Food and drink in Slovenian
190 words Slovenian words on the topic “food and drink”: kava — coffee, čaj — tea, voda — water, kruh — bread. 190 words can be played from recordings.
190 words on the topic
- kavacoffeeFeminine gender: ta kava je dobra — "this coffee is good".
- čajteač is "ch": chigh
- vodawaterIn Slovenian cafes tap water comes free if you ask for it.
- kruhbreadfinal h is sounded: krooh
- mlekomilkTake the ml- cluster straight on, no vowel in between: MLEH-koh.
- pivobeerBeer is measured in volume: veliko is the large half-liter, malo the small one. Two beers take the dual: dve pivi.
- vinowineSlovenia is a wine country: people ask for cviček or teran by name, not by color.
- hranafoodShort, stress on the first syllable; the verb hraniti means "to feed, to nourish".
- sircheeseSpelled like the English "sir" but said with a long "ee": seer. One of the easiest words in the course.
- mesomeatStress the second syllable: meh-SOH. One letter away from mesto, which is "city".
- ribafishOn the coast the menu says morska riba, sea fish; in the mountains it is postrv, trout.
- solatasaladRuns through an "o", like Italian insalata — and stress the final "a".
- juhasoupj is "y", and the h sounds: YOO-hah
- solsaltFeminine, and said exactly as spelled: one short syllable.
- sadjefruitA false friend — it is not "garden"; the garden is vrt. The root means "what is planted", which is why it names fruit.
- jabolkoapplej is "y": YAH-bohl-koh
- pomarančaorangeč is "ch": poh-MAH-rahn-cha
- paradižniktomatož is the "zh" of "measure": pah-rah-DEEZH-neek
- zelenjavavegetablesFrom zelen, "green" — literally the green stuff. The partner of sadje, and mixing the two up is a classic market mistake.
- okusnotastyFrom okus, "taste". Said with feeling, it is the best compliment to a host.
- jestito eatj is "y": YEH-stee
- pitito drinkThe present changes its stem: pijem, piješ, pije. A drink is pijača, from the same root.
- svežfreshfinal ž devoices: svesh
- zrelripel at the end of a syllable sounds like "u"
- po jediafter mealsj is "y"
- zajtrkbreakfastr works as a vowel: zightrk, no extra vowel between t and k
- kosilolunchThe main meal of the day, around one. It only looks related to kos, "piece" — it is not.
- večerjadinnerč is "ch", stress the second syllable: veh-CHEH-ryah
- žvečitito chewž and č in one short word: ZHVEH-chee-tee
- požiratito swallowž is the "zh" of "measure", stress the i
- apetitappetiteAt the table people wish Dober tek! — literally "a good run" — and apetit is never said there. It lives in nimam apetita.
- kospiece (portion)final s as written: kohsk
- vonjsmellnj is a soft "ny"
- maslobutterthe l stays a clear "l" before o
- krompirpotatoFrom the German for "ground pear", via dialects. Singular, like its English cousin.
- mokaflourStress the first syllable. A different word, muka with u, means torment.
- medhoneyfinal d devoices
- oreškinutsš is "sh"
- čebulaonionč is "ch"
- korenjecarrotj is "y"
- poperpepper (spice)Only the ground black kind. The vegetable is paprika — mixing them in the kitchen is insulting.
- fižolbeansž is the "zh" of "measure", final l sounds like "u"
- začimbespicesz as in "zoo", č is "ch"
- kuhatito cookFrom the German kochen. Covers cooking and boiling alike — no separate verb.
- umivatito wash (hands, face)Dishes take pomivati, hands umivati si roke, laundry prati — three verbs where one might do.
- nožknifefinal ž devoices
- skuhatito boil (cook done)The perfective of kuhati: cooked through. The everyday boiling uses the same root — only the aspect differs.
- cvretito fryc is "ts", v before r sounds like "u"
- pečito bakeč is "ch"
- rezatito cutThe present alternates: režem, režeš. The slice is rezina — hence rezanci, noodles.
- lonecpot (cooking)c is "ts"
- ponevfrying panfinal v sounds like "u"
- štedilnikstoveš is "sh", l before n sounds like "u"
- krožnikplatež is the "zh" of "measure"
- skodelicacupc is "ts"
- kozarecglassc is "ts"
- žlicaspoonž is the "zh" of "measure", c is "ts"
- viliceforkc is "ts"
- steklenicabottlec is "ts"
- prtičeknapkinč is "ch", no vowel between p and r
- čajnikteapotč is "ch", j is "y"
- pladenjtraynj is a soft "ny"
- vročhot (temperature)č is "ch"
- mrzelcold (to touch)r is syllabic, final l sounds like "u"
- lačenhungryč is "ch"
- okustasteYou know the adverb okusno, "tasty". okus is both the taste of food and a person taste: ima dober okus.
- slansaltyFrom sol. Oversalted is preslano — the pre- prefix again means "too".
- kiselsourfinal l sounds like "u"
- grenekbitterFeminine grenka. The noun grenkoba shares the root with a little shuffling.
- pekočhot (spicy)č is "ch"
- sitfull (not hungry)Declining a second helping: Hvala, sit sem. A woman: sita sem.
- poskusitito tryBoth tasting and attempting: poskusi še enkrat — "try again".
- jedilni listmenu (card)l before n sounds like "u"
- natakarwaiterFrom natakati, "to pour". A waitress is natakarica. Call him with Oprostite! — not by shouting.
- naročiloorder (request)č is "ch"
- naročitito orderč is "ch"
- jeddishfinal d devoices
- porcijaportionc is "ts"
- miza za dvatable for twoThe dual right in the order: za dva — for two, za dve osebi — for two persons. For three it is already za tri.
- sladicadessertc is "ts"
- brez mesameatlessAfter brez, always the genitive: brez mesa, brez sladkorja. A vegetarian dish is brezmesna jed.
- tortacakefeminine: velika torta, a big cake; a slice is kos torte
- testeninepastaStress on the second-to-last syllable: tehs-teh-NEE-neh
- jogurtyogurtnavadni jogurt is plain, sadni fruit; the drinkable kind comes in bottles, pitni jogurt
- smetanacreamStress on the second syllable: smeh-TAH-nah
- sladoledice creamStress on the last syllable: slah-doh-LEHD
- čokoladachocolateČ is "ch" as in "church": choh-koh-LAH-dah
- piškoticookiesŠ is "sh" as in "ship": PEESH-koh-tee
- govedinabeefStress on the second syllable: goh-VEH-dee-nah
- ovčetinamuttonČ is "ch" as in "church": ohv-cheh-TEE-nah
- koziceprawnsC is "ts" as in "cats": koh-ZEE-tseh
- grozdjegrapesZdj glides by as one cluster; Stress on the first syllable: GROHZ-dyeh
- kumaracucumberStress on the second syllable: koo-MAH-rah
- zeljecabbageThe first syllable is "zeh": ZEH-lyeh; do not confuse with želja, "wish" — that one has the zh
- česengarlicČ is "ch" as in "church": CHEH-sehn
- bučapumpkinČ is "ch" as in "church": BOO-chah
- jajčeveceggplantJč sounds like "y-ch", c is "ts" as in "cats": YAHY-cheh-vehts
- limonalemonfeminine; lemon juice is limonin sok, lemonade limonada
- lubenicawatermelonC is "ts" as in "cats": loo-BEH-nee-tsah
- jagodastrawberryJ is "y" as in "yes"; Stress on the first syllable: YAH-goh-dah
- hruškapearŠ is "sh" as in "ship"; Stress on the first syllable: HROOSH-kah
- breskevpeachfeminine, genitive breskve; an apricot is marelica, a nectarine nektarina
- receptrecipeone word for the kitchen recipe and the prescription; at the pharmacy they specify zdravilo na recept; the culinary one is recept za potico
- olupiti zelenjavopeel the vegetablesfrom lupina, peel: to peel is to take the skin off; cleaning a fish or your teeth is čistiti, another verb
- zavretiboilNo vowel between v and r: zahv-REH-tee
- premešatistirŠ is "sh" as in "ship": preh-MEH-shah-tee
- osolitiadd saltStress on the second-to-last syllable: oh-soh-LEE-tee
- pogretireheatfrom greti, to warm; reheat in the microwave is pogreti v mikrovalovki; to preheat the oven in advance is segreti
- ohladiticool downfrom hladen, cold — the same root as hladilnik, the fridge; Naj se ohladi, let it cool
- stepsti jajcawhisk eggsstepsti serves eggs and cream alike — hence stepena smetana; the whisk is metlica
- dodati vodeadd watera case trap: vode, not vodo; the genitive here means some of, and the same goes for dodaj soli, dodaj mleka
- peči na žarucook on the grillČ is "ch" as in "church", ž is "zh" as in "vision": PEH-chee-nah-ZHAH-roo
- rok uporabeuse-by daterok is a term, uporaba a use; on packaging it is written shorter: Uporabno do
- pokvariti sego badone word for food and for machines: mleko se je pokvarilo and pralni stroj se je pokvaril alike; the adjective is pokvarjen
- kozarecjarc = ts: koh-ZAH-rets
- repeteseconds (food)it came from school canteens, but everyone says it everywhere: Ali lahko dobim repete?; it does not decline
- za s saboto take awayliterally so that with yourself; in a café they ask exactly that: Za s sabo ali tukaj?
- brez sladkorjawithout sugarbrez always takes the genitive: brez mleka, brez soli, brez mesa — one rule for all foods
- sem vegetarijanecI am a vegetariana woman says sem vegetarijanka; a vegan is vegan, and a meatless dish is brezmesna jed
- dober tekenjoy your mealliterally a good appetite; tek means both appetite and running; said before every meal, even to strangers at the next table
- mastna hranafatty foodStress on the first syllable of each word: MAHS-tnah-HRAH-nah
- bonboncandyStress on the last syllable: bohn-BOHN
- nacionalna jednational dishjed is a dish, feminine on a consonant, from jesti; the Slovenian ones are potica and žganci
- ulična hranastreet foodČ is "ch" as in "church": oo-LEECH-nah-HRAH-nah
- sveže pečenfreshly bakedč is "ch"
- star kruhstale (bread)h sounds
- svinjinaporkmeso is meat in general; each animal gets its own -ina word: svinjina, govedina. Feminine.
- piščančje mesochicken (meat)The bird is piščanec; its meat is the neuter adjective piščančje plus meso. The laying hen is kokoš.
- račje mesoduck (meat)The living bird is raca; on the plate it becomes račje meso, with the neuter adjective.
- mleto mesoground meatNo single word exists: mleti means "to grind", so this is literally "ground meat" — and the adjective stands in front.
- šunkahamš is "sh": SHOON-kah
- hrenovkafrankfurterSounds as if it contains hren, horseradish, but does not. Two of them take the dual: dve hrenovki.
- tunatunaFeminine here: tuna je sveža, and the instrumental is s tuno.
- losossalmonMasculine, genitive lososa. Smoked is prekajeni losos.
- kozicashrimpA false friend: the same word is a little goat (from koza) and a small pot with a handle; on the counter, kozice are shrimp.
- morski sadežiseafoodž is the "zh" of "measure"
- slivaplumIn conversation the same fruit is often češplja; the literary word is sliva — feminine, dual dve slivi.
- malinaraspberryBerries are counted one by one here: ena malina, dve malini, tri maline — not by the handful.
- melonamelonKeep it apart from the watermelon: that one is lubenica, this is melona — both feminine.
- granatno jabolkopomegranateLiterally "pomegranate apple": jabolko is the apple you know, with the neuter adjective in front.
- ananaspineappleMasculine, genitive ananasa. It is cut into rings: na kolobarje.
- mandarinatangerineFeminine here: mandarina je sladka.
- kivikiwi (fruit)Masculine and unchanged in the singular: kivi je zrel. The plural, though, is kiviji.
- avokadoavocadoDeclines like an ordinary masculine noun: brez avokada, z avokadom.
- rozineraisinsPlural only: raisins here are little countable things, and the genitive is brez rozin.
- figafigFeminine. The same word is the rude fig gesture in kazati figo, so it lives outside food too.
- paprikabell pepperpoper is the ground spice; the vegetable off the vine is paprika — feminine.
- bučkazucchinič is "ch": BOOCH-kah
- rdeča pesabeetč is "ch"
- redkvicaradishredkev is the big black radish, redkvica the small red one — a diminutive splitting two vegetables.
- zeliščaherbsš is "sh", č is "ch": zeh-LEESH-cha
- koperdillA capital K changes everything: Koper is a coastal city, koper the herb. Instrumental s koprom.
- peteršiljparsleyMasculine, genitive peteršilja. The root traveled in from German.
- ingvergingerMasculine. Fresh root: svež ingver. Ground: mlet ingver. Genitive: ingverja.
- koruzacornz here is voiced like "z" in "zoo"
- špinačaspinachš is "sh", č is "ch": shpee-NAH-cha
- žemljabread rollž is the "zh" of "measure": ZHEM-lyah
- pitapieFeminine. An apple pie is jabolčna pita, and a rolled meat pie is burek.
- kolačekpastrysladica is dessert in general; a single pastry is kolaček, a diminutive of kolač.
- ameriški krofring doughnutkrof is the local holeless doughnut; the ring with a hole had to be named "American".
- pecivobaked goodsNeuter, from peči, "to bake". A collective — cookies and rolls at once — so it almost never appears in the plural.
- marmeladajamHere it covers any fruit jam, not only the citrus kind that English "marmalade" keeps to itself.
- sirupsyrupMasculine. The same word names drink concentrate: malinov sirup is raspberry syrup you dilute with water.
- pokovkapopcornA native word instead of the English one, from pokati, "to pop". Feminine, accusative pokovko.
- čipspotato chipsč is "ch": chips
- žvečilni gumichewing gumž is the "zh" of "measure"
- limonadalemonadeFeminine. To a local it is first of all a homemade lemon drink, not a bottle of soda.
- mineralna vodamineral watervoda you know; at the table you order mineralno vodo, in speech clipped to just mineralno.
- gazirana vodasparkling waterThe pair: gazirana is with gas, negazirana without — the little ne- prefix does the negating.
- koktajlcocktailSpelled the way it sounds. Masculine, plural koktajli.
- kakavcocoaMasculine and fully declined here: kakav je vroč, brez kakava — it does not freeze into an indeclinable shape.
- instant kavainstant coffeekava you know; instant pins down the soluble kind — it stands in front and never declines.
- čajna vrečkatea bagvrečka you met as a shopping bag; the tea one is marked by the adjective čajna.
- vrela vodaboiling waterNo single word exists: vreti is "to boil", so it is literally "boiled water". vroča voda is merely hot.
- alkoholalcoholMasculine, genitive alkohola. A drink without it is brezalkoholna pijača.
- pijačadrinkFrom piti, "to drink". Feminine, and the same word covers drinks in general: gremo na pijačo, "let us go for drinks".
- sokjuiceMasculine, genitive soka. Orange juice is pomarančni sok — an adjective, not a "juice of orange" chain.
- poticapotica cakeThe mold is called potičnik — without it, it is just a roulade.
- prekmurska gibanicaPrekmurje layered pastryPrekmurje is the region beyond the Mura river; its dialect is the most distinct from the standard.
- kranjska klobasaCarniolan sausageThe wooden skewer is not decoration: it is how you tell the real one from a fake.
- žgancižganci mushThe buckwheat kind, ajdovi žganci, counts as the most Slovenian of all.
- štrukljištruklji rollsCottage cheese with tarragon — skutni s pehtranom — is the commonest filling.
- jotajota stewThe soured turnip is called kislo repo — more sour than cabbage, and it gives the whole flavor.
- ričetričet stewThe word comes from the German Ritschert; the kitchen mirrors the neighborhood right in the names.
- kremšnitacream cakeIt is cut with a special knife in one stroke, or the layers slide apart.
- krofkrof doughnutThat very pale band is the venček — by it the mastery is judged.
- bela kavamilky coffeeLiterally "white coffee"; the black one without milk is simply kava.
- cvičekCviček wineLocals speak of it with pride and warn visitors in advance.
- teranTeranThe wine and the land share a name: terra rossa is that very red soil.
- kraški pršutKarst prosciuttoIt is cut by hand with a thin knife; machine slicing counts as spoiling the product.
How it sounds in a sentence
A word list is a blank. Conversation is made of sentences, and these are the ones the words fit into most often.
What is worth knowing about these words
kava — coffee. Feminine gender: ta kava je dobra — "this coffee is good".
čaj — tea. An ear-trap: čaj is tea, čakaj is wait. The cafe will ask which kind: črni, black, or zeliščni, herbal.
voda — water. In Slovenian cafes tap water comes free if you ask for it.
kruh — bread. The h at the end is fully pronounced: krooh. A distant cousin of the English "crumb".
Test yourself
First by ear — the way you will meet the word in conversation. Click the speaker and pick the translation.
- What is this word?
It is kava — coffee.
- What is this word?
It is hrana — food.
- What is this word?
It is sadje — fruit.
- What is this word?
It is piti — to drink.
- What is this word?
It is žvečiti — to chew.
Now the other way around: recall the spelling from the meaning. That is harder, and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “coffee” in Slovenian?
Feminine gender: ta kava je dobra — "this coffee is good".
- How do you say “food” in Slovenian?
Short, stress on the first syllable; the verb hraniti means "to feed, to nourish".
- How do you say “fruit” in Slovenian?
A false friend — it is not "garden"; the garden is vrt. The root means "what is planted", which is why it names fruit.
- How do you say “to drink” in Slovenian?
The present changes its stem: pijem, piješ, pije. A drink is pijača, from the same root.
- How do you say “to chew” in Slovenian?
Chewing gum is žvečilni gumi, from the same root.
How to learn the set instead of just reading it
A menu, a market, a shop sign, the question “what is this?”. Food is the most frequent subject of the first weeks and the safest excuse to start talking.
A list is read in a minute and forgotten in a day. What works: hide the translation, try to recall, get it wrong — and come back to the same words tomorrow.
- Recalling beats re-reading. Covering the translation and trying to remember it does more than reading it ten more times.checked many timesAdesope, Trevisan & Sundararajan, 2017, Review of Educational Research 87(3) · 188 experiments, 272 comparisons. g = 0.61; against plain re-reading 0.51, against passive review 0.93.
- This holds not only in experiments but in ordinary classrooms, with real students.checked many timesMawson & Kang, 2025, Behavioral Sciences 15(6):771 · 22 studies, d = 0.54 (confidence interval 0.31–0.77). The authors warn that individual studies disagree widely.
Frequently asked
How do you say “coffee” in Slovenian?
«kava». Feminine gender: ta kava je dobra — "this coffee is good". It is one of 190 words in the set “food and drink” — the rest are in the table above.
How many food words do you need to start?
A dozen is enough. The set of 190 words on this page covers nearly every everyday case on the topic — but it is best taken a few at a time, not all at once.
Is there audio?
Yes, 190 words on this page can be played — click the speaker next to the word. The sound works on any phone, and nothing needs to be installed.