Eiskaffee
/ˈaɪ̯s.kaˌfeː/
The English phrase iced coffee is Eiskaffee in German.
In many German cafes, ordering an Eiskaffee specifically refers to a traditional drink consisting of cold coffee, vanilla ice cream and often whipped cream, rather than just coffee with ice cubes. You might also encounter Eiskaffee mit Schlagsahne, which means iced coffee with whipped cream. If you want a groß (large) version, you can use the word groß.
What does it mean word for word?
Eiskaffee is a compound noun consisting of Eis (ice) and Kaffee (coffee).
Which one should you use?
To avoid confusion with the traditional German dessert-style drink, you should specify Kaffee mit Eiswürfeln if you want coffee with actual ice cubes in the modern international style.
How does it change in a sentence?
As a masculine noun, the phrase takes the indefinite article ein in the accusative case for 'an iced coffee'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈaɪ̯s.kaˌfeː/
Did you know?
- In German, the word Eis is a homonym that can mean both 'ice' and 'ice cream'. In the phrase Eiskaffee, it leans heavily toward the latter.
- The word Kaffee is a loanword that entered German via the Dutch word 'koffie' in the 17th century.
- Traditional Eiskaffee is often served in a tall, tapered glass known as a 'Tulpenglas', which is more common for ice cream than for standard coffee.
Examples in context
- Es lohnt sich, einen Eiskaffee in diesem berühmten Kaffeehaus zu trinken.It is worth it drinking an iced coffee in this famous coffee shop.This sentence shows how to use the word Eiskaffee in the context of visiting a famous coffee shop.Tatoeba #13865861 by Ioan_Cristian, translation #13865862 by Ioan_Cristian
- Ich hätte gerne einen Eiskaffee, bitte.I would like an iced coffee, please.
- Ich möchte bitte einen Eiskaffee bestellen.I would like to order an iced coffee, please.
- Ein Eiskaffee wäre jetzt sehr erfrischend.An iced coffee would be very refreshing right now.
Example conversation
Felix and Hannah are at a cafe.
- FelixHallo Hannah, was möchtest du trinken?Hello Hannah, what would you like to drink?
- HannahIch nehme einen Eiskaffee, bitte.I'll have an iced coffee, please.
- FelixGute Wahl! Ich nehme auch einen Eiskaffee.Good choice! I'll have an iced coffee too.
- HannahDas ist eine super Idee.That is a great idea.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Eiskaffee, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Eiskaffee, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
