Pepper in Different Languages
Discover 'Pepper' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Pepper, a small but mighty fruit, has a rich history and global significance that extends far beyond its spicy kick. Originating in South Asia, pepper has been a prized commodity for thousands of years, playing a crucial role in the spice trade and even shaping the course of history. Its value was once so high that it was referred to as 'black gold.'
Beyond its historical significance, pepper holds cultural importance in various cuisines around the world. From adding depth to Indian curries to providing a hint of heat in European dishes, pepper is a versatile ingredient that brings flavor to the table.
For those with a passion for language and culture, exploring the translation of pepper in different languages can offer a unique glimpse into how this tiny fruit has made an impact across the globe. Here are a few examples:
- Spanish: pimienta
- French: poivre
- German: Pfeffer
- Mandarin: 辣椒 (làjiāo)
- Japanese: ブラックペッパー (burakku peppā)
Pepper
Pepper in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | peper | ||
| The word "peper" in Afrikaans also means "bullet" and originates from the Dutch word "pever" which referred to a firearm loaded with multiple rounds of ammunition. | |||
| Amharic | በርበሬ | ||
| The word "በርበሬ" is derived from the Semitic root "brr" meaning "hot" and is also used to refer to a spicy seasoning blend. | |||
| Hausa | barkono | ||
| The word "barkono" in Hausa can also refer to the bark of certain trees with medicinal properties, such as the neem tree. | |||
| Igbo | ose | ||
| The Igbo word 'ose' can also mean 'anger' or 'bitterness', highlighting its strong and pungent nature. | |||
| Malagasy | sakay | ||
| The Malagasy word "sakay" is a borrowing from the Sanskrit word "saktu" (meaning "pounded rice") and is also used to refer to rice in many Malagasy dialects. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | tsabola | ||
| The word "tsabola" can also refer to a type of wild fruit that is similar to a tomato. | |||
| Shona | mhiripiri | ||
| The word "mhiripiri" is also used to refer to a small, hot type of pepper known as a "bird's eye chili". | |||
| Somali | basbaas | ||
| "Basbaas" means "pepper" in Somali, and its root in the proto-Cushite language is related to the words for "hot" and "burn". | |||
| Sesotho | pepere | ||
| The word "pepere" can also mean "medicine" or "poison" in Sesotho, depending on the context. | |||
| Swahili | pilipili | ||
| The word "pilipili" in Swahili can also refer to a type of chili pepper that is smaller and hotter than the regular bell pepper. | |||
| Xhosa | ipelepele | ||
| In its plural form, "iiphele-phele" is also used in reference to a person with a fiery temper | |||
| Yoruba | ata | ||
| "Ata" can also mean "pain" or "misery" in Yoruba. | |||
| Zulu | upelepele | ||
| The word "upelepele" in Zulu also means "a person who gossips," due to the spicy nature of the pepper. | |||
| Bambara | foronto | ||
| Ewe | atadi | ||
| Kinyarwanda | urusenda | ||
| Lingala | pilipili | ||
| Luganda | kamulali | ||
| Sepedi | pherefere | ||
| Twi (Akan) | mako | ||
Pepper in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | فلفل | ||
| The Arabic word “فلفل” means pepper in English and gets its name from the Sanskrit word “pippali”. | |||
| Hebrew | פלפל | ||
| The Hebrew word "פלפל" not only means "pepper", but also "dispute" or "argument". | |||
| Pashto | تور مرچ | ||
| The Pashto word "tour merch" (تور مرچ) is etymologically related to the Persian word "torkh" (ترخ), which also means "pepper". | |||
| Arabic | فلفل | ||
| The Arabic word “فلفل” means pepper in English and gets its name from the Sanskrit word “pippali”. | |||
Pepper in Western European Languages
| Albanian | piper | ||
| The word "piper" in Albanian is ultimately derived from the Indo-European root *pipr-, meaning "hot" or "pungent". | |||
| Basque | piperra | ||
| The word piperra is also used in Basque to refer to "capsicum" and "bird pepper" and can be translated as "paprika" in some dialects. | |||
| Catalan | pebre | ||
| While "pebre" in Spanish refers to "pepper," in Catalan it can also describe the Catalan sofrito, a tomato-heavy sauce. | |||
| Croatian | papar | ||
| The Croatian word 'papar' (pepper) is derived from the Latin word 'piper', which also means 'pepper' in English. | |||
| Danish | peber | ||
| The word "peber" in Danish has Germanic origins and also refers to the medicinal herb "mint". | |||
| Dutch | peper | ||
| The Dutch word "peper" also means "small, round, or sweet" and is derived from the Latin "piper" meaning "pepper". | |||
| English | pepper | ||
| The word 'pepper' is derived from the Latin word 'piper', which refers to the black pepper plant and its fruit. | |||
| French | poivre | ||
| In French, the word "poivre" can also refer to the spiciness of a dish or its "piquant" flavor. | |||
| Frisian | piper | ||
| Frisian "piper" can mean either "pipe" or "pepper". | |||
| Galician | pementa | ||
| "Pimenta" comes from the Latin word "pigmentum", which means "paint" or "dye", and also refers to the reddish color of the pepper. | |||
| German | pfeffer | ||
| The word "Pfeffer" is derived from the ancient Greek word "peperi", meaning "to cook". | |||
| Icelandic | pipar | ||
| The Icelandic word "pipar" can also refer to a type of gingerbread cookie or a hot beverage made with peppercorns, similar to a mulled wine. | |||
| Irish | piobar | ||
| In Irish mythology, 'piobar' is also the name of an enchanted beverage drunk at feasts. | |||
| Italian | pepe | ||
| The word "pepero" (pepper) shares the same origin with "pepe" (father) due to the pepper's resemblance to the shape and color of an old man's beard. | |||
| Luxembourgish | peffer | ||
| Peffer (pepper) derives from the Proto-Germanic *pipaz and is related to the Old High German piffar and Middle Low German peper. | |||
| Maltese | bżar | ||
| "Bżar" derives from the Arabic word "bizr" (seed), which also refers to cumin, coriander, and other spices. | |||
| Norwegian | pepper | ||
| The Norwegian word "pepper" is a cognate of the English word, but also has the unrelated meaning of "gingerbread". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | pimenta | ||
| In both Portugal and Brazil, pimenta is the word used to refer to all the varieties of the genus Capsicum, from which chili peppers are produced, and also to a spice made from dried and ground chili peppers. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | piobar | ||
| In addition to 'pepper', 'piobar' can also mean 'spices' or 'seasonings' in Gaelic. | |||
| Spanish | pimienta | ||
| "Pimienta" also means "spice" in Spanish, derived from the Latin "pigmentum". | |||
| Swedish | peppar | ||
| The word "peppar" in Swedish can also mean "hot-tempered" or "stubborn," originating from "pepparrot," meaning "horseradish." | |||
| Welsh | pupur | ||
| In Middle Welsh, 'pupur' was also used as a term of endearment for a female. | |||
Pepper in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | перац | ||
| "Перац" is a loanword from Polish "pieprz" and has the same meaning. | |||
| Bosnian | biber | ||
| The Bosnian word "biber" also means "beaver" in Turkish. | |||
| Bulgarian | пипер | ||
| The word "пипер" also means "bell pepper" in Bulgarian. | |||
| Czech | pepř | ||
| The word "pepř" is derived from the Old Czech word "peprh" and is related to the Proto-Slavic word "pьpьrь" meaning "pepper". | |||
| Estonian | pipar | ||
| "Pipar" is derived from the Old Norse word "pipar" and is related to the German word "Pfeffer", both meaning "pepper". | |||
| Finnish | pippuri | ||
| "Pippuri" is thought to have been derived from Low German "peper" via Swedish "peppar". | |||
| Hungarian | bors | ||
| Etymology: bors (pepper)—from Turkic bör (pepper) and Slavic boršč (borscht soup); the latter meaning entered the Hungarian language around 1475. | |||
| Latvian | pipari | ||
| The word "pipari" in Latvian also refers to a sweet Christmas condiment made with ground gingerbreads. | |||
| Lithuanian | pipirai | ||
| The Lithuanian word "pipirai" shares a common origin with the Latin "piper" (pepper), suggesting a historical connection. | |||
| Macedonian | пипер | ||
| The word "пипер" also refers to a type of small chili pepper in Macedonian, often used as a spice or condiment. | |||
| Polish | pieprz | ||
| "Pieprz" also means "pepper" in Polish and has a similar etymology, coming from the Latin "piper". | |||
| Romanian | piper | ||
| "Piper" in Romanian can also refer to a type of bagpipe or a small bird known as the pipit. | |||
| Russian | перец | ||
| “Перец” in Russian can also refer to “pungency”. | |||
| Serbian | бибер | ||
| The word "бибер" in Serbian can also refer to a type of chili pepper known as a "cayenne pepper". | |||
| Slovak | korenie | ||
| The word "korenie" originally meant "spice" and is related to the word "korenina" (root) in Croatian and Serbian. | |||
| Slovenian | poper | ||
| "Poper" in Slovenian can also refer to a type of bell or a plant with showy flowers or a spicy mustard condiment. | |||
| Ukrainian | перець | ||
| The word "перець" can also refer to chili peppers, bell peppers, and paprika. | |||
Pepper in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | মরিচ | ||
| "মরিচ" is a Sanskrit word (derived from "marica") and also means "chilli" in Bengali. | |||
| Gujarati | મરી | ||
| The Gujarati word "મરી" (mari) is derived from the Sanskrit word "marica" and also refers to the black pepper plant itself. | |||
| Hindi | मिर्च | ||
| The word "मिर्च" also refers to the fruit of the "Capsicum" plant, like capsicum, paprika, and chilli. | |||
| Kannada | ಮೆಣಸು | ||
| "ಮೆಣಸು" word in Kannada is derived from Sanskrit "maricha" which refers both to "black peppercorns" and also to the "hot pungent taste" associated with it. | |||
| Malayalam | കുരുമുളക് | ||
| In Malayalam, "കുരുമുളക്" can refer to both green and black peppercorns, depending on the stage of maturity. | |||
| Marathi | मिरपूड | ||
| "मिरपूड" (pepper) in Marathi is derived from the Sanskrit word "Maricha". It also refers to the black berries of the nightshade plant. | |||
| Nepali | खुर्सानी | ||
| "खुर्सानी" also refers to "chilli pepper" in Nepali. | |||
| Punjabi | ਮਿਰਚ | ||
| The word "mirch" originates from the Sanskrit word "marica" meaning "black pepper". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ගම්මිරිස් | ||
| ගම්මිරිස් (pepper) is derived from the Sanskrit word 'marica' meaning "spicy", and its alternate meaning is "cardamom" in some contexts. | |||
| Tamil | மிளகு | ||
| Its cognate form is மல்லிகை (malligai), referring to the flowering plant known as "jasmine". This linguistic link suggests a shared historical connection between the Tamil words for "pepper" and "jasmine." | |||
| Telugu | మిరియాలు | ||
| మిరియాలు derives from the word 'maricha', itself derived from the word for 'fire' or 'spark', signifying its spicy nature. | |||
| Urdu | کالی مرچ | ||
| کالی مرچ (kāli mirč) comes from Middle Persian "karpās" (pepper) via Prakrit "kaliyamaricha". "Marich" is Sanskrit for pepper and was adopted into many languages across Asia | |||
Pepper in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 胡椒 | ||
| 胡椒's second character '椒' is a homophone of '娇', meaning 'delicate' or 'feminine'. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 胡椒 | ||
| "胡椒", meaning "pepper" in Chinese, has variant meanings in different contexts. | |||
| Japanese | コショウ | ||
| The word "コショウ" originally referred to any kind of fragrant seeds or spices, not just black pepper. | |||
| Korean | 후추 | ||
| "후추" (pepper) is originally a Chinese loanword meaning "fragrant spice," but it also refers to the specific spice paprika, which is made from the dried fruit of the Capsicum annuum plant. | |||
| Mongolian | чинжүү | ||
| The word "чинжүү" is also used to refer to the red color of peppers and can be translated as "red" in some contexts. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ငရုတ်ကောင်း | ||
Pepper in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | lada | ||
| "Lada" is a cognates of "lada" in Sanskrit, "ladā" in Persian, and "lar" in Thai. | |||
| Javanese | mrico | ||
| "Mrico" in Javanese is derived from Sanskrit "marica" meaning "black pepper", and also refers to a type of spicy dish made with chili peppers. | |||
| Khmer | ម្រេច | ||
| The Khmer word for "pepper", "ម្រេច", is cognate with the Thai word "พริก" (prik), both of which ultimately derive from the Sanskrit word "मरिच" (marica). | |||
| Lao | ພິກໄທ | ||
| The word "ພິກໄທ" can also refer to a variety of other spices, such as chili peppers, black peppers, and white peppers. | |||
| Malay | lada | ||
| The word 'lada' also refers to the peppercorn seed. | |||
| Thai | พริกไทย | ||
| In Thai, 'พริกไทย' ('pepper') can also refer to the fruit of the Piperaceae family. | |||
| Vietnamese | tiêu | ||
| In chemistry, "tiêu" refers to a functional group that can react with an electrophile. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | paminta | ||
Pepper in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | bibər | ||
| The word "bibər" in Azerbaijani is derived from the Persian word "pibar" and ultimately from the Sanskrit word "pippali". | |||
| Kazakh | бұрыш | ||
| The Kazakh word "бұрыш" is also used in other Turkic languages to refer to "angle" | |||
| Kyrgyz | калемпир | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "калемпир" (pepper) is derived from the Persian word "kalampir" and can also refer to other spicy plants like chili peppers. | |||
| Tajik | филфил | ||
| The word "филфил" is cognate with the Persian word "فلفل" and the Arabic word "فلفل". | |||
| Turkmen | burç | ||
| Uzbek | murch | ||
| "Murch" in Uzbek also refers to the aromatic seeds of the parsley plant. | |||
| Uyghur | قىزىلمۇچ | ||
Pepper in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ka pepa | ||
| In Hawaiian, the word 'ka pepa' comes from the Tahitian word 'pepa' and also means 'bell' and 'gun'. | |||
| Maori | pepa | ||
| In the Maori language, the word 'pepa' can also refer to a type of fern or a spicy condiment made from chili peppers. | |||
| Samoan | pepa | ||
| "Pepa" is also the collective noun for Samoan tattoo marks. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | paminta | ||
| The Tagalog word "paminta" is derived from the Proto-Austronesian word *paŋitiŋ, which also means "black pepper". | |||
Pepper in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | piminta | ||
| Guarani | ky'ỹi | ||
Pepper in International Languages
| Esperanto | pipro | ||
| The word "pipro" in Esperanto is derived from the Latin word "piper". The original Latin word was also the root word for the words "pepper" in many other languages, including English. | |||
| Latin | piperis | ||
| "Piperis" also means "cubeb" in the context of ancient medicine. | |||
Pepper in Others Languages
| Greek | πιπέρι | ||
| Despite its Greek name, πιπέρι (piperi) is derived from the Sanskrit word pippali, specifically the long pepper. | |||
| Hmong | kua txob | ||
| The Hmong word "kua txob" not only refers to "pepper" but also symbolizes bitterness, sadness, and disappointment | |||
| Kurdish | îsota reş | ||
| The Kurdish word 'îsota reş' may derive from the Sanskrit 'rashah', meaning 'spicy' or 'pungent', indicating its fiery nature. | |||
| Turkish | biber | ||
| The word "biber" in Turkish can also refer to other plants like nasturtium, watercress, and pepperwort. | |||
| Xhosa | ipelepele | ||
| In its plural form, "iiphele-phele" is also used in reference to a person with a fiery temper | |||
| Yiddish | פעפער | ||
| The Yiddish word "פעפער" can also refer to a hot-tempered person, a "peppercorn." | |||
| Zulu | upelepele | ||
| The word "upelepele" in Zulu also means "a person who gossips," due to the spicy nature of the pepper. | |||
| Assamese | জালুক | ||
| Aymara | piminta | ||
| Bhojpuri | काली मिर्च | ||
| Dhivehi | އަސޭމިރުސް | ||
| Dogri | लूनकी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | paminta | ||
| Guarani | ky'ỹi | ||
| Ilocano | paminta | ||
| Krio | pɛpɛ | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بیبەر | ||
| Maithili | गोलकी | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯣꯔꯣꯛ ꯃꯀꯨꯞ | ||
| Mizo | hmarcha | ||
| Oromo | mimmixa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ହଳଦୀ | ||
| Quechua | pimienta | ||
| Sanskrit | मरिच | ||
| Tatar | борыч | ||
| Tigrinya | በርበረ | ||
| Tsonga | peppha | ||