Italian Food Vocabulary

Here are Italian words for food to start with: colazione (breakfast), caffè (coffee), delizioso (delicious), ristorante (restaurant). Below are 96 words (A1–C1) with their English translations and part of speech, across 12 themed lists.

Tomatoes and a red chili on a wooden board
Photo: ka_re

Food Basics

A1–B1
EnglishItalianTypeLevel
breakfastcolazionenounA1
coffeecaffènounA1
deliciousdeliziosoadjA1
restaurantristorantenounA1
waitercamerierenounA1
wateracquanounA1
billcontonounA2
spicypiccanteadjB1

The rest of this pack is in the app

Food Intermediate

A1–A2
EnglishItalianTypeLevel
breadpanenounA1
cheeseformaggionounA1
dinnercenanounA1
fruitfruttanounA1
lunchpranzonounA1
mealpastonounA1
vegetableverduranounA1
cookingcucinarenounA2

Food Advanced

A2–C1
EnglishItalianTypeLevel
dietdietanounA2
feastbanchettonounB1
nutritionnutrizionenounB1
delicacyprelibatezzanounB2
flavorfulsaporitoadjB2
groceryspesanounB2
cuisinecucinanounC1
culinaryculinarioadjC1

Ingredients

A1–A2
EnglishItalianTypeLevel
butterburronounA1
egguovonounA1
potatopatatanounA1
ricerisonounA1
sugarzuccheronounA1
tomatopomodoronounA1
flourfarinanounA2
saltsalenounA2

Herbs & Spices

A2–B1
EnglishItalianTypeLevel
chilipeperoncinonounA2
basilbasiliconounB1
coriandercoriandolonounB1
cumincuminonounB1
oreganooriganonounB1
rosemaryrosmarinonounB1
thymetimonounB1
turmericcurcumanounB1

Vegetables

A2–B1
EnglishItalianTypeLevel
beansfagiolininounA2
carrotcarotanounA2
peaspisellinounA2
broccolibroccolinounB1
cabbagecavolonounB1
cauliflowercavolfiorenounB1
lettucelattuganounB1
spinachspinacinounB1

Fruits

A1–B1
EnglishItalianTypeLevel
applemelanounA1
bananabanananounA1
grapeuvanounA1
lemonlimonenounA2
limelimenounA2
melonmelonenounA2
pearperanounA2
strawberryfragolanounB1

More from this pack waits in the app

Grains & Dairy

A1–B2
EnglishItalianTypeLevel
cornmaisnounA1
yogurtyogurtnounA1
creampannanounA2
oatavenanounB1
ryesegalenounB1
barleyorzonounB2
buckwheatgrano saracenonounB2
wheatgranonounB2

Proteins & Meat

A1–B1
EnglishItalianTypeLevel
beefmanzonounA1
ground beefcarne di manzo macinatanounA2
hamprosciuttonounA2
meatballpolpettanounA2
sausagesalsiccianounA2
steakbisteccanounA2
lambagnellonounB1
porkmaialenounB1

Drinks

A1–B1
EnglishItalianTypeLevel
juicesucconounA1
milklattenounA1
teatènounA1
champagnechampagnenounA2
lemonadelimonatanounA2
sodabibita gassatanounA2
sparkling wateracqua frizzantenounA2
smoothiefrullatonounB1

Breads & Pastries

A1–B1
EnglishItalianTypeLevel
biscuitbiscottonounA1
bagelbagelnounA2
baguettebaguettenounA2
donutciambellanounA2
muffinmuffinnounA2
pastrypasta frollanounA2
wafflewafflenounA2
sourdoughpane a lievitazione naturalenounB1

Condiments & Sauces

A2–B2
EnglishItalianTypeLevel
hot saucesalsa piccantenounA2
olive oilolio d'olivanounA2
soy saucesalsa di soianounA2
bologneseragù alla bolognesenounB1
fish saucesalsa di pescenounB1
oyster saucesalsa di ostrichenounB1
sesame oilolio di sesamonounB1
relishrelishnounB2

Keep going with this pack in the app

Emoji: Twemoji, CC-BY 4.0

A sample of the A1–C1 words. The rest are in the app

Watch Your LanguageVocabulary widgets for iPhone & Apple Watch

These lists show a sample of the A1–C1 words for food. The packs in Watch Your Language hold more and reach the advanced levels, along with every other topic.

The app shows them to you a few at a time, in a widget on your iPhone Lock Screen and on your Apple Watch face, and brings back the ones you keep forgetting.

Common questions

Which Italian words should I learn for food?

You could start with words like colazione (breakfast), caffè (coffee), delizioso (delicious), ristorante (restaurant). This page lists 96 Italian words for food (A1–C1), each with its English translation and part of speech.

How can I remember these Italian words?

Reading a list once is rarely enough. Watch Your Language shows Italian words like these in a widget on your iPhone Lock Screen and on your Apple Watch face, and schedules repeats so the words you keep forgetting come back more often.

Are these word lists free?

Yes. The lists on this page are free to read, with no sign-up. The app holds more words for each topic.

More Italian word lists