Café
/kaˈfeː/
The English phrase 'cafe' is translated into German as Café.
Café refers to a small restaurant where people buy and drink coffee and other hot drinks. You may also encounter the term Rösterei. While this formally refers to a coffee roastery, it is often used to describe a cafe where freshly roasted coffee beans are served.
Which one should you use?
In German, it is important to distinguish between the location and the beverage. das Café refers to the establishment itself, whereas der Kaffee refers to the coffee drink.
How does it change in a sentence?
Café is a neuter noun and is used with the article das.
How do you pronounce it?
/kaˈfeː/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often confuse das Café (the place) with der Kaffee (the drink).
Did you know?
- If you want to order a coffee in a German cafe, you might hear someone ask for an Eiskaffee. This is not just iced coffee, but rather hot coffee poured over vanilla ice cream.
- In many German-speaking regions, a Kaffeehaus refers to a traditional, often grand, institution with a specific cultural role. These historical coffee houses served as 'living rooms' for intellectuals and artists to debate for hours.
- The German word for the beverage, Kaffee, and the word for the establishment, Café, are doublets that share the same linguistic ancestor. They are essentially two different branches of the same historical root.
Examples in context
- Sie traf sie im Café.She ran into her in the cafe.This sentence is useful for describing meeting someone in a Café.Tatoeba #1616664 by al_ex_an_der, translation #11759202 by sundown
- Sie traf ihn im Café.She met him in the cafe.Tatoeba #2125179 by al_ex_an_der, translation #6030676 by tinowls
- Gibt es dort ein Café?Is there a cafe?This sentence is useful for asking about the existence of a Café.Tatoeba #3092143 by Manfredo, translation #63580 by Scott
- Ich trinke gerne Kaffee im CaféI enjoy drinking coffee in the cafe
- Möchten wir heute Nachmittag ins Kaffeehaus gehen?Shall we go to the coffee house this afternoon?
- Die Bude hat den besten Kaffee in der Stadt!The joint has the best coffee in town!
- 41 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix and Laura are deciding where to meet.
- FelixSollen wir in ein Café gehen?Should we go to a café?
- LauraJa, das ist eine gute Idee.Yes, that is a good idea.
- FelixKennst du ein schönes Café?Do you know a nice café?
- LauraIch kenne ein kleines Café um die Ecke.I know a small café around the corner.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Café, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Café, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
