Learn German: Say 'I Eat' and 'I Like' with 10 Staple Foods
Name 10 common foods in German and use 'ich esse' and 'ich mag' to talk about what you eat and like.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
In this lesson, you will learn the German words for ten staple foods and how to use them in two simple sentences: 'Ich esse…' (I eat…) and 'Ich mag…' (I like…). We focus on individual food items, not meals or mealtimes. You will also learn the correct articles and plural forms, and get tips on pronunciation and regional differences. By the end, you can talk about your food preferences in everyday German.
By the end, you can…
- name 10 staple foods in German with correct articles.
- say 'I eat ___' using 'ich esse' and a food word.
- say 'I like ___' using 'ich mag' and a food word.
- recognize plural forms of these food nouns.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Ich esse Brot.
I eat bread.
ikh ES-uh broht
'Brot' is neuter: das Brot. No article needed when talking about bread in general.
Ich esse Reis.
I eat rice.
ikh ES-uh rīs
'Reis' is masculine: der Reis. It has no plural when referring to the food.
Ich mag Äpfel.
I like apples.
ikh mahk EP-fəl
'Äpfel' is the plural of 'der Apfel'. Use plural when you like apples in general.
Ich esse ein Ei.
I eat an egg.
ikh ES-uh īn ī
'Ei' is neuter: das Ei. 'Ein' is the indefinite article for neuter nouns.
Ich mag Käse.
I like cheese.
ikh mahk KAY-zuh
'Käse' is masculine: der Käse. It is uncountable, so no plural.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To say what you eat, use 'Ich esse' + food word. To say what you like, use 'Ich mag' + food word. For example: 'Ich esse Hähnchen.' (I eat chicken.) 'Ich mag Fisch.' (I like fish.) Note that 'esse' and 'mag' are the 'ich' forms of the verbs 'essen' (to eat) and 'mögen' (to like). You do not need an article when speaking generally about food, but you do when talking about a specific item: 'Ich esse ein Ei.' (I eat an egg.)
When to use it
Use these patterns in everyday conversations about food preferences. For example, when someone asks 'Was isst du gern?' (What do you like to eat?), you can answer 'Ich esse gern Bananen.' (I like eating bananas.) or 'Ich mag Tomaten.' (I like tomatoes.) If you want to be more specific, add 'gern' after the verb: 'Ich esse gern Fisch.' (I like eating fish.) This softens the statement. In negative sentences, use 'nicht gern': 'Ich esse nicht gern Käse.' (I don't like eating cheese.)
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Was isst du gern?
What do you like to eat?vahs IST doo gairnIch esse gern Reis und Hähnchen.
I like eating rice and chicken.ikh ES-uh gairn rīs oont HAYN-khənMagst du auch Fisch?
Do you also like fish?mahkst doo owkh fishJa, ich mag Fisch, aber ich esse nicht gern Käse.
Yes, I like fish, but I don't like eating cheese.yah, ikh mahk fish, AH-ber ikh ES-uh nikht gairn KAY-zuhA little context goes a long way
In German-speaking countries, 'Ich mag' is common for expressing likes, but 'Ich esse gern' is often used for food preferences. In Austria and Switzerland, some food words differ: 'Erdapfel' is used for 'potato' in Austria, while 'Kartoffel' is standard in Germany. 'Paradeiser' is used for 'tomato' in Austria, but 'Tomate' is standard in Germany. These regional differences are important to recognize, but standard German uses 'Kartoffel' and 'Tomate'.
One thing to watch for
Saying 'Ich mag ein Apfel' to mean 'I like an apple'.
Try this instead: When you like something in general, use the plural without an article: 'Ich mag Äpfel.' If you mean a specific apple, say 'Ich mag den Apfel.' (I like the apple.) The indefinite article 'ein' is only for singular specific items: 'Ich esse einen Apfel.' (I eat an apple.) Note that 'Apfel' is masculine, so 'einen' is used in the accusative case.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I eat bread' in German?
Show a sample answer
Ich esse Brot.
'Ich esse' means 'I eat', and 'Brot' means 'bread'. No article is needed when speaking generally. You could also say 'Ich esse ein Brot' if you mean a specific loaf, but that is less common.
2Translate: 'I like bananas.'
Show a sample answer
Ich mag Bananen.
'Ich mag' means 'I like', and 'Bananen' is the plural of 'Banane'. Use the plural when talking about bananas in general. 'Ich mag eine Banane' would mean 'I like one banana', which is less natural.
3What is the German word for 'potato', and what is its article?
Show a sample answer
Kartoffel, die Kartoffel.
'Kartoffel' is feminine, so the article is 'die'. In Austria, 'Erdapfel' is also used. The plural is 'die Kartoffeln'.
Use 'Ich esse' for what you eat and 'Ich mag' for what you like. Remember to use the correct article and plural forms. Practice with the 10 foods: Brot, Reis, Apfel, Ei, Käse, Hähnchen, Fisch, Banane, Tomate, Kartoffel.
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