# Food and drink in Esperanto: words, meals, phrases

Source: https://esperantopedia.org/phrases/food-drink/
Language: en
Updated: 2026-10-11

> Esperanto food words with pronunciation: matenmanĝo, fruit, vegetables, meat, drinks and tastes, plus Bonan apetiton!, Mi estas sata and how to use da.

Food is ***manĝaĵo*** and a drink is ***trinkaĵo***, built from the verbs *manĝi* "to eat" and *trinki* "to drink" plus the suffix *-aĵ-* "a concrete thing". The daily meals are ***matenmanĝo*** "breakfast", ***tagmanĝo*** "lunch" and ***vespermanĝo*** "dinner". Most fruit, vegetable and drink words are international roots with the noun ending *-o*, so many look familiar. Pronunciation guides split words into syllables, with the stressed syllable in capitals.

## Meals and eating

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| meal | *manĝo* | MAN-ĝo |
| breakfast | *matenmanĝo* | ma-ten-MAN-ĝo |
| lunch | *tagmanĝo* | tag-MAN-ĝo |
| dinner, supper | *vespermanĝo* | ves-per-MAN-ĝo |
| snack between meals | *intermanĝeto* | in-ter-man-ĜE-to |
| food / drink | *manĝaĵo / trinkaĵo* | man-ĜA-ĵo / trin-KA-ĵo |
| to eat / to drink | *manĝi / trinki* | MAN-ĝi / TRIN-ki |
| to cook | *kuiri* | ku-I-ri |

The meal names are compounds: *mateno* "morning" + *manĝo* "meal". Change the ending to *-i* for verbs: *Mi matenmanĝas je la sepa* – "I have breakfast at seven." Lesson 5 of the [free course](https://esperantopedia.org/learn/course/lesson-05/) teaches about twenty of these words.

## Fruit

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| fruit | *frukto* | FRUK-to |
| apple | *pomo* | PO-mo |
| pear | *piro* | PI-ro |
| orange | *oranĝo* | o-RAN-ĝo |
| lemon | *citrono* | ci-TRO-no |
| banana | *banano* | ba-NA-no |
| grape | *vinbero* | vin-BE-ro |
| peach | *persiko* | per-SI-ko |
| strawberry | *frago* | FRA-go |
| watermelon | *akvomelono* | ak-vo-me-LO-no |

Compounds are common: *vinbero* is "wine-berry" (*vino* + *bero*) and *akvomelono* "water-melon". For the tree, say *pomarbo* "apple tree".

## Vegetables

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| vegetable | *legomo* | le-GO-mo |
| potato | *terpomo* | ter-PO-mo |
| carrot | *karoto* | ka-RO-to |
| tomato | *tomato* | to-MA-to |
| onion | *cepo* | CE-po |
| garlic | *ajlo* | AJ-lo |
| cucumber | *kukumo* | ku-KU-mo |
| cabbage | *brasiko* | bra-SI-ko |
| salad | *salato* | sa-LA-to |
| mushroom | *fungo* | FUN-go |

*Terpomo* is literally "earth-apple" (*tero* + *pomo*).

## Meat, fish, dairy and bread

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| meat | *viando* | vi-AN-do |
| beef / pork | *bovaĵo / porkaĵo* | bo-VA-ĵo / por-KA-ĵo |
| chicken (meat) | *kokina viando* | ko-KI-na vi-AN-do |
| fish | *fiŝo* | FI-ŝo |
| egg | *ovo* | O-vo |
| milk | *lakto* | LAK-to |
| cheese | *fromaĝo* | fro-MA-ĝo |
| butter | *butero* | bu-TE-ro |
| bread | *pano* | PA-no |
| soup | *supo* | SU-po |
| chocolate | *ĉokolado* | ĉo-ko-LA-do |

*Bovaĵo* is *bovo* "cattle" + *-aĵ-*, and *porkaĵo* comes from *porko* "pig". ReVo defines *viando* as the muscle part of animal flesh, not counting fish, which stays *fiŝo*.

## Drinks

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| water | *akvo* | AK-vo |
| coffee | *kafo* | KA-fo |
| tea | *teo* | TE-o |
| juice | *suko* | SU-ko |
| lemonade | *limonado* | li-mo-NA-do |
| wine | *vino* | VI-no |
| beer | *biero* | bi-E-ro |

## Tastes and spices

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| sweet | *dolĉa* | DOL-ĉa |
| salty | *sala* | SA-la |
| sour | *acida* | a-CI-da |
| bitter | *amara* | a-MA-ra |
| spicy | *spica* | SPI-ca |
| tasty | *bongusta* | bon-GUS-ta |
| unpleasant-tasting | *malbongusta* | mal-bon-GUS-ta |
| fresh / raw / ripe | *freŝa / kruda / matura* | FRE-ŝa / KRU-da / ma-TU-ra |
| salt / pepper | *salo / pipro* | SA-lo / PIP-ro |
| sugar / vinegar | *sukero / vinagro* | su-KE-ro / vi-NA-gro |
| spice / cinnamon | *spico / cinamo* | SPI-co / ci-NA-mo |
| mustard / vanilla | *mustardo / vanilo* | mus-TAR-do / va-NI-lo |

The noun is *gusto* "taste" and the verb *gusti* "to taste of something": *La kafo gustas amare* – "The coffee tastes bitter." ReVo glosses *acida* as sharp like vinegar or lemon.

## Word building with food words

A few suffixes turn one root into a family of words. See [word building](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/word-building/), [suffixes](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/suffixes/) and [prefixes](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/prefixes/).

| Word part | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| *-aĵ-* | a concrete thing made from or related to | *bakaĵo* baked goods, *dolĉaĵo* a sweet, *ovaĵo* egg dish |
| *-ej-* | place | *manĝejo* place to eat, *kafejo* café, *bakejo* bakery, *viandejo* butcher's shop |
| *-ist-* | person who does it | *kuiristo* cook, *bakisto* baker, *buĉisto* butcher |
| *-uj-* | container | *sukerujo* sugar bowl, *salujo* salt cellar |
| *mal-* | opposite | *sata* full, *malsata* hungry |

PMEG adds that *-uj-* can also name the plant that bears a fruit (*pomujo* "apple tree"), but many now prefer *pomarbo*. To order in a *restoracio*, see [travel phrases](https://esperantopedia.org/phrases/travel/).

## Phrases at the table

What you eat or drink is the object, so it takes *-n*: *Mi manĝas pomon*, *Mi trinkas teon*. See [the accusative](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/accusative/).

| Esperanto | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| *Bonan apetiton!* | BO-nan a-pe-TI-ton | Enjoy your meal! |
| *Mi malsatas.* | mi mal-SA-tas | I'm hungry. |
| *Mi soifas.* | mi so-I-fas | I'm thirsty. |
| *Kion vi volas manĝi?* | KI-on vi VO-las MAN-ĝi | What do you want to eat? |
| *Ĉu vi volas ankoraŭ iom?* | ĉu vi VO-las an-KO-raŭ I-om | Would you like some more? |
| *Ne, dankon, mi estas sata.* | ne DAN-kon mi ES-tas SA-ta | No, thanks, I'm full. |
| *Ĝi estas bongusta!* | ĝi ES-tas bon-GUS-ta | It's delicious! |
| *Mi estas vegetarano.* | mi ES-tas ve-ge-ta-RA-no | I'm a vegetarian. |
| *Mi ne manĝas viandon.* | mi ne MAN-ĝas vi-AN-don | I don't eat meat. |
| *Ĉu ĝi enhavas ovojn?* | ĉu ĝi en-HA-vas O-vojn | Does it contain eggs? |
| *Teon kun citrono, sen sukero, mi petas.* | TE-on kun ci-TRO-no sen su-KE-ro mi PE-tas | Tea with lemon, no sugar, please. |

A vegan is a *vegano*. After *kun* "with" and *sen* "without" there is no *-n*, because they are [prepositions](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/prepositions/). For toasts such as *Je via sano!*, see [wishes and celebrations](https://esperantopedia.org/phrases/wishes-celebrations/).

## Quantities with da

The word ***da*** joins a measure to the substance it measures, like English "of".

| Esperanto | English |
|---|---|
| *glaso da akvo* | a glass of water |
| *peco da kuko* | a piece of cake |
| *kilogramo da pomoj* | a kilo of apples |
| *litro da lakto* | a litre of milk |
| *kulero da mielo* | a spoonful of honey |

PMEG gives these rules:

- **No *-n* after *da*.** The measure takes it: *Mi trinkas glason da akvo* – "I drink a glass of water."
- **No *da* after plain numbers.** Say *Mi havas cent pomojn*, but *Mi havas centon da pomoj* "I have a hundred apples", because *cento* is a noun.
- **No *da* before *la*, *mia* or *ĝi*.** Use *de* or *el*: *Ni manĝis iom de la pano* – "We ate some of the bread."
- **Ask with *kiom da*:** *Kiom da sukero vi volas?* – "How much sugar do you want?"

*Glaso da vino* is a glass full of wine, while *vinglaso* is a glass made for wine.

## Common questions

### How do you say "food" in Esperanto?

*Manĝaĵo* is food, the things you eat; *manĝo* is a meal.

### How do you say breakfast, lunch and dinner in Esperanto?

*Matenmanĝo*, *tagmanĝo* and *vespermanĝo*; as verbs, *matenmanĝi*, *tagmanĝi* and *vespermanĝi*.

### How do you say "I am hungry" or "I am thirsty" in Esperanto?

*Mi malsatas* or *Mi estas malsata* for hungry, and *Mi soifas* for thirsty. When you have eaten enough, say *Mi estas sata*.

### How do you say "enjoy your meal" in Esperanto?

*Bonan apetiton!* ReVo describes it as a wish said before a meal.

## Sources

- ReVo: [manĝi](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/mangx.html) (meal names, intermanĝeto), [trinki](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/trink.html), [apetito](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/apetit.html), [sata](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/sat.html), [soifi](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/soif.html), [gusti](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/gust.html), [acida](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/acid.html), [spica](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/spic.html), [viando](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/viand.html), [bovaĵo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/bov.html), [porkaĵo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/pork.html), [kulero](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/kuler.html), [vegetarano](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/vegeta2.html)
- PMEG: [AĴ](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/vortfarado/afiksoj/sufiksoj/ajh.html), [EJ](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/vortfarado/afiksoj/sufiksoj/ej.html), [IST](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/vortfarado/afiksoj/sufiksoj/ist.html), [UJ](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/vortfarado/afiksoj/sufiksoj/uj.html), [Da – bazaj reguloj](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/gramatiko/rolmontriloj/rolvortetoj/da/bazaj_reguloj.html), [Da – detalaj reguloj](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/gramatiko/rolmontriloj/rolvortetoj/da/detalaj_reguloj.html)