English vocabulary by topic

Food vocabulary in English

Words for food and drink that you can use at home, while shopping and in a café.

12 wordsBritish audioClear definitions

Everyday food and drink words

The list covers everyday food and drink, including bread, milk, cheese, coffee, soup and fish. You will meet these words on shopping lists, in menus and in ordinary conversations about meals.

Do not memorise the definition on its own. Say the word aloud, connect it to the image and use it in a short sentence about something you normally eat, drink or buy.

Vocabulary

Words in this topic

Use the speaker icon to hear each word in British English.

  • bread — a baked food made from flour and water

    bread

    IPA: /brɛd/

    a baked food made from flour and water

  • butter — a soft yellow food made from cream

    butter

    IPA: /ˈbʌtə/

    a soft yellow food made from cream

  • cake — a sweet baked food, often served for celebrations

    cake

    IPA: /keɪk/

    a sweet baked food, often served for celebrations

  • cheese — a food made from milk

    cheese

    IPA: /tʃiːz/

    a food made from milk

  • chicken — a bird, or its meat when used as food

    chicken

    IPA: /ˈtʃɪkɪn/

    a bird, or its meat when used as food

  • coffee — a dark drink made from roasted beans

    coffee

    IPA: /ˈkɒfɪ/

    a dark drink made from roasted beans

  • egg — an oval food produced by a bird

    egg

    IPA: /ɛɡ/

    an oval food produced by a bird

  • fish — an animal that lives in water, also eaten as food

    fish

    IPA: /fɪʃ/

    an animal that lives in water, also eaten as food

  • food — things that people or animals eat

    food

    IPA: /fuːd/

    things that people or animals eat

  • milk — a white drink produced by cows and other mammals

    milk

    IPA: /mɪlk/

    a white drink produced by cows and other mammals

  • soup — a liquid dish made by cooking ingredients in water

    soup

    IPA: /suːp/

    a liquid dish made by cooking ingredients in water

  • water — the clear liquid that people drink

    water

    IPA: /ˈwɔːtə/

    the clear liquid that people drink

01

How to remember these words

  1. Sort the words into drinks, basic ingredients and prepared dishes.
  2. Write your own five-item menu in English.
  3. Review the words the next day and again three days later.

02

Useful phrases

I drink coffee without sugar.

A simple way to describe a drink preference.

We need bread, milk and cheese.

A useful pattern for a shopping list.

The soup is hot, but the water is cold.

Practise food words together with basic adjectives.

Quick answers

Frequently asked questions

Which food words should I learn first?

Start with products you see every day: bread, milk, water, egg, cheese and coffee. Frequent real-life contact makes them easier to remember.

How should I learn uncountable food nouns?

Learn them in phrases such as some bread, a glass of water and a cup of coffee. This stores the grammar together with the meaning.

What is the best way to review these words?

Name each item from its picture, then use it in a short phrase. Return to the list the next day and once more a few days later.

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