Cream in Different Languages
Discover 'Cream' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Cream is a delightful and versatile ingredient, cherished in cuisines worldwide for its rich, velvety texture and heavenly taste. Derived from the higher-fat layer of milk, cream has been used for centuries in both sweet and savory dishes, from classic Italian tiramisu to traditional Indian butter chicken. Its significance extends beyond the culinary world, as cream also plays a starring role in skincare and beauty products, owing to its nourishing properties.
The word 'cream' holds cultural importance, symbolizing luxury and indulgence. Its many translations in different languages highlight the global appeal of this cherished ingredient. For example, in Spanish, cream is 'nata'; in French, 'crème'; in German, 'Sahne'; in Italian, 'panna'; and in Japanese, 'クリーム' (kurīmu).
Understanding the translations of cream in different languages can enrich your cultural experiences, whether you're traveling, studying a new language, or simply exploring international recipes. Delve into the fascinating world of cream and discover how this simple ingredient connects us all.
Cream
Cream in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | room | ||
| The Afrikaans word "room" also means "space" or "place" and is derived from the Dutch word "ruimte" of the same meaning. | |||
| Amharic | ክሬም | ||
| In Amharic, "ክሬም" can refer to both skincare products and a thick liquid that rises to the top of milk. | |||
| Hausa | kirim | ||
| The Hausa word 'kirim' derives from the Arabic word 'qirmi', meaning 'reddish'. It can also refer to the reddish-brown colour of the seed casings of the shea tree, 'kirim goro'. | |||
| Igbo | ude | ||
| The Igbo word 'ude' also refers to a type of traditional ointment used for medicinal purposes. | |||
| Malagasy | fanosotra | ||
| The word "fanosotra" is derived from the Malagasy word "fanosotro" meaning "to extract" or "to separate", and is used to describe the process of extracting cream from milk. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | zonona | ||
| From the root "zona" meaning "to swell up" or "to ferment". | |||
| Shona | kirimu | ||
| Cream in Shona is also known as "mukaka", translating to "milk liquid". | |||
| Somali | kareem | ||
| The word "kareem" is also used in Somali to refer to a type of traditional fermented milk. | |||
| Sesotho | tranelate | ||
| Tranelate is derived from the Afrikaans word "room," but can also refer to milk-based foods. | |||
| Swahili | cream | ||
| In Swahili, "cream" also refers to a type of traditional fermented milk that originates from the Maasai people. | |||
| Xhosa | cream | ||
| In Xhosa, "cream" also refers to a light brown color, like that of coffee with milk. | |||
| Yoruba | ipara | ||
| In the Yoruba language, "ipara" literally means "a white thing". | |||
| Zulu | ukhilimu | ||
| 'Ukhilimu' can also mean 'ointment', 'lotion' or 'grease' in the Zulu language. | |||
| Bambara | krema | ||
| Ewe | krem | ||
| Kinyarwanda | cream | ||
| Lingala | crème na yango | ||
| Luganda | ebizigo | ||
| Sepedi | tranelate ya | ||
| Twi (Akan) | cream | ||
Cream in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | كريم | ||
| The word "كريم" (cream) in Arabic can also refer to a generous or noble person. | |||
| Hebrew | קרם | ||
| The word 'cream' (קרם) in Hebrew is unrelated to its English counterpart, but instead derives from the Yiddish word 'krem' meaning 'drug' or 'unguent'. | |||
| Pashto | کریم | ||
| The word "cream" in Pashto has a rich etymology, deriving from the Proto-Indo-European root *ḱer- "to churn" and also bearing the alternate meaning of "rich, generous, noble." | |||
| Arabic | كريم | ||
| The word "كريم" (cream) in Arabic can also refer to a generous or noble person. | |||
Cream in Western European Languages
| Albanian | krem | ||
| The Albanian word "krem" is derived from the Latin word "cremor", meaning "thick liquid", and also refers to a type of cheese spread in Albanian. | |||
| Basque | krema | ||
| "Krema" is derived from the Proto-Basque word *krem- and can also refer to a "sauce". | |||
| Catalan | crema | ||
| "Crema" is similar to "crème" in French and "cream" in English, and all three words mean the upper layer of milk that rises to the top when it is heated. | |||
| Croatian | krema | ||
| The word "krema" in Croatian can also refer to a type of cake or pastry, similar to a custard tart. | |||
| Danish | fløde | ||
| The word "fløde" is etymologically rooted in the Old Norse word "fløð" meaning "a flood," hence referring to the richness of cream. | |||
| Dutch | room | ||
| In Dutch, "room" not only means "cream", but also "spacious area" and "large ship compartment." | |||
| English | cream | ||
| The word 'cream' comes from the Old English word 'crem', which means 'anointment' or 'ointment'. | |||
| French | crème | ||
| The word "crème" can also refer to a cosmetic product or a shade of white or beige. | |||
| Frisian | rjemme | ||
| The Frisian word "rjemme" may derive from the Old Norse word "rjómi", meaning "cream". | |||
| Galician | crema | ||
| In Galician, "crema" also refers to the layer of foam that forms on top of certain liquids. | |||
| German | sahne | ||
| The word "Sahne" in German can also refer to a scene in a movie or play. | |||
| Icelandic | rjóma | ||
| "Rjóma" means "cream" in Icelandic, but can also refer to the "best part" of something, like the "cream of the crop." | |||
| Irish | uachtar | ||
| The Irish word 'uachtar' is also used figuratively as a term of endearment or as a symbol of excellence. | |||
| Italian | crema | ||
| The Italian word "crema" can also refer to the light brown froth that forms on top of espresso coffee. | |||
| Luxembourgish | crème | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "Crème" can also refer to a thick, creamy soup or sauce. | |||
| Maltese | krema | ||
| Maltese krema, meaning 'cream', derives from the Sicilian crema 'ice cream', which in turn comes from the Latin cremare 'to burn' | |||
| Norwegian | krem | ||
| In Norwegian, "krem" can also refer to a cosmetic cream, ointment, or paste. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | creme | ||
| In Portuguese, "creme" can also refer to a type of dessert similar to a custard or pudding. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | uachdar | ||
| The word "uachdar" derives from Old Irish "uachtae" and is cognate with Welsh "uchel" meaning "high" or "upper" | |||
| Spanish | crema | ||
| In Spanish, "crema" can also refer to a skin or body lotion, or to the cream layer that forms on top of certain soups. | |||
| Swedish | kräm | ||
| The word "kräm" derives from Old Norse "kram", meaning "ointment", and is related to "skräma", meaning "to annoint". | |||
| Welsh | hufen | ||
| The Welsh word "hufen" is derived from the Proto-Celtic root *krem-, meaning "fat, grease". It is also related to the English word "cream" and the Latin word "cremor". | |||
Cream in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | вяршкі | ||
| The Belarusian word вяршкі "vyarshiki" is also used to refer to the foam on top of beer. | |||
| Bosnian | krema | ||
| Krema (cream) originates from the Greek "khrísma," meaning sacred ointment or oil used in religious ceremonies. | |||
| Bulgarian | сметана | ||
| Smetana (Bulgarian word for cream) also means смелост (courage) in old Slavic. | |||
| Czech | krém | ||
| The Czech word "krém" comes from the German "Krem", which in turn comes from the Old High German "gremo" or "geramo", meaning "butter-like mass." | |||
| Estonian | kreem | ||
| Kreemiks nimetatakse nii koorega toitu, piimatoote kooreosa, magustoitu kui nahahooldustoodet | |||
| Finnish | kerma | ||
| The word 'kerma' derives from Proto-Germanic 'krem-', which also yields Proto-Slavic 'sьrъma' or 'kъrma' ('butter') | |||
| Hungarian | krém | ||
| The word krém also refers to polish, paste, or any thick substance that is applied to a surface. | |||
| Latvian | krēms | ||
| In German and other Germanic languages, as well as Slavic languages such as Polish and Czech, "cream" is also used to refer to cakes or pasteries. | |||
| Lithuanian | kremas | ||
| The word "kremas" is derived from the Latin word "cremor", meaning "thick liquid" and its use in reference to dairy products came from German. | |||
| Macedonian | крем | ||
| The word "крем" in Macedonian can also refer to a type of face cream or a filling for cakes. | |||
| Polish | krem | ||
| The word "krem" in Polish is derived from the German word "Kräme" and the Latin word "cremor," both of which refer to a thick, smooth substance. | |||
| Romanian | cremă | ||
| The Romanian word "cremă" is derived from the French word "crème" and also refers to a type of cosmetic product applied to the skin. | |||
| Russian | кремовый цвет | ||
| «Кремовый цвет» в русском языке также может означать светло-бежевый оттенок, как у крема для обуви. | |||
| Serbian | крем | ||
| The word "cream" in Serbian can not only refer to the dairy product, but also to makeup products such as foundation or concealer. | |||
| Slovak | krém | ||
| The word "krém" in Slovak can also refer to a thick, oily face cream or even a layer of scum on top of something. | |||
| Slovenian | krema | ||
| The word 'krema' also means 'ointment' or 'lotion' in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | вершки | ||
| The word "вершки" in Ukrainian is also a colloquial term for "upper classes" or "rich people". | |||
Cream in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ক্রিম | ||
| The word 'ক্রিম' is derived from the Old French word 'creme', which in turn comes from the Latin word 'cremor', meaning 'thick liquid'. | |||
| Gujarati | ક્રીમ | ||
| The word 'cream' is derived from the Latin word 'cremor', meaning 'thick liquid'. | |||
| Hindi | मलाई | ||
| The Hindi word "मलाई" (cream) is derived from the Sanskrit word "मल" (dirt), referring to the thick layer that forms on top of milk. | |||
| Kannada | ಕೆನೆ | ||
| The word "ಕೆನೆ" also means "froth" or "foam" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | ക്രീം | ||
| In Malayalam, "ക്രീം" (cream) can also refer to a type of skin ointment or a cosmetic cream. | |||
| Marathi | मलई | ||
| "मल" (mala) means "filth" hence "मलई" (malai) is that which is removed from the filth (i. e. milk) to give it purity. | |||
| Nepali | क्रीम | ||
| The word "cream" comes from the Latin word "cremor," meaning "thick liquid." | |||
| Punjabi | ਕਰੀਮ | ||
| The word "ਕਰੀਮ" in Punjabi is derived from the Persian word "qirmiz," meaning "crimson" or "red." | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ක්රීම් | ||
| According to Wiktionary, "ක්රීම්" (kriim) is thought to have originated in the Middle Dutch word "creme", itself derived from Old French "cresme", both in turn arising from the Vulgar Latin "crisma", referring to a chrism (ointment or consecrated oil used for anointing). | |||
| Tamil | கிரீம் | ||
| The Tamil word 'கிரீம்' ('cream') is borrowed from the English word 'cream' and also means 'ice cream'. | |||
| Telugu | క్రీమ్ | ||
| The Telugu word "క్రీమ్" (cream) is derived from the English word "cream", which refers to a dairy product made from the fatty layer that rises to the top of milk. | |||
| Urdu | کریم | ||
| Derived from the Persian word "qiram", also meaning "skin" or "outer layer". | |||
Cream in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 奶油 | ||
| 中国古代汉语中的“奶油”原本指牛油，而现代汉语中的“奶油”则主要指从牛奶中分离出来的液体中的脂肪质。 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 奶油 | ||
| 「奶油」在中文裡又稱作「克林姆」，源於英文 「cream」 的音譯。 | |||
| Japanese | クリーム | ||
| The word "クリーム" in Japanese can also refer to a type of pudding or custard. | |||
| Korean | 크림 | ||
| 크림(cream)은 신선한 우유의 기름진 상층부라는 뜻이지만, 햇빛이나 화학성분 등이 가해지면 '시크한', '부드러운' 등의 의미로도 쓰인다. | |||
| Mongolian | тос | ||
| "Тос" is an ancient Mongolian word with the initial meaning "fat, lard", and it is also used in such phrases as "тос цай" - "milk tea" and "тос лой" - "greasy broth" | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | မုန့် | ||
| The word "မုန့်" can also refer to the top or outer layer of something, such as the crust of a pastry, the surface of a liquid, or the skin of a human being. | |||
Cream in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | krim | ||
| Krim comes from the Dutch word "room", meaning "cream". However, in Indonesian, "krim" can also refer to skin care products, such as moisturizers and lotions, which is not the case in Dutch. | |||
| Javanese | krim | ||
| In Javanese, "krim" can also refer to a paste or ointment made from medicinal plants, or to a type of Javanese dance. | |||
| Khmer | ក្រែម | ||
| The word "ក្រែម" can also refer to a type of flower or a kind of cake. | |||
| Lao | ຄີມ | ||
| The Lao word ຄີມ also refers to white hair, such as an old person's hair. | |||
| Malay | krim | ||
| The Malay word `krim` can also refer to cosmetics used on the skin. | |||
| Thai | ครีม | ||
| The word "ครีม" (cream) comes from the Sanskrit word "kirmi" meaning "worm", referring to the white, creamy substance secreted by the insect as it spins its cocoon. | |||
| Vietnamese | kem | ||
| In some contexts, "kem" also refers to ice cream, especially coconut ice cream, in Vietnamese cuisine. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | cream | ||
Cream in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | krem | ||
| The word "krem" in English can refer to the creamy layer of milk, a lotion or ointment, or a dessert made from milk or cream. | |||
| Kazakh | кілегей | ||
| The Kazakh word "кілегей" may also refer to the cream of a crop or society. | |||
| Kyrgyz | каймак | ||
| In Kyrgyz, "каймак" also refers to a thick layer of foam on top of boiling milk. | |||
| Tajik | қаймоқ | ||
| In Tajik, "қаймоқ" also refers to the "thickest, richest layer of fat" skimmed from warm milk. | |||
| Turkmen | krem | ||
| Uzbek | qaymoq | ||
| Qaymoq, meaning cream in Uzbek and many Turkic languages, also means "skin" and "the uppermost part or layer" in Persian. | |||
| Uyghur | قايماق | ||
Cream in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kalima | ||
| The Hawaiian word "kalima" is derived from the Arabic word "qalima", meaning "word" or "utterance". | |||
| Maori | kirīmi | ||
| Maori kirīmi derives from the English | |||
| Samoan | kulimi | ||
| The Samoan word "kulimi" has a secondary meaning of "lather" or "foam". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | cream | ||
| In Tagalog, the word "cream" (pronounced krehm) can also refer to a type of cake frosting. | |||
Cream in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | crema ukaxa mä juk’a pachanakwa lurasi | ||
| Guarani | crema rehegua | ||
Cream in International Languages
| Esperanto | kremo | ||
| "Kremo" also means "ice cream" in Esperanto. | |||
| Latin | crepito | ||
| The Latin word "crepito" also meant "to rattle" or "to make a noise like a rattle". | |||
Cream in Others Languages
| Greek | κρέμα | ||
| The word κρέμα (cream) in Greek can also refer to a variety of sauces, such as béchamel sauce and custard. | |||
| Hmong | lee | ||
| The Hmong word "lee" can also mean "white" or "light-colored". | |||
| Kurdish | qeymax | ||
| Qeymax is derived from the Persian word "qaymaq" meaning "scum", and it can also refer to the foam that forms on top of hot drinks. | |||
| Turkish | krem | ||
| In Turkish, "krem" also refers to a type of light makeup with a creamy consistency | |||
| Xhosa | cream | ||
| In Xhosa, "cream" also refers to a light brown color, like that of coffee with milk. | |||
| Yiddish | קרעם | ||
| קרעם (cream) is related to 'krem' from Middle Low German or Dutch 'room' for butter cream; first attested in 1907 | |||
| Zulu | ukhilimu | ||
| 'Ukhilimu' can also mean 'ointment', 'lotion' or 'grease' in the Zulu language. | |||
| Assamese | ক্ৰীম | ||
| Aymara | crema ukaxa mä juk’a pachanakwa lurasi | ||
| Bhojpuri | क्रीम के क्रीम के बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ކްރީމް އެވެ | ||
| Dogri | क्रीम दा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | cream | ||
| Guarani | crema rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | krema | ||
| Krio | krim | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | کرێم | ||
| Maithili | क्रीम | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯀ꯭ꯔꯤꯝ ꯇꯧꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | cream a ni | ||
| Oromo | kiriimii | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | କ୍ରିମ୍ | ||
| Quechua | crema | ||
| Sanskrit | क्रीम | ||
| Tatar | каймак | ||
| Tigrinya | ክሬም | ||
| Tsonga | khirimi | ||