Food word dictionary
Translate 24 everyday food words between Estonian, Finnish, Russian, Latvian and English, each with a note on its calories.
The same food can have four or five completely different names across the eastern Baltic and its neighbours. This dictionary lines them up side by side — English, Estonian, Finnish, Russian and Latvian — so a recipe, a menu or a shopping list in one language makes sense in the others. Click any word for a fuller description and a rough idea of its calories.
Common foods in five languages
| English | Estonian | Finnish | Russian | Latvian |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quark (curd cheese) | Kohupiim | Rahka | Творог | Biezpiens |
| Sour cream | Hapukoor | Smetana (hapukerma) | Сметана | Skābais krējums |
| Kefir | Keefir | Kefiiri | Кефир | Kefīrs |
| Milk | Piim | Maito | Молоко | Piens |
| Cheese | Juust | Juusto | Сыр | Siers |
| Butter | Või | Voi | Сливочное масло | Sviests |
| Rye bread | Rukkileib | Ruisleipä | Ржаной хлеб | Rudzu maize |
| White wheat bread | Sai | Vehnäleipä | Белый хлеб | Baltmaize |
| Egg | Muna | Kananmuna | Яйцо | Ola |
| Potato | Kartul | Peruna | Картофель | Kartupelis |
| Sauerkraut | Hapukapsas | Hapankaali | Квашеная капуста | Skābēti kāposti |
| Blueberry (bilberry) | Mustikas | Mustikka | Черника | Mellene |
| Lingonberry | Pohl | Puolukka | Брусника | Brūklene |
| Strawberry | Maasikas | Mansikka | Клубника | Zemene |
| Apple | Õun | Omena | Яблоко | Ābols |
| Carrot | Porgand | Porkkana | Морковь | Burkāns |
| Cucumber | Kurk | Kurkku | Огурец | Gurķis |
| Tomato | Tomat | Tomaatti | Помидор | Tomāts |
| Onion | Sibul | Sipuli | Лук | Sīpols |
| Chicken | Kanaliha | Kananliha (broileri) | Курятина | Vistas gaļa |
| Pork | Sealiha | Sianliha | Свинина | Cūkgaļa |
| Baltic herring | Räim | Silakka | Салака | Reņģe |
| Salmon | Lõhe | Lohi | Лосось | Lasis |
| Coffee | Kohv | Kahvi | Кофе | Kafija |
Source: Translations are common everyday usage; calorie figures are rounded per-100-gram estimates from standard food-composition references. · checked 2026-09-04
Frequently asked questions
How do you say a food word in Estonian or Finnish?
Find the word in English in the table and read across for Estonian, Finnish, Russian and Latvian. Each word also has its own page with a fuller note and a rough calorie figure.
Why these five languages?
They are the everyday languages of the eastern Baltic and its neighbours, where the same foods carry very different names. A rye loaf is rukkileib, ruisleipä, ржаной хлеб or rudzu maize depending on which side of a border you are on.
Are the calorie figures exact?
No. They are rounded, per-100-gram ballparks to give you a sense of scale, not label-exact values. Cooking method and fat content move them a lot — a boiled potato and a fried one are worlds apart.
Log the foods you actually eat
TempoLife's food database covers local dishes as well as brands, so your diary matches your plate.