German for Beginners: Sharing Food Likes and Dislikes and Talking About Eating Out
Learn to say what you love or can't stand eating, and chat about restaurant preferences in natural beginner German, with polite and regional options.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
In this lesson you will learn to express food preferences in German, not to order a meal. You will practise saying what you love, what you can't live without, and what you are not a fan of. You will also learn how to talk about eating out: whether you like going to restaurants, what kind of places you prefer, and how to invite someone. German uses the verb 'mögen' (to like) and the phrase 'Ich kann nicht ohne ... leben' (I can't live without ...). You will also meet the very common 'Ich bin kein Fan von ...' (I'm not a fan of ...). We will look at polite forms, the difference between 'gern' and 'mögen', and one important regional difference between Germany and Austria.
By the end, you can…
- say which foods I love and which I can't live without.
- say politely that I am not a fan of a food or drink.
- talk about whether I like eating out and what kind of restaurant I prefer.
- invite someone to eat out and respond to an invitation.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Ich kann nicht ohne Pasta leben.
I can't live without pasta.
ikh kan nikht OH-nuh PAH-stah LAY-bm
Use this for a food you love very much. 'Ohne' means 'without'. You can replace 'Pasta' with any food: 'Ich kann nicht ohne Kaffee leben.'
Ich bin kein Fan von scharfem Essen.
I'm not a fan of spicy food.
ikh bin kine fan fon SHAR-fuhm ES-sn
A soft, polite way to say you dislike something. 'Kein Fan von' is followed by the dative case: 'von scharfem Essen', 'von Fisch', 'von Alkohol'.
Ich esse gern italienisch.
I like eating Italian food.
ikh ES-uh gern ih-tah-lee-AY-nish
'Gern' means 'gladly' and is the most natural way to say you like doing something. It comes after the verb: 'Ich esse gern ...', 'Ich gehe gern ...'.
Gehen wir heute Abend essen?
Shall we go out to eat tonight?
GAY-uhn veer HOY-tuh AH-bnt ES-sn
A friendly invitation. Literally 'Go we tonight evening eat?' In German the verb comes first in a yes/no question.
Ich mag keine scharfen Sachen.
I don't like spicy things.
ikh mahk KINE-uh SHAR-fn ZAKH-n
'Mögen' (to like) is very common. 'Ich mag ...' + accusative. 'Ich mag keine scharfen Sachen' is direct but not rude.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The verb 'mögen' (to like) changes its form: ich mag, du magst, er/sie/es mag, wir mögen, ihr mögt, sie/Sie mögen. Use 'Ich mag ...' with a noun: 'Ich mag Pizza.' For activities, German prefers 'gern': 'Ich esse gern Pizza' (I like eating pizza), 'Ich koche gern' (I like cooking). To say you don't like something, use 'nicht gern' or 'kein Fan von': 'Ich esse nicht gern Fisch' (I don't like eating fish), 'Ich bin kein Fan von Fisch.' The phrase 'Ich kann nicht ohne ... leben' is strong and emotional: 'Ich kann nicht ohne Schokolade leben.'
When to use it
Use 'Ich mag ...' for simple likes: 'Ich mag Kaffee.' Use 'Ich esse/trinke gern ...' when you talk about eating or drinking: 'Ich trinke gern Tee.' Use 'Ich bin kein Fan von ...' when you want to be polite and soft: 'Ich bin kein Fan von Fast Food.' Use 'Ich hasse ...' only for very strong dislike; it sounds harsh. For eating out, say 'Ich gehe gern ins Restaurant' (I like going to restaurants) or 'Ich esse gern auswärts' (I like eating out). In Austria and southern Germany, people often say 'Ich gehe gern essen' instead of 'auswärts essen'. In Switzerland, 'auswärts essen' is also understood, but 'im Restaurant essen' is common.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Ich kann nicht ohne Pasta leben. Und du?
I can't live without pasta. And you?ikh kan nikht OH-nuh PAH-stah LAY-bm. unt dooIch mag Pasta auch, aber ich bin kein Fan von scharfem Essen.
I like pasta too, but I'm not a fan of spicy food.ikh mahk PAH-stah owkh, AH-ber ikh bin kine fan fon SHAR-fuhm ES-snGehen wir heute Abend italienisch essen?
Shall we go out for Italian food tonight?GAY-uhn veer HOY-tuh AH-bnt ih-tah-lee-AY-nish ES-snJa, gern. Ich gehe gern ins Restaurant.
Yes, gladly. I like going to restaurants.yah, gern. ikh GAY-uh gern ins res-toh-RAHNGA little context goes a long way
In German-speaking countries, 'Ich bin kein Fan von ...' is a common, polite way to reject food without sounding rude. Direct statements like 'Ich mag das nicht' are also normal among friends. When eating out, it is common to split the bill ('getrennt zahlen') in Germany, while in Austria and Switzerland the host may pay more often. Tipping is usually rounded up to the next euro or about 5–10 percent. In Austria, 'Sackerl' means a small bag; in Germany, 'Tüte'. These regional words are understood but mark where you are.
One thing to watch for
Saying 'Ich mag nicht scharfes Essen' to mean 'I don't like spicy food.'
Try this instead: This sounds like 'I don't like spicy food' but is grammatically odd. Say 'Ich mag kein scharfes Essen' or 'Ich bin kein Fan von scharfem Essen.' 'Kein' negates nouns, 'nicht' negates verbs or adjectives: 'Ich esse nicht gern scharf.'
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I can't live without coffee' in German?
Show a sample answer
Ich kann nicht ohne Kaffee leben.
This uses the fixed pattern 'Ich kann nicht ohne ... leben'. You can replace 'Kaffee' with any food or drink. A valid alternative is 'Ohne Kaffee kann ich nicht leben', which puts emphasis on 'Kaffee'.
2You want to say politely that you are not a fan of beer. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
Ich bin kein Fan von Bier.
'Kein Fan von' is followed by the dative. 'Bier' does not change here. You could also say 'Ich mag kein Bier', which is more direct but still fine.
3How do you invite a friend to eat out tonight?
Show a sample answer
Gehen wir heute Abend essen?
This is a friendly yes/no question with the verb first. You can also say 'Wollen wir heute Abend essen gehen?' or 'Hast du Lust, heute Abend essen zu gehen?' All are natural.
Use 'Ich mag ...' for simple likes, 'gern' for activities, and 'Ich bin kein Fan von ...' to politely say you dislike something. For eating out, 'Gehen wir ... essen?' is a friendly invitation.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s German into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr