Pepper in Different Languages
Discover 'Pepper' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Pepper
Afrikaans peper | ||
Albanian piper | ||
Amharic በርበሬ | ||
Arabic فلفل | ||
Armenian պղպեղ | ||
Assamese জালুক | ||
Aymara piminta | ||
Azerbaijani bibər | ||
Bambara foronto | ||
Basque piperra | ||
Belarusian перац | ||
Bengali মরিচ | ||
Bhojpuri काली मिर्च | ||
Bosnian biber | ||
Bulgarian пипер | ||
Catalan pebre | ||
Cebuano sili | ||
Chinese (Simplified) 胡椒 | ||
Chinese (Traditional) 胡椒 | ||
Corsican pepe | ||
Croatian papar | ||
Czech pepř | ||
Danish peber | ||
Dhivehi އަސޭމިރުސް | ||
Dogri लूनकी | ||
Dutch peper | ||
English pepper | ||
Esperanto pipro | ||
Estonian pipar | ||
Ewe atadi | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) paminta | ||
Finnish pippuri | ||
French poivre | ||
Frisian piper | ||
Galician pementa | ||
Georgian წიწაკა | ||
German pfeffer | ||
Greek πιπέρι | ||
Guarani ky'ỹi | ||
Gujarati મરી | ||
Haitian Creole pwav | ||
Hausa barkono | ||
Hawaiian ka pepa | ||
Hebrew פלפל | ||
Hindi मिर्च | ||
Hmong kua txob | ||
Hungarian bors | ||
Icelandic pipar | ||
Igbo ose | ||
Ilocano paminta | ||
Indonesian lada | ||
Irish piobar | ||
Italian pepe | ||
Japanese コショウ | ||
Javanese mrico | ||
Kannada ಮೆಣಸು | ||
Kazakh бұрыш | ||
Khmer ម្រេច | ||
Kinyarwanda urusenda | ||
Konkani मिरयां | ||
Korean 후추 | ||
Krio pɛpɛ | ||
Kurdish îsota reş | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) بیبەر | ||
Kyrgyz калемпир | ||
Lao ພິກໄທ | ||
Latin piperis | ||
Latvian pipari | ||
Lingala pilipili | ||
Lithuanian pipirai | ||
Luganda kamulali | ||
Luxembourgish peffer | ||
Macedonian пипер | ||
Maithili गोलकी | ||
Malagasy sakay | ||
Malay lada | ||
Malayalam കുരുമുളക് | ||
Maltese bżar | ||
Maori pepa | ||
Marathi मिरपूड | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) ꯃꯣꯔꯣꯛ ꯃꯀꯨꯞ | ||
Mizo hmarcha | ||
Mongolian чинжүү | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) ငရုတ်ကောင်း | ||
Nepali खुर्सानी | ||
Norwegian pepper | ||
Nyanja (Chichewa) tsabola | ||
Odia (Oriya) ହଳଦୀ | ||
Oromo mimmixa | ||
Pashto تور مرچ | ||
Persian فلفل | ||
Polish pieprz | ||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) pimenta | ||
Punjabi ਮਿਰਚ | ||
Quechua pimienta | ||
Romanian piper | ||
Russian перец | ||
Samoan pepa | ||
Sanskrit मरिच | ||
Scots Gaelic piobar | ||
Sepedi pherefere | ||
Serbian бибер | ||
Sesotho pepere | ||
Shona mhiripiri | ||
Sindhi مرچ | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) ගම්මිරිස් | ||
Slovak korenie | ||
Slovenian poper | ||
Somali basbaas | ||
Spanish pimienta | ||
Sundanese lada | ||
Swahili pilipili | ||
Swedish peppar | ||
Tagalog (Filipino) paminta | ||
Tajik филфил | ||
Tamil மிளகு | ||
Tatar борыч | ||
Telugu మిరియాలు | ||
Thai พริกไทย | ||
Tigrinya በርበረ | ||
Tsonga peppha | ||
Turkish biber | ||
Turkmen burç | ||
Twi (Akan) mako | ||
Ukrainian перець | ||
Urdu کالی مرچ | ||
Uyghur قىزىلمۇچ | ||
Uzbek murch | ||
Vietnamese tiêu | ||
Welsh pupur | ||
Xhosa ipelepele | ||
Yiddish פעפער | ||
Yoruba ata | ||
Zulu upelepele |
Etymology & Notes
| Language | Etymology / Notes |
|---|---|
| Afrikaans | 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. |
| Albanian | The word "piper" in Albanian is ultimately derived from the Indo-European root *pipr-, meaning "hot" or "pungent". |
| Amharic | The word "በርበሬ" is derived from the Semitic root "brr" meaning "hot" and is also used to refer to a spicy seasoning blend. |
| Arabic | The Arabic word “فلفل” means pepper in English and gets its name from the Sanskrit word “pippali”. |
| Armenian | The word "պղպեղ" also means "spice" in general, and is derived from the Persian word "felfel". |
| Azerbaijani | The word "bibər" in Azerbaijani is derived from the Persian word "pibar" and ultimately from the Sanskrit word "pippali". |
| Basque | The word piperra is also used in Basque to refer to "capsicum" and "bird pepper" and can be translated as "paprika" in some dialects. |
| Belarusian | "Перац" is a loanword from Polish "pieprz" and has the same meaning. |
| Bengali | "মরিচ" is a Sanskrit word (derived from "marica") and also means "chilli" in Bengali. |
| Bosnian | The Bosnian word "biber" also means "beaver" in Turkish. |
| Bulgarian | The word "пипер" also means "bell pepper" in Bulgarian. |
| Catalan | While "pebre" in Spanish refers to "pepper," in Catalan it can also describe the Catalan sofrito, a tomato-heavy sauce. |
| Cebuano | "Sili" also refers to a genus of capsaicin-rich plants in the nightshade family, including bell peppers, chili peppers, and cayenne peppers. |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 胡椒's second character '椒' is a homophone of '娇', meaning 'delicate' or 'feminine'. |
| Chinese (Traditional) | "胡椒", meaning "pepper" in Chinese, has variant meanings in different contexts. |
| Corsican | In Corsican, "pepe" can also refer to the Mediterranean fruit fly, "Ceratitis capitata". |
| Croatian | The Croatian word 'papar' (pepper) is derived from the Latin word 'piper', which also means 'pepper' in English. |
| Czech | The word "pepř" is derived from the Old Czech word "peprh" and is related to the Proto-Slavic word "pьpьrь" meaning "pepper". |
| Danish | The word "peber" in Danish has Germanic origins and also refers to the medicinal herb "mint". |
| Dutch | The Dutch word "peper" also means "small, round, or sweet" and is derived from the Latin "piper" meaning "pepper". |
| Esperanto | 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. |
| Estonian | "Pipar" is derived from the Old Norse word "pipar" and is related to the German word "Pfeffer", both meaning "pepper". |
| Finnish | "Pippuri" is thought to have been derived from Low German "peper" via Swedish "peppar". |
| French | In French, the word "poivre" can also refer to the spiciness of a dish or its "piquant" flavor. |
| Frisian | Frisian "piper" can mean either "pipe" or "pepper". |
| Galician | "Pimenta" comes from the Latin word "pigmentum", which means "paint" or "dye", and also refers to the reddish color of the pepper. |
| Georgian | The Georgian word "წიწაკა" (pepper) is also used to refer to a small, round, red berry that grows on a shrub. |
| German | The word "Pfeffer" is derived from the ancient Greek word "peperi", meaning "to cook". |
| Greek | Despite its Greek name, πιπέρι (piperi) is derived from the Sanskrit word pippali, specifically the long pepper. |
| Gujarati | The Gujarati word "મરી" (mari) is derived from the Sanskrit word "marica" and also refers to the black pepper plant itself. |
| Haitian Creole | The word "pwav" is derived from the Taíno word "bawá" and also means "chili". |
| Hausa | The word "barkono" in Hausa can also refer to the bark of certain trees with medicinal properties, such as the neem tree. |
| Hawaiian | In Hawaiian, the word 'ka pepa' comes from the Tahitian word 'pepa' and also means 'bell' and 'gun'. |
| Hebrew | The Hebrew word "פלפל" not only means "pepper", but also "dispute" or "argument". |
| Hindi | The word "मिर्च" also refers to the fruit of the "Capsicum" plant, like capsicum, paprika, and chilli. |
| Hmong | The Hmong word "kua txob" not only refers to "pepper" but also symbolizes bitterness, sadness, and disappointment |
| Hungarian | Etymology: bors (pepper)—from Turkic bör (pepper) and Slavic boršč (borscht soup); the latter meaning entered the Hungarian language around 1475. |
| Icelandic | 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. |
| Igbo | The Igbo word 'ose' can also mean 'anger' or 'bitterness', highlighting its strong and pungent nature. |
| Indonesian | "Lada" is a cognates of "lada" in Sanskrit, "ladā" in Persian, and "lar" in Thai. |
| Irish | In Irish mythology, 'piobar' is also the name of an enchanted beverage drunk at feasts. |
| Italian | 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. |
| Japanese | The word "コショウ" originally referred to any kind of fragrant seeds or spices, not just black pepper. |
| Javanese | "Mrico" in Javanese is derived from Sanskrit "marica" meaning "black pepper", and also refers to a type of spicy dish made with chili peppers. |
| Kannada | "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. |
| Kazakh | The Kazakh word "бұрыш" is also used in other Turkic languages to refer to "angle" |
| Khmer | 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). |
| Korean | "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. |
| Kurdish | The Kurdish word 'îsota reş' may derive from the Sanskrit 'rashah', meaning 'spicy' or 'pungent', indicating its fiery nature. |
| Kyrgyz | The Kyrgyz word "калемпир" (pepper) is derived from the Persian word "kalampir" and can also refer to other spicy plants like chili peppers. |
| Lao | The word "ພິກໄທ" can also refer to a variety of other spices, such as chili peppers, black peppers, and white peppers. |
| Latin | "Piperis" also means "cubeb" in the context of ancient medicine. |
| Latvian | The word "pipari" in Latvian also refers to a sweet Christmas condiment made with ground gingerbreads. |
| Lithuanian | The Lithuanian word "pipirai" shares a common origin with the Latin "piper" (pepper), suggesting a historical connection. |
| Luxembourgish | Peffer (pepper) derives from the Proto-Germanic *pipaz and is related to the Old High German piffar and Middle Low German peper. |
| Macedonian | The word "пипер" also refers to a type of small chili pepper in Macedonian, often used as a spice or condiment. |
| Malagasy | 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. |
| Malay | The word 'lada' also refers to the peppercorn seed. |
| Malayalam | In Malayalam, "കുരുമുളക്" can refer to both green and black peppercorns, depending on the stage of maturity. |
| Maltese | "Bżar" derives from the Arabic word "bizr" (seed), which also refers to cumin, coriander, and other spices. |
| Maori | In the Maori language, the word 'pepa' can also refer to a type of fern or a spicy condiment made from chili peppers. |
| Marathi | "मिरपूड" (pepper) in Marathi is derived from the Sanskrit word "Maricha". It also refers to the black berries of the nightshade plant. |
| Mongolian | The word "чинжүү" is also used to refer to the red color of peppers and can be translated as "red" in some contexts. |
| Nepali | "खुर्सानी" also refers to "chilli pepper" in Nepali. |
| Norwegian | The Norwegian word "pepper" is a cognate of the English word, but also has the unrelated meaning of "gingerbread". |
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | The word "tsabola" can also refer to a type of wild fruit that is similar to a tomato. |
| Pashto | The Pashto word "tour merch" (تور مرچ) is etymologically related to the Persian word "torkh" (ترخ), which also means "pepper". |
| Persian | The word "فلفل" can also mean "chili" or "capsicum" in Persian. |
| Polish | "Pieprz" also means "pepper" in Polish and has a similar etymology, coming from the Latin "piper". |
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | 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. |
| Punjabi | The word "mirch" originates from the Sanskrit word "marica" meaning "black pepper". |
| Romanian | "Piper" in Romanian can also refer to a type of bagpipe or a small bird known as the pipit. |
| Russian | “Перец” in Russian can also refer to “pungency”. |
| Samoan | "Pepa" is also the collective noun for Samoan tattoo marks. |
| Scots Gaelic | In addition to 'pepper', 'piobar' can also mean 'spices' or 'seasonings' in Gaelic. |
| Serbian | The word "бибер" in Serbian can also refer to a type of chili pepper known as a "cayenne pepper". |
| Sesotho | The word "pepere" can also mean "medicine" or "poison" in Sesotho, depending on the context. |
| Shona | The word "mhiripiri" is also used to refer to a small, hot type of pepper known as a "bird's eye chili". |
| Sindhi | In Sindhi, "مرچ" can also refer to chillies, indicating its versatility in denoting different types of spicy nightshades. |
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ගම්මිරිස් (pepper) is derived from the Sanskrit word 'marica' meaning "spicy", and its alternate meaning is "cardamom" in some contexts. |
| Slovak | The word "korenie" originally meant "spice" and is related to the word "korenina" (root) in Croatian and Serbian. |
| Slovenian | "Poper" in Slovenian can also refer to a type of bell or a plant with showy flowers or a spicy mustard condiment. |
| Somali | "Basbaas" means "pepper" in Somali, and its root in the proto-Cushite language is related to the words for "hot" and "burn". |
| Spanish | "Pimienta" also means "spice" in Spanish, derived from the Latin "pigmentum". |
| Sundanese | The Sundanese word "lada" also refers to chili, indicating the overlap in usage of the two terms in Indonesian languages. |
| Swahili | The word "pilipili" in Swahili can also refer to a type of chili pepper that is smaller and hotter than the regular bell pepper. |
| Swedish | The word "peppar" in Swedish can also mean "hot-tempered" or "stubborn," originating from "pepparrot," meaning "horseradish." |
| Tagalog (Filipino) | The Tagalog word "paminta" is derived from the Proto-Austronesian word *paŋitiŋ, which also means "black pepper". |
| Tajik | The word "филфил" is cognate with the Persian word "فلفل" and the Arabic word "فلفل". |
| Tamil | 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 derives from the word 'maricha', itself derived from the word for 'fire' or 'spark', signifying its spicy nature. |
| Thai | In Thai, 'พริกไทย' ('pepper') can also refer to the fruit of the Piperaceae family. |
| Turkish | The word "biber" in Turkish can also refer to other plants like nasturtium, watercress, and pepperwort. |
| Ukrainian | The word "перець" can also refer to chili peppers, bell peppers, and paprika. |
| Urdu | 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 |
| Uzbek | "Murch" in Uzbek also refers to the aromatic seeds of the parsley plant. |
| Vietnamese | In chemistry, "tiêu" refers to a functional group that can react with an electrophile. |
| Welsh | In Middle Welsh, 'pupur' was also used as a term of endearment for a female. |
| Xhosa | In its plural form, "iiphele-phele" is also used in reference to a person with a fiery temper |
| Yiddish | The Yiddish word "פעפער" can also refer to a hot-tempered person, a "peppercorn." |
| Yoruba | "Ata" can also mean "pain" or "misery" in Yoruba. |
| Zulu | The word "upelepele" in Zulu also means "a person who gossips," due to the spicy nature of the pepper. |
| English | The word 'pepper' is derived from the Latin word 'piper', which refers to the black pepper plant and its fruit. |