zum Mitnehmen
neuter
In German, the English phrase 'takeout' (referring to food intended to be eaten elsewhere) is translated as zum Mitnehmen.
When ordering food in a restaurant or cafe, you use zum Mitnehmen to indicate you want the food to go rather than eating in. If you are specifically ordering a meal to go, you can also say Essen zum Mitnehmen.
Meaning: (of food) intended to be eaten off the premises from which it was bought (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase zum Mitnehmen is a contraction of zu dem Mitnehmen, which literally means 'for the taking along'.
Which one should you use?
In a restaurant setting, zum Mitnehmen is the direct functional opposite of hier essen, which means 'to eat here'.
Related words
Did you know?
- In Germany, ordering zum Mitnehmen often means you will be asked if you want a 'Pfand' cup, which is a reusable container you pay a small deposit for and return later.
- The verb nehmen in zum Mitnehmen is an ancient relative of the English word 'nimble', which originally meant 'quick to seize'.
- While zum Mitnehmen is the standard term, you may see Außer-Haus-Verkauf on signs in shops or bakeries. This literally means 'outside-the-house sale'.
Examples in context
- Statt etwas zu kochen, bestellte sie sich etwas zum Mitnehmen – in der Plastikverpackung.Instead of cooking meals, she ordered takeout, which comes in plastic.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use zum Mitnehmen when describing an order.Tatoeba #9979406 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #9979401 by Hybrid
- Entschuldigen Sie, könnten Sie mir bitte Essen zum Mitnehmen vorbereiten?Excuse me, could you prepare food for takeout, please?
- Ich werde mir eine Pizza to go holen.I'll get myself a pizza to go.
- Können wir das Essen mitnehmen?Can we take the food with us?
- Ich möchte das Essen bitte zum Mitnehmen haben.I would like to have the food to go, please.
- Haben Sie auch etwas zum Mitnehmen?Do you also have something to take away?
Example conversation
Julia and Julian are at a fast food counter.
- JuliaHallo, ich nehme ein Sandwich zum Mitnehmen.Hello, I'll take a sandwich to go.
- JulianGerne. Möchtest du auch ein Getränk dazu?Sure. Would you like a drink with that?
- JuliaJa, bitte ein Wasser zum Mitnehmen.Yes, please, a water to go.
- JulianAlles klar, das macht insgesamt sechs Euro.All right, that's six euros in total.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “takeout” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
