Flatware Translations: A Quick Tour of Table-talk Around the World
Flatware is more than just a knife, fork, and spoon; it’s a reflection of history, culture, and even language. Across the world, certain terms carry unique stories or origins that add depth to the utensils we use every day. Here’s a friendly guide to common (and charming) terms you’ll see on menus, packaging, and place-setting charts across languages, plus a few specialty pieces that often spark questions.
Fast glossary: The Everyday Trio
| English | French | Italian | Spanish | German | Portuguese | Dutch | Swedish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spoon | cuillère | cucchiaio | cuchara | Löffel | colher | lepel | sked |
| Fork | fourchette | forchetta (pl. forchette) | tenedor | Gabel | garfo | vork | gaffel |
| Knife | couteau | coltello | cuchillo | Messer | faca | mes | kniv |
| Flatware / Cutlery | couverts / coutellerie | posate | cubiertos / cubertería | Besteck | talheres | bestek | bestick |
Size matters: teaspoons, tablespoons, and “dessert” pieces
Teaspoon
- French: cuillère à café
- Italian: cucchiaino
- Spanish: cucharilla or cuchara de café
- German: Teelöffel
- Portuguese: cuillère à café
Tablespoon / soup spoon
- French: cuillére à soupe (for soup), cuillére à table (table spoon)
- Italian: cucchiaio da tavola / cucchiaio da minestra
- Spanish: cuchara sopera
- German: Esslöffel (literally “eating spoon”)
- Portuguese: colher de sopa
Dessert spoon/fork
- French: cuillère à dessert / fourchette à dessert
- Italian: cucchiaio da dessert / forchettina da dessert
- Spanish: cucharilla or cuchara de café
- German: Dessertlöffel / Dessertgabel
Specialty pieces you’ll actually encounter
Demitasse (the espresso sidekick)
From the French word meaning “half cup,” demitasse refers to the small cups used for serving espresso. Flatware sets often include a demitasse spoon, a petite piece of cutlery designed to stir espresso without overwhelming the cup. These spoons are also perfect for enjoying rich desserts like custards or mousse.
Translations & equivalents:- French: cuillère à moka / cuillère à café (petite)
- Italian: cucchiaino da caffè / cucchiaino da moka
- Spanish: cucharilla de café
- German: Mokkalöffel / Espressolöffel
“Forchette”
Derived from the Italian word for “little fork,” forchette reminds us of the fork’s European heritage. In some regions, the word is still used interchangeably with “fork.” Whether you’re enjoying pasta in Rome or hors d’oeuvres at a cocktail party, the forchette is a key player in elevating the dining experience.
In French, the singular is fourchette (with a u). It’s easy to mix these up, however, both point to the same trusty utensil in different languages.
Chashaku
Flatware isn’t always metallic. In Japanese tea culture, the chashaku is a bamboo scoop used for measuring powdered matcha. While not flatware in the Western sense, it highlights how tools of the table are deeply tied to cultural rituals.
Butter spreader
- French: couteau à beurre
- Italian: spalmaburro / Coltellino da burro
- Spanish: cuchillo de mantequilla
- German: Buttermesser
Fish knife & fork
- French: couteau à poisson / fourchette à poisson
- Italian: coltello da pesce / forchetta da pesce
- Spanish: cuchillo de pescado / tenedor de pescado
- German: Fischmesser / Fischgabel
Cake/pie server
- French: pelle à tarte
- Italian: paletta torta
- Spanish: pala para tarta
- German: Tortenheber
Iced-tea / long-drink spoon
- French: cuillère à long drink
- Italian: cucchiaio lungo
- Spanish: cuchara larga
- German: Longdrinklöffel
Tall glass? Tall spoon. Great for parfaits and floats, too.
Salad servers (the 2-piece set)
- French: couverts à salade
- Italian: posate da insalata
- Spanish: cubertería para ensalada / cubiertos para ensalada
- German: Salatbesteck
Place-setting words that pop up on boxes and menus
- Couvert (FR): A place setting; also used as a small per-person service charge in some countries.
- Service (FR/EN): As in service à poisson (fish service) or a 24-piece service.
- Besteckgarnitur (DE): A flatware set.
- Posate complete (IT): Complete flatware set.
Borrowed words you’ll see everywhere
- Coutellerie: In French, coutellerie refers broadly to cutlery or the craft of knife-making. A proud tradition in cities like Thiers, France, has shaped the production of flatware worldwide. Today, when you hear coutellerie, it’s more than a utensil; it’s a celebration of craftsmanship.
Global dining borrowed plenty of English, too:
- The Steak knife appears as couteau steak (FR), coltello steak (IT), cuchillo steak (ES), and Steakmesser (DE).
- Bar spoon appears as cuillère de bar (FR), cucchiaio da bar (IT), cuchara de bar (ES), Barlöffel (DE).
Quick style notes for travelers and gift-givers
- Lingua del Cucchiaio: The “Language of the Spoon”: Italy has a saying, lingua del cucchiaio, referring to the “language of the spoon.” The phrase celebrates how spoons can serve as universal tools for soup, sauces, and even desserts, an indispensable part of daily dining.
- Cuchara, Tenedor, Cuchillo: In Spanish, everyday flatware comes to life with cuchara (spoon), tenedor (fork), and cuchillo (knife). Spanish dining traditions emphasize sharing and family-style meals, where these essential utensils play an important role.
- A “dessert spoon” in Europe is often slightly larger than a U.S. teaspoon and smaller than a soup spoon.
- “Table spoon” in product listings may describe size/usage (a big dining spoon), not a measurement spoon.
- “Demitasse” can label the cup, the spoon, or the whole after-dinner coffee set—context is king.
Why Flatware Terms Matter
Exploring these translations gives us a glimpse into how dining is celebrated worldwide. Flatware isn’t just functional, it’s cultural, historical, and deeply human.
If you’re ready to add international flair to your dining table, explore our curated collections of stainless flatware and sterling silverware at Silver Superstore.
