THE FLATMATES
Language point:
Coffee vocabulary
BBC Learning English – The Flatmates
The Flatmates – Coffee vocabulary
You can see this language point online at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/episode131/languagepoint.shtml
Here is some vocabulary about the well-known drinks tea and coffee:
Coffee
coffee beans
seeds from a coffee bush (which are ground or crushed to make coffee grinds which are
used to make the drink coffee)
white coffee
coffee with milk
black coffee
coffee without milk
skinny coffee
coffee with skimmed (or low-fat) milk
espresso
a small measure of strong, dark coffee
latte
one measure of espresso and milk
cappuccino
one measure of espresso and hot, frothy milk (milk which is whipped until it forms lots
of tiny bubbles) and often powdered chocolate on the top
filter coffee
coffee made by slowly pouring boiling water through crushed coffee beans in a coffee
filter (thin paper which allows only the liquid to flow through, not the beans or the
powder)
instant coffee
coffee made by adding boiling water to coffee powder (it is made very quickly because
you don't need to filter the coffee)
caffeine (uncountable)
a chemical, found in coffee (and tea), which is a stimulant (something which makes
people more active)
decaffeinated coffee / decaf coffee
coffee that has been treated so that the caffeine (a chemical substance in coffee or tea)
has been removed
strong / weak
two adjectives used to describe coffee with a full flavour / lacking in flavour
The Flatmates © BBC Learning English
Page 2 of 4
http://www.bbclearningenglish.com/
BBC Learning English – The Flatmates
Tea
ordinary tea / plain tea / builders' tea
dark tea that is commonly drunk in Britain (and Europe), made from leaves of the tea
plant
green tea
lighter-coloured tea that is commonly drunk in China and Japan, made from leaves of
the tea plant
herbal tea
tea made from dried or fresh flowers or leaves (usually this kind of tea has no caffeine
in it)
decaffeinated tea
tea that has been treated so that the caffeine (a chemical substance in tea and coffee)
has been removed
Coffee verbs
brew
make a cup or pot of coffee (or tea)
grind
put coffee beans through a machine that crushes them into powder which can be used
to make filter coffee, espresso, etc.
Vocabulary:
I've got that straight
I understand that now
He's on easy street
He's got an easy life with no difficulties or worries
get my head around
understand
jargon
special words and phrases which are used by particular groups of people, especially to
do with their work
The Flatmates © BBC Learning English
Page 3 of 4
http://www.bbclearningenglish.com/
BBC Learning English – The Flatmates
Would you like to try an online quiz about this language point? Go to:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/episode131/quiz.shtml
Or you can download the quiz from:
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/episode131/fm_quiz_080205.pdf
For more information about this language point go to:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/1446_entertainment/page15.shtml
The Flatmates © BBC Learning English
Page 4 of 4
http://www.bbclearningenglish.com/
