |
kuhn-en veer drow-sen sit-tsen |
Can I have the check, please? |
Kann ich die Rechnung bekommen, bitte? |
kahn ikh dee rekh-noong beh-kom-men, bi-tuh |
Making a Reservation at a Restaurant in German
Making a reservation at a restaurant in Germany can be a straightforward process if you know the right phrases. This guide will provide you with essential German expressions and their pronunciations to help you reserve a table with ease.
Essential Phrases for Making a Reservation
Here are some key phrases to use when making a reservation at a restaurant in German:
English Phrase |
German Translation |
Pronunciation |
I would like to make a reservation. |
Ich möchte eine Reservierung machen. |
ikh mø-kh-tuh ayn-uh re-zehr-feer-oong mah-khen |
A table for two, please. |
Ein Tisch für zwei, bitte. |
ayn tish füer tsvay, bi-tuh |
Is there a table available for tonight? |
Gibt es einen Tisch für heute Abend? |
gibt es ayn-en tish füer hoy-tuh ah-bent |
What time is the reservation for? |
Für welche Uhrzeit ist die Reservierung? |
füer vel-khuh oor-tsayt ist dee re-zehr-feer-oong |
I need a table for four people. |
Ich brauche einen Tisch für vier Personen. |
ikh brow-khuh ayn-en tish füer feer per-soh-nen |
Do you have any outdoor seating? |
Haben Sie Sitzplätze im Freien? |
hah-ben zee sitz-plät-suh im fry-en |
Can I reserve a private room? |
Kann ich ein Privatzimmer reservieren? |
kahn ikh ayn pree-vaht-tsim-mer re-zehr-feer-en |
Could you confirm the reservation? |
Können Sie die Reservierung bestätigen? |
kuhn-en zee dee re-zehr-feer-oong besht-ay-gee-gen |
Confirming and Modifying Reservations
Sometimes, you might need to confirm or change your reservation. Here are some useful phrases:
English Phrase |
German Translation |
Pronunciation |
I would like to confirm my reservation. |
Ich möchte meine Reservierung bestätigen. |
ikh mø-kh-tuh my-nuh re-zehr-feer-oong besht-ay-gee-gen |
I need to change the time of my reservation. |
Ich muss die Uhrzeit meiner Reservierung ändern. |
ikh moos dee oor-tsayt my-ner re-zehr-feer-oong en-dern |
Can I cancel my reservation? |
Kann ich meine Reservierung stornieren? |
kahn ikh my-nuh re-zehr-feer-oong shtor-neer-en |
Is it possible to add two more people to my reservation? |
Ist es möglich, zwei weitere Personen hinzuzufügen? |
ist es mø-glick, tsvay vay-ter-uh per-soh-nen hin-tsu-tsu-fue-gen |
Handling Special Requests
If you have special requests for your reservation, these phrases will be helpful:
English Phrase |
German Translation |
Pronunciation |
We would like a window seat. |
Wir möchten einen Platz am Fenster. |
veer mø-kh-ten ayn-en platz am fen-ster |
Can we have a table with a view? |
Können wir einen Tisch mit Aussicht haben? |
kuhn-en veer ayn-en tish mit ous-sikt hah-ben |
I need a high chair for my child. |
Ich brauche einen Hochstuhl für mein Kind. |
ikh brow-khuh ayn-en hohkh-shtool füer myn kind |
We are celebrating a birthday. |
Wir feiern einen Geburtstag. |
veer fy-ern ayn-en geh-burts-tahg |