Dictionary of Selected Spices + A Little Story

14 spices in 10 languages & a little story about Turmeric, teaching us that a foreign language is not always easy.

Since many readers do not have English as their first language, and I have recently written about spices, it is justified to add a supplement with a list of names of selected spices in some major languages. There is no doubt that it could be very useful, as this little story illustrates.

The first time I thought of this problem was some years ago when someone in Egypt who had read what I had written about turmeric in my magazine, wrote back to me and asked where to find it: "It is not available in Egypt."

"How strange", I replied, "I have spent much time in Egypt and it has always been easy to find. Where in Egypt do you live?"

It was Cairo, and I explained exactly where to find it. The dried powder as well as fresh.

A time later came another email, "I cannot find it." Then it occurred to me that this email exchange took place in English and perhaps this person did not know what turmeric was, so I wrote: "Do you know what turmeric is? In Arabic it is called korkom [كركم]."

That solved everything! "Ah, is it korkom! We have it in the kitchen, we always have that at home."

List of 14 Spices in 10 Languages

English: turmeric

Arabic: كركم

Chinese (simplified): 姜黄

Chinese (traditional): 薑黃

French: Safran des Indes

German: Kurkuma

Hindi: हल्दी

Japanese: ターメリック

Korean: 심황

Russian: куркума

Spanish: cúrcuma

English: ginger

Arabic: زنجبيل

Chinese (simplified): 生姜

Chinese (traditional): 生薑

French: gingembre

German: Ingwer

Hindi: अदरक

Japanese: ショウガ

Korean: 생강

Russian: имбирь

Spanish: jengibre

English: cumin

Arabic: كمون

Chinese (simplified): 小茴香

Chinese (traditional): 小茴香

French: cumin

German: Kreuzkümmel

Hindi: जीरा

Japanese: クミン

Korean: 커민

Russian: тмин

Spanish: comino

English: fennel

Arabic: الشمرة

Chinese (simplified): 茴香

Chinese (traditional): 茴香

French: fenouil

German: Fenchel

Hindi: सौंफ

Japanese: フェンネル

Korean: 회향

Russian: укроп

Spanish: hinojo

English: saffron

Arabic: زعفران

Chinese (simplified): 藏红花a

Chinese (traditional): 藏紅花

French: Safran

German: Safran

Hindi: केसर

Japanese: サフラン

Korean: 사프란

Russian: шафран

Spanish: azafrán

English: vanilla

Arabic: فانيلا

Chinese (simplified): 香草

Chinese (traditional): 香草

French: vanille

German: Vanille

Hindi: वनीला

Japanese: バニラ

Korean: 바닐라

Russian: ваниль

Spanish: vainilla

English: cardamom

Arabic: حب الهال

Chinese (simplified): 豆蔻果实

Chinese (traditional): 荳蔻果實

French: cardamome

German: Kardamom

Hindi: इलायची

Japanese: カルダモン

Korean: 카다몬

Russian: кардамон

Spanish: cardamomo

English: cinnamon

Arabic: قرفة

Chinese (simplified): 肉桂

Chinese (traditional): 肉桂

French: cannelle

German: Zimt

Hindi: दालचीनी

Japanese: シナモン

Korean: 시나몬

Russian: корица

Spanish: canela

English: nutmeg

Arabic: جوزة الطيب

Chinese (simplified): 肉豆蔻

Chinese (traditional): 肉荳蔻

French: Noix de muscade

German: Muskatnuss

Hindi: जायफल

Japanese: ナツメグ

Korean: 육두구

Russian: мускатный орех

Spanish: nuez moscada

English: clove

Arabic: القرنفل

Chinese (simplified): 丁香

Chinese (traditional): 丁香

French: Clou de girofle

German: Nelke

Hindi: लौंग

Japanese: クローブ

Korean: 정향

Russian: гвоздика

Spanish: clavo

English: pepper

Arabic: فلفل

Chinese (simplified): 胡椒

Chinese (traditional): 胡椒

French: poivre

German: Pfeffer

Hindi: मिर्च

Japanese: コショウ

Korean: 후추

Russian: перец

Spanish: pimienta

English: rosemary

Arabic: إكليل الجبل

Chinese (simplified): 迷迭香

Chinese (traditional): 迷迭香

French: Romarin

German: Rosmarin

Hindi: रोजमैरी

Japanese: ローズマリー

Korean: 로즈마리

Russian: Розмари

Spanish: Romero

English: thyme

Arabic: زعتر

Chinese (simplified): 百里香

Chinese (traditional): 百里香

French: thym

German: Thymian

Hindi: अजवायन के फूल

Japanese: タイム

Korean: 백리향

Russian: тимьян

Spanish: tomillo

English: coriander

Arabic: كزبرة

Chinese (simplified): 香菜

Chinese (traditional): 香菜

French: coriandre

German: Koriander

Hindi: धनिया

Japanese: コリアンダー

Korean: 고수풀

Russian: кориандр

Spanish: cilantro

This dictionary might be revised, updated, changed or extended at any time.

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More Spices: Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Clove & Pepper

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