Food and drink and shopping (Edexcel GCSE German): Revision Notes
📚 Revision Notes
Food and drink and shopping vocabulary
This unit covers essential German vocabulary for discussing food, drinks, and shopping experiences. These terms are crucial for GCSE speaking and writing tasks, particularly in everyday conversation scenarios.
Food and drink vocabulary
Understanding food and drink terms helps you describe meals, preferences, and dining experiences in German. Pay attention to gender markers as they're essential for correct article usage.
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Gender matters: Always learn nouns with their gender markers (der/die/das) as this affects adjective endings and pronoun usage throughout German grammar.
Meals and eating
| German | English | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| das Abendessen | dinner | neuter |
| das Frühstück | breakfast | neuter |
| das Mittagessen | lunch | neuter |
| das Essen | food, meal | neuter |
| essen | to eat | verb |
| trinken | to drink | verb |
| kochen | to cook | verb |
| probieren | to try | verb |
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Example sentences:
- Ich esse gern Frühstück um acht Uhr. (I like to eat breakfast at eight o'clock.)
- Was trinken Sie zum Abendessen? (What do you drink with dinner?)
- Meine Mutter kocht sehr gut. (My mother cooks very well.)
Common foods
| German | English | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| das Brot | bread, loaf | neuter |
| das Fleisch | meat | neuter |
| der Fisch | fish | masculine |
| das Gemüse | vegetables | neuter |
| das Obst | fruit | neuter |
| der Käse | cheese | masculine |
| das Ei | egg | neuter |
| die Schokolade | chocolate | feminine |
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Example sentences:
- Ich kaufe frisches Brot in der Bäckerei. (I buy fresh bread at the bakery.)
- Vegetarier essen kein Fleisch. (Vegetarians don't eat meat.)
infoNote
Pronunciation tip: Remember that ei in German sounds like "eye" in English, so das Ei sounds like "das eye".
Drinks and beverages
| German | English | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| der Kaffee | coffee | masculine |
| der Tee | tea | masculine |
| das Wasser | water | neuter |
| die Milch | milk | feminine |
| das Getränk | drink | neuter |
| der Durst | thirst | masculine |
| das Eis | ice cream | neuter |
| der Saft | juice | masculine |
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Example sentences:
- Haben Sie Durst? Möchten Sie Wasser? (Are you thirsty? Would you like water?)
- Zum Frühstück trinke ich immer Kaffee. (I always drink coffee for breakfast.)
Dining experiences
| German | English | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| das Restaurant | restaurant | neuter |
| das Café | café | neuter |
| das Fastfood | fast food | neuter |
| lecker | delicious | adjective |
| süß | sweet | adjective |
| sauer | sour | adjective |
| der Hunger | hunger | masculine |
| satt | full (satisfied) | adjective |
Shopping vocabulary
Shopping vocabulary helps you navigate German stores, discuss prices, and describe purchases. These terms are particularly useful for role-play scenarios in speaking exams.
General shopping terms
| German | English | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| einkaufen | to shop | verb |
| kaufen | to buy | verb |
| verkaufen | to sell | verb |
| bezahlen | to pay | verb |
| das Geschäft | shop, business | neuter |
| der Laden | shop | masculine |
| der Supermarkt | supermarket | masculine |
| die Kasse | checkout, till | feminine |
| das Angebot | offer, special offer | neuter |
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Example sentences:
- Wo können wir einkaufen gehen? (Where can we go shopping?)
- Ich möchte diese Schuhe kaufen. (I would like to buy these shoes.)
- An der Kasse müssen Sie bezahlen. (You must pay at the checkout.)
Money and payment
| German | English | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| das Geld | money | neuter |
| der Euro | euro | masculine |
| das Bargeld | cash | neuter |
| die Kreditkarte | credit card | feminine |
| der Preis | price | masculine |
| billig | cheap | adjective |
| teuer | expensive | adjective |
| kosten | to cost | verb |
| wechseln | to change, exchange | verb |
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Example sentences:
- Wie viel kostet das T-Shirt? (How much does the T-shirt cost?)
- Das ist zu teuer für mich. (That's too expensive for me.)
- Kann ich mit Kreditkarte bezahlen? (Can I pay by credit card?)
Clothing and accessories
| German | English | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| die Kleidung | clothing | feminine |
| das Kleid | dress | neuter |
| das T-Shirt | T-shirt | neuter |
| der Pullover | pullover, jumper | masculine |
| der Hut | hat | masculine |
| die Socke | sock | feminine |
| der Schuh | shoe | masculine |
| die Größe | size | feminine |
| modisch | fashionable | adjective |
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Example sentences:
- Welche Größe haben Sie? (What size are you?)
- Diese Kleidung ist sehr modisch. (These clothes are very fashionable.)
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Pronunciation tip: Schuh rhymes with "zoo" in English.
Translation exercises
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Practice Translations:
German to English:
- Ich gehe gern ins Restaurant, weil das Essen sehr lecker ist.
- Können Sie mir helfen? Ich suche billige Schuhe.
English to German:
- I would like to buy fresh fruit and vegetables.
- The coffee in this café is expensive but delicious.
Answers:
- I like going to the restaurant because the food is very delicious.
- Can you help me? I'm looking for cheap shoes.
- Ich möchte frisches Obst und Gemüse kaufen.
- Der Kaffee in diesem Café ist teuer aber lecker.
Exam tips
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Essential Exam Strategies:
- Gender matters: Always learn nouns with their gender markers (der/die/das) as this affects adjective endings and pronoun usage.
- Role-play scenarios: Practice common shopping dialogues including asking for prices, sizes, and payment methods.
- Context clues: In reading tasks, use familiar vocabulary to help understand unfamiliar words.
- Speaking confidence: Don't worry about perfect pronunciation - focus on clear communication using the vocabulary you know.
bookmarkSummary
Key Points to Remember:
- Food vocabulary includes meals, ingredients, and dining experiences - essential for describing preferences and daily routines
- Shopping vocabulary covers stores, payment, and purchases - crucial for practical communication scenarios
- Gender markers must be learnt with each noun as they affect grammar and sentence structure
- Practice regularly by creating your own food and shopping scenarios using this vocabulary
- Context matters - the same word can have different meanings in different situations (like das Eis meaning ice cream, not ice)