How to Say 'Coffee' in 60 Languages Around the World

Ever ordered a coffee abroad and stumbled over the local word for it? Or wondered how ‘coffee’ is actually said in Arabic, Japanese, or Swahili? Whether you’re a traveling coffee lover, a polyglot barista, or just curious, knowing how to say ‘coffee’ in other languages adds a rich layer to your global café experiences.

In total, coffee is called something slightly—or very—different in over 60 languages and dialects worldwide. From the rolled ‘r’ in Spanish ‘café’ to the guttural ‘q’ in Arabic ‘qahwa’, each version reflects local linguistic roots and traditions. Below is a comprehensive, phonetically guided list covering major languages and some surprising regional variants.

The Many Names for Coffee Around the Globe

Coffee has traveled across continents and been adopted into countless languages, often adapting to local phonetics and cultural contexts. The word’s journey originates from the Arabic ‘qahwa’, which referred to a type of wine, and later the coffee drink. From there, it moved into Ottoman Turkish as ‘kahve’, then into Italian as ‘caffè’, and eventually spread globally. As it integrated into various languages, it took on unique pronunciations, spellings, and even cultural meanings.

European & Western Language Pronunciations

In many European languages, the word for coffee closely resembles the Italian ‘caffè’ or the Turkish ‘kahve’. For example:

• Italian: caffè (pronounced KA-fee)
• French: café (pronounced ka-FAY)
• Spanish: café (masculine, pronounced ka-FAY)
• German: der Kaffee (pronounced kah-FEE, with a capital K as all German nouns are)
• Dutch: koffie (pronounced koff-ee)
• Swedish: kaffe (pronounced kah-FEH)
• Norwegian: kaffe (same as Swedish)
• Danish: kaffe (pronounced kah-FEH)
• Icelandic: kaffii
• Portuguese: café
• Romanian: cafea (pronounced cafe-ah)

Eastern European, Middle Eastern & Asian Variations

Across Eastern Europe and parts of Asia, the pronunciation often retains a closer link to the Turkish ‘kahve’ or adapts local phonetic rules:

• Russian: кoфe (kofe, pronounced koe-fee)
• Polish: kawa (pronounced kah-VA)
• Turkish: kahve (pronounced kah-VEY)
• Arabic: qahwa (or qahua/qahwe), with a guttural ‘q’ sound made in the throat—non-Arabic speakers often hear it as ‘ka’ or ‘ha’. In Egypt, unsweetened coffee is ordered as ‘qahwa sa’ada’.
• Hebrew: קָפֶה (ka-feh)
• Persian: qehve
• Ukrainian: кава (kavy)
• Albanian: kafe (KA-fey)
• Bulgarian: kafe
• Croatian: kava
• Czech: káva (pronounced kaava) or kafe
• Slovak: káva (pronounced kah-va)
• Slovenian: kave
• Hungarian: kávé (pronounced KAH-vey)
• Greek: καφές (kafes, pronounced ka-FACE)
• Armenian: surch or sourdj (pronounced suurch)
• Georgian: qava or ‘tea’
• Bengali: café (pronounced ka-FEY)
• Urdu: coffee
• Pashto: (not listed, but generally ‘kāfay’)

African, Oceanic & Indigenous Language Forms

In Africa and Oceania, local pronunciations of ‘coffee’ often derive from colonial trade languages like Dutch, French, or English—but some indigenous languages offer unique forms:

• South African Dutch (Afrikaans): koffie
• Swahili: kahawa
• Zulu: ikhofi
• Xhosa: (not listed but similar to Zulu)
• Ojibwe (Anishinabek Native American): muckadaymashkikiwabu (meaning ‘black medicine’ or ‘black potion’)
• Tagalog (Philippines): kape
• Hawaiian: kope
• Malay: kopi or kawah
• Indonesian (Bahasa): kopi
• Vietnamese: cà phê (pronounced ka FEY) or café
• Thai: kafea or ca-fea
• Tamil (Sri Lanka): kapi-kottai or kaapi
• Amharic (Ethiopia): bunna or buni (‘buna’ is also the word for the coffee ceremony and the coffee bean itself)
• Ethiopian Semitic (regional): bunna or bread (coffee beans take their name from ‘Kaffa’, the Ethiopian coffee region, and ‘bread’)

English & Chinese Dialect Forms

Even within English-speaking regions and Chinese dialects, the word takes on slight regional inflections:

• English: coffee (standard)
• Cantonese (Chinese): ga feh
• Mandarin (Chinese): kāfēi (with all consonants pronounced at a high, first tone)
• Taiwanese Mandarin: same as Mandarin
• Creole (various): kafe
• Kreyòl (Haitian): kafe (pronounced kah-FEY)
• Irish: caife
• Welsh: coffi (pronounced ko-FEE)
• Scots Gaelic: (not listed, typically ‘cofaidh’ or similar)

Facts Behind the Word 'Coffee'

The word 'coffee' as we know it passed through several languages before becoming standardized in English. It originated from the Arabic 'qahwa', used for a stimulating drink, possibly referring to wine initially. This moved into Ottoman Turkish as 'kahve', then to Italian 'caffe', Dutch 'koffie', and finally into English as 'coffee'. Each transition slightly altered the spelling and pronunciation. The route reflects coffee’s spread via trade routes from Ethiopia through the Middle East, into Europe, and eventually globally.

Why Does Coffee Have So Many Names?

The wide variety of names for coffee stems from its long history of cultural exchange. As coffee spread from Ethiopia to the Arabian Peninsula, then to Turkey, Europe, and beyond, it was adopted and adapted by each new culture. Local languages modified the original word to fit phonetic patterns, gendered noun systems, and existing lexical structures. Some languages created entirely new words based on the experience or preparation style (e.g., ‘buna’ combining coffee and bread in Ethiopian contexts).

How to Pronounce Foreign Coffee Words Correctly

To pronounce these words correctly, pay attention to whether the language uses tones (like Mandarin), guttural sounds (like Arabic), or rolled consonants (like Spanish). Listening to native speakers or using phonetic guides helps. For example, the Arabic 'qahwa' requires a throaty 'q' sound, while Japanese 'koohii' has elongated vowels. Many European languages differentiate between masculine and feminine nouns, affecting article use (e.g., 'el café' in Spanish, 'le café' in French).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common way to say coffee around the world?

The most widely recognized forms are 'coffee' (English), 'café' (French/Spanish), 'kaffee' (German), 'koffee' (Scandinavian), and 'kahve' (Turkish). These are used in international contexts and are familiar to most coffee drinkers globally.

How do you pronounce coffee in Arabic?

In Arabic, coffee is pronounced 'qahwa', 'qahua', or 'qahwe'. The 'q' is a deep, throaty guttural sound, not found in most English dialects. In Egypt, you can specify unsweetened coffee by saying 'qahwa sa'ada'.

How is coffee pronounced in Japanese?

In Japanese, coffee is pronounced 'koohii', with both 'o' sounds elongated. It is written in katakana as コーヒー and is one of the country’s most commonly consumed beverages.

What is the Ethiopian word for coffee?

In Ethiopia, the word for coffee is often 'bunna' or 'buni'. The coffee plant itself is associated with the region of 'Kaffa', and the word 'bunna' is central to the traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony.

Do all languages pronounce coffee similarly?

No. While many languages derive their word for coffee from the Arabic 'qahwa' or Turkish 'kahve', pronunciation varies widely due to different phonetic rules, accents, and language structures. Some languages have entirely unique words, like Ojibwe's 'muckadaymashkikiwabu' meaning 'black medicine'.

Is there a universal word for coffee?

There is no single universal word, but 'coffee' in English and 'café' in French/Spanish are the most widely understood internationally. The word 'kahve' (Turkish) is also quite recognizable across former Ottoman regions and among coffee professionals.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Global Coffee Explorers

Try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Yirgacheffe for a bright, floral cup reminiscent of the birthplace of coffee; their Colombia Huila for a balanced, nutty profile popular in Latin America; and their Guatemala Antigua for a classic, spicy espresso option. Each highlights the global journey of coffee. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.