Learn German: Die Lebensmittel sind heute teuer. - Groceries are expensive today.

Lebensmittel is actually plural here! The clue is the verb sind (are). In German, neuter and masculine nouns ending in -el, -en, or -er often don't change their spelling in the plural. So, das Lebensmittel (the grocery item) simply becomes die Lebensmittel (the groceries).

What is the literal translation of Lebensmittel?

It is a great example of a German compound noun. It combines Leben (life) plus a connecting -s- plus Mittel (means or resource). So, groceries are literally the "means of life"!

Why doesn't the adjective teuer have a plural ending to match the noun?

In German, adjectives only take endings when they come directly before a noun, as in teure Lebensmittel (expensive groceries). When an adjective comes after the noun and the verb, it is called a predicate adjective and stays in its base dictionary form without any extra endings.

Can I change the word order to emphasize that they are expensive today?

Yes, you can put the time word first by saying Heute sind die Lebensmittel teuer. Just remember the golden rule of German sentence structure: the main verb (sind) must always stay in the second position!