German kitchens have a tool for every job, and a word to match. There's an egg cup, an egg spoon, an egg slicer, and a gadget for cracking the top off a boiled egg that is sold under the name Eierschalensollbruchstellenverursacher. You won't need that one. You will need the sixty or so words around it.
Here they are: what's on the table, what's in the drawers, what's plugged in, and the verbs for using it all. At the end you'll find the abbreviations that make German recipes look like code.
Plates, Glasses and Cutlery
plate
der Teller
soup plate
der Suppenteller
bowl
die Schüssel
cup
die Tasse
mug
der Becher
glass
das Glas
saucer
die Untertasse
cutlery
das Besteck
knife
das Messer
fork
die Gabel
spoon
der Löffel
teaspoon
der Teelöffel
tablespoon
der Esslöffel
napkin
die Serviette
breakfast board
das Brettchen
egg cup
der Eierbecher
Practice these words
der Teller
Three genders on one table: der Löffel, die Gabel, das Messer. German teachers love this trio, because nothing about a spoon, a fork or a knife explains its article. Learn them as a set.
Brettchen: many Germans eat breakfast and the evening meal from a small wooden or plastic board instead of a plate. It's just the right size for a slice of bread.
Pots, Pans and Kitchen Tools
pot
der Topf
frying pan
die Pfanne
lid
der Deckel
chopping board
das Schneidebrett
wooden spoon
der Kochlöffel
whisk
der Schneebesen
spatula
der Pfannenwender
ladle
die Schöpfkelle
sieve
das Sieb
grater
die Reibe
peeler
der Sparschäler
tin opener
der Dosenöffner
bottle opener
der Flaschenöffner
corkscrew
der Korkenzieher
baking tray
das Backblech
tea towel
das Geschirrtuch
Practice these words
der Topf
Schneebesen literally means "snow broom", because it beats egg whites into Eischnee, "egg snow". A Sparschäler is a "saving peeler": it takes off less of the potato than a knife does.
Kitchen Appliances
cooker, hob
der Herd
oven
der Backofen
fridge
der Kühlschrank
freezer compartment
das Gefrierfach
dishwasher
die Spülmaschine
microwave
die Mikrowelle
kettle
der Wasserkocher
coffee machine
die Kaffeemaschine
toaster
der Toaster
blender
der Standmixer
extractor hood
die Dunstabzugshaube
sink
die Spüle
tap
der Wasserhahn
Practice these words
der Herd
Herd or Backofen? The Herd is where the pots go, the Backofen is the part with a door. In everyday speech people just say Ofen, and Herd often means the whole appliance.
Good to know: rental flats in Germany are often let without a fitted kitchen. If a listing says EBK, Einbauküche, the kitchen is included. More in house, rooms and furniture.
Cooking Verbs
to cook, to boil
kochen
to fry, to roast
braten
to bake
backen
to cut
schneiden
to peel
schälen
to stir
rühren
to mix
mischen
to season
würzen
to pour
gießen
to reheat
aufwärmen
to wash up
abspülen
to dry up
abtrocknen
to lay the table
den Tisch decken
to clear the table
den Tisch abräumen
Practice these words
kochen
Kochen does two jobs. Ich koche heute means "I'm cooking today". Das Wasser kocht means "the water is boiling". Braten covers both frying in a pan and roasting in the oven, and der Braten is the Sunday roast.
At the Table and at the Sink
Can you lay the table, please?
Kannst du bitte den Tisch decken?
Where are the plates?
Wo sind die Teller?
Dinner's ready!
Das Essen ist fertig!
Can you pass me the salt?
Kannst du mir das Salz geben?
Who's washing up?
Wer spült ab?
The dishwasher has finished.
Die Spülmaschine ist fertig.
I'll empty the dishwasher.
Ich räume die Spülmaschine aus.
The bin is full.
Der Mülleimer ist voll.
Practice these words
Kannst du bitte den Tisch decken?
Abendbrot: the traditional German evening meal is cold: bread, cheese, cold cuts, pickles, eaten from a Brettchen. The word means "evening bread", and the warm meal of the day is lunch. Plenty of families now cook in the evening instead, but the word is still used for supper.
In a shared flat or an office kitchen, the unwritten rule is simple: your cup goes into the dishwasher, not next to it.
Reading a German Recipe
German recipes and oven dials use a small set of words and abbreviations.
| In the recipe | Full form | Means |
|---|---|---|
EL | Esslöffel | tablespoon |
TL | Teelöffel | teaspoon |
Pck. | Päckchen | a sachet: baking powder and vanilla sugar are sold this way |
Msp. | Messerspitze | "knife tip", a very small amount |
1 Prise | eine Prise | a pinch |
Umluft | — | fan oven setting |
Ober-/Unterhitze | — | conventional oven, heat from top and bottom |
vorheizen | — | to preheat |
bei mittlerer Hitze | — | over a medium heat |
abschmecken | — | to taste and adjust the seasoning |
Umluft or Ober-/Unterhitze? Recipes usually give both temperatures. With Umluft the oven is set about 20 degrees lower. Quantities are in grams and millilitres, almost never in cups, so a kitchen scale, die Küchenwaage, is standard equipment.