Teaspoon in Different Languages
Discover 'Teaspoon' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
A teaspoon is a small measuring spoon that holds a volume equivalent to about 5ml of liquid. It's a staple in kitchens around the world and is used daily in cooking, baking, and beverage preparation. But did you know that the teaspoon has cultural significance beyond the kitchen? In the 19th century, the teaspoon was used as a unit of currency in some parts of the world, and during World War II, it was used as a measure of rations for soldiers.
Understanding the translation of teaspoon in different languages can be a fun and interesting way to learn about other cultures. For example, in Spanish, a teaspoon is known as 'cucharita de té,' while in French, it's 'cuillère à café.' In German, it's 'Teelöffel,' and in Japanese, it's '茶スPOON' (cha-supun).
In this article, we'll explore the significance and cultural importance of the teaspoon and provide translations in a variety of languages. Whether you're a language enthusiast, a foodie, or just curious, you're sure to find this information engaging and informative.
Teaspoon
Teaspoon in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | teelepel | ||
| The Afrikaans word "teelepel" is derived from the Dutch word "teelepel" meaning "teaspoon". | |||
| Amharic | የሻይ ማንኪያ | ||
| Hausa | karamin cokali | ||
| The word "karamin cokali" literally means "small spoon". | |||
| Igbo | ngaji | ||
| The word "ngaji" in Igbo could possibly be derived from the word "ngachi", which means to pick or select, suggesting its original use as a small utensil for selecting or scooping up substances. | |||
| Malagasy | sotrokely | ||
| The word "sotrokely" in Malagasy is derived from the French word "cuillère" (spoon). | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | supuni | ||
| The word "supuni" also means "a scoop" or "a small container" in Nyanja. | |||
| Shona | teaspoon | ||
| In Shona, the word 'teaspoon' can also refer to a small amount of something, typically a liquid or powder. | |||
| Somali | qaaddo shaaha | ||
| "Qaaddo shaaha" can also refer to a type of small, shallow basket used for holding spices or other ingredients. | |||
| Sesotho | teaspoon | ||
| Sesotho word 'teaspoon' is also used as a measurement unit for a small amount of something. | |||
| Swahili | kijiko | ||
| The word "kijiko" in Swahili ultimately derives from the Arabic word "kijik," meaning "small spoon." | |||
| Xhosa | icephe | ||
| In Xhosa, "icephe" can also refer to a small piece of ice or a tiny amount of anything. | |||
| Yoruba | sibi | ||
| The word "sibi" in Yoruba can also mean "to sip" or "to drink a small amount of liquid." | |||
| Zulu | isipuni | ||
| The Zulu word 'isipuni' also means 'a small amount of something'. | |||
| Bambara | te kutu ɲɛ | ||
| Ewe | teaspoon ƒe nuɖuɖu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ikiyiko | ||
| Lingala | cuillère à thé | ||
| Luganda | ekijiiko kya caayi | ||
| Sepedi | khaba ya tee | ||
| Twi (Akan) | teaspoon a wɔde yɛ teaspoon | ||
Teaspoon in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | ملعقة صغيرة | ||
| The word "ملعقة صغيرة" literally translates to "small spoon" in Arabic. | |||
| Hebrew | כַּפִּית | ||
| כַּפִּית is thought to be a shortening of כַּף פִּיתָה – "pita spoon" – because of the shape of the spoon's bowl. | |||
| Pashto | چمچ | ||
| The word "چمچ" can also refer to a "spoonful" or a "pinch" in Pashto. | |||
| Arabic | ملعقة صغيرة | ||
| The word "ملعقة صغيرة" literally translates to "small spoon" in Arabic. | |||
Teaspoon in Western European Languages
| Albanian | lugë çaji | ||
| The word "lugë çaji" can also refer to a small spoon used for serving condiments, such as mustard, or for measuring small quantities of liquids. | |||
| Basque | koilaratxo | ||
| + (diminutive of koilara “spoon”, with the suffix -atxo) | |||
| Catalan | cullereta | ||
| The word "cullereta" is ultimately derived from the Latin word "cochlear", meaning "spoon", and has the alternate meaning of "small spoon" in Catalan. | |||
| Croatian | čajna žličica | ||
| "Čajna žličica" literally means "tea spoon", but it can also refer to a small spoon used for serving desserts or stirring coffee. | |||
| Danish | teskefuld | ||
| The word "teskefuld" derives from the Old Norse word "skeið", meaning "spoon". This sense is retained in the Faroese language, another Northern Germanic language. | |||
| Dutch | theelepel | ||
| The Dutch word "theelepel" has an etymological connection to "thee" (tea) but is sometimes also used for measuring spoonfuls of other beverages. | |||
| English | teaspoon | ||
| Teaspoon was originally a unit of measurement equal to a third of a tablespoon, but it is now considered equal to about half a tablespoon. | |||
| French | cuillère à café | ||
| In French, a teaspoon is called a "cuillère à café" because coffee used to be a rare commodity, used in very small quantities. | |||
| Frisian | teeleppel | ||
| "Teeleppel" in Frisian is a compound word consisting of "tee" (tea) and "leppel" (spoon). It can also refer to the unit of measurement for a small amount of something, such as medicine. | |||
| Galician | cucharadita | ||
| In Galician, the meaning of the word "cucharadita" is different from Spanish "cucharadita" (teaspoon), but refers to a small spoon typically used to eat yogurt and desserts. | |||
| German | teelöffel | ||
| The German word "Teelöffel" derives its name from its original use: measuring the amount of tea leaves needed for brewing. | |||
| Icelandic | teskeið | ||
| The word "teskeið" is thought to be derived from the Old Norse word "teskeyr", meaning "wooden spoon". | |||
| Irish | teaspoon | ||
| The Irish word for "teaspoon" is "spúnóg" and is also used to refer to a small vessel or a measure of liquid. | |||
| Italian | cucchiaino | ||
| The word "cucchiaino" is derived from the Latin "cochlea," meaning "snail," because the shape of the spoon resembles a snail's shell. | |||
| Luxembourgish | kaffisläffel | ||
| Derived from French "cuillère à café" with "Kaff" standing for "coffee" and "läffel" being an archaic German word for "spoon" | |||
| Maltese | kuċċarina | ||
| "Kuċċarina" is derived from the Italian word "cucchiaio," meaning "spoon." | |||
| Norwegian | teskje | ||
| The word "teskje" literally translates to "tea scoop". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | colher de chá | ||
| The word "colher de chá" in Portuguese can also refer to a small amount of something, or to a trivial matter. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | teaspoon | ||
| In Scottish Gaelic, "teaspoon" translates to "spùn tì." "Spùn" means "spoon," and "tì" specifically means "tea." | |||
| Spanish | cucharilla | ||
| In Old Spanish, "cucharilla" meant "small spoon" and referred to a spoon with a shorter handle than the standard spoon. | |||
| Swedish | tesked | ||
| "Tesked" is a compound word, where "te" means "tea" and "sked" means "spoon" or "ladle". | |||
| Welsh | llwy de | ||
| "Llwy dë" was originally used to refer to the hollowed out part of a cow's horn used to hold tea leaves. | |||
Teaspoon in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | гарбатная лыжка | ||
| The word “гарбатная лыжка” is derived from the Turkic languages, where it originally meant a “soup spoon”. It was later reinterpreted in Belarusian to mean a “teaspoon”. | |||
| Bosnian | kašičica | ||
| The word "kašičica" is derived from the Turkish word "kaşık," meaning "spoon." | |||
| Bulgarian | чаена лъжичка | ||
| The term "чаена лъжичка" (teaspoon) derives from the earlier words "чай" (tea) and "лъжа" (spoon), which was historically also used to indicate a flat metal tool of similar shape but smaller size. | |||
| Czech | čajová lžička | ||
| The word "čajová lžička" (teaspoon) in Czech is derived from the German word "Teelöffel" (teaspoon) and literally means "tea spoon". | |||
| Estonian | teelusikatäis | ||
| The word "teelusikatäis" originates from the words "teeleht" (tealeaf) and "lusikas" (spoon). | |||
| Finnish | tl | ||
| The abbreviation "tl" in Finnish also means "telin. | |||
| Hungarian | teáskanál | ||
| The word "teáskanál" is composed of "tea", and the Turkish word "kaşık" meaning "spoon". | |||
| Latvian | tējkarote | ||
| The word "teaspoon" has no other meanings or etymological links to other Latvian words | |||
| Lithuanian | šaukštelio | ||
| "Šaukštelis" is the diminutive of "šaukštas" meaning "spoon". | |||
| Macedonian | лажичка | ||
| In the colloquial speech "лажичка" can also mean a lazy or slow person. | |||
| Polish | łyżeczka | ||
| Łyżeczka is derived from the word łyk, meaning to sip, and refers to a small spoon used for measuring and stirring. | |||
| Romanian | linguriţă | ||
| The Romanian word "linguriţă" (teaspoon) derives from "lingură" (spoon) and the diminutive suffix "-iţă" (small), emphasizing its smaller size. | |||
| Russian | чайная ложка | ||
| The word "чайная ложка" can also mean a "dessert spoon". | |||
| Serbian | кашичица | ||
| The word "кашичица" originated from the Turkish "кашик", meaning "spoon", denoting its small size relative to a regular spoon. | |||
| Slovak | lyžička | ||
| The word "lyžička" comes from the word "lyže", which means "skis", because the shape of a teaspoon resembles that of a ski. | |||
| Slovenian | čajna žlička | ||
| The word 'čajna žlička' literally means 'tea spoon', but it can also refer to a small spoon used for stirring coffee or other hot drinks. | |||
| Ukrainian | чайної ложки | ||
| The term "чайної ложки" (teaspoon) in Ukrainian derives from the words "чай" (tea) and "ложка" (spoon), denoting its primary purpose as a measuring utensil for tea preparation. | |||
Teaspoon in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | চা চামচ | ||
| The word 'চায় চামচ' literally means a 'tea leaf spoon' and was likely used to measure out tea leaves before tea bags were invented. | |||
| Gujarati | ચમચી | ||
| The word "ચમચી" can also refer to a small spoon used for eating or stirring food. | |||
| Hindi | छोटी चम्मच | ||
| The word "छोटी चम्मच" can also refer to the small spoon used in religious ceremonies. | |||
| Kannada | ಟೀಚಮಚ | ||
| The Kannada word "ಟೀಚಮಚ" literally means "a spoon to stir tea with". | |||
| Malayalam | ടീസ്പൂൺ | ||
| Marathi | चमचे | ||
| The Marathi word 'चमचे' ('chamache') is related to 'Chamcha' in Hindi, both deriving from Persian. | |||
| Nepali | चम्मच | ||
| The word "चम्मच" (chammacha) originally referred to a small bowl or cup used for eating, and is related to the word "कमण्डलु" (kamandalu), a water pot used by ascetics. | |||
| Punjabi | ਚਮਚਾ | ||
| The word "ਚਮਚਾ" in Punjabi can also refer to a flatterer or sycophant, due to the shape of the utensil. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | තේ හැන්දක | ||
| The word "තේ හැන්දක" (teaspoon) originally referred to a small spoon used for stirring tea, but now also refers to a unit of measurement equivalent to 1/3 of a tablespoon. | |||
| Tamil | டீஸ்பூன் | ||
| Telugu | టీస్పూన్ | ||
| The word "teaspoon" is derived from the Old English word "tespon," meaning "a small spoon used for stirring tea." | |||
| Urdu | چائے کا چمچ | ||
| The term 'chaye ka chammach' is a compound of 'chaye' (tea) and 'chammach' (spoon), referring to a small spoon specifically used for stirring and serving tea. | |||
Teaspoon in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 茶匙 | ||
| 茶匙中的“匙”字，有“舀取”之意，在古代用于舀取茶末。 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 茶匙 | ||
| 茶匙最早指泡茶时所用的汤匙。 | |||
| Japanese | ティースプーン | ||
| ティースプーンは元来砂糖を計るスプーンで、現在は食事中の料理を口に運ぶためのスプーンを指す。 | |||
| Korean | 티스푼 | ||
| 티스푼(티스푼)은 원래 찻잎을 저어서 차를 우려내기 위해 사용되었던 숟가락으로, 작은 크기 때문에 이렇게 불립니다. | |||
| Mongolian | цайны халбага | ||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | လက်ဖက်ရည်ဇွန်း | ||
Teaspoon in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | sendok teh | ||
| The word "sendok teh," meaning "teaspoon" in Indonesian, is derived from the Dutch word "lepel," meaning "spoon." | |||
| Javanese | sendhok teh | ||
| "Sendhok teh" in Javanese literally means "tea spoon" | |||
| Khmer | ស្លាបព្រាកាហ្វេ | ||
| Lao | ບ່ວງກາເຟ | ||
| Malay | sudu teh | ||
| The word "sudu teh" in Malay, meaning "teaspoon", is derived from the Tamil word "sudu", meaning "spoon". The word "teh" means "tea" in Malay, and was added to the word "sudu" to create the term "sudu teh". | |||
| Thai | ช้อนชา | ||
| The Thai word ช้อนชา is borrowed from the Portuguese word "colher de chá", meaning "tea spoon". | |||
| Vietnamese | muỗng cà phê | ||
| The word "muỗng cà phê" literally translates to "coffee spoon" in Vietnamese, referring to its size and original use for stirring coffee. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kutsarita | ||
Teaspoon in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | çay qaşığı | ||
| In Azerbaijani, 'çay qaşığı' literally translates to 'tea spoon', suggesting its primary use for measuring and stirring tea. | |||
| Kazakh | шай қасық | ||
| The word "шай қасық" in Kazakh literally translates to "tea spoon", but it can also refer to a small spoon used for stirring sugar into tea or coffee. | |||
| Kyrgyz | чай кашык | ||
| In Kyrgyz, "чай кашык" can also refer to a small bowl for serving tea or coffee. | |||
| Tajik | қошуқ | ||
| The word "қошуқ" also means "a small vessel for holding dry ingredients". | |||
| Turkmen | çaý çemçesi | ||
| Uzbek | choy qoshiq | ||
| The word 'choy qoshiq' in Uzbek means 'teaspoon', but can also refer to a 'ladle' or a 'measuring device' used for liquids. | |||
| Uyghur | بىر قوشۇق | ||
Teaspoon in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | teaspoon | ||
| "Kiʻi" (teaspoon), like "meaʻai" (food), implies the object's size or function. The word also refers to a small gourd or scoop used to measure out medicine or other ingredients. | |||
| Maori | tīpune | ||
| 'Tīpune' is also used to describe a person 'of small size or importance'. | |||
| Samoan | sipuni sipuni | ||
| The word "sipuni sipuni" literally means "small spoon" in Samoan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kutsarita | ||
| The Tagalog word "kutsarita" is derived from the Spanish word "cucharita", which means "small spoon". | |||
Teaspoon in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | mä cucharadita | ||
| Guarani | peteĩ kuñataĩ | ||
Teaspoon in International Languages
| Esperanto | kulereto | ||
| The word "kulereto" is derived from the French word "cuillère", meaning "spoon", and its diminutive form "-et". | |||
| Latin | teaspoon | ||
| In Latin, 'teaspoon' also means 'a small spoon used for stirring.' | |||
Teaspoon in Others Languages
| Greek | κουταλάκι του γλυκού | ||
| In the 1960s, ‘κουταλάκι του γλυκού’ or ‘small spoon’ could also mean a small amount, a trace. | |||
| Hmong | diav | ||
| "Diav" is related to the Hmong-Mien and Tai word "diaw," meaning "small bowl." | |||
| Kurdish | kevçîyek çayê | ||
| Turkish | çay kaşığı | ||
| The word "çay kaşığı" literally means "tea spoon" in Turkish, but it can also be used figuratively to refer to a small amount of something. | |||
| Xhosa | icephe | ||
| In Xhosa, "icephe" can also refer to a small piece of ice or a tiny amount of anything. | |||
| Yiddish | לעפעלע | ||
| The Yiddish word "לעפעלע" also means "little spoon" in the sense of a medical tool. | |||
| Zulu | isipuni | ||
| The Zulu word 'isipuni' also means 'a small amount of something'. | |||
| Assamese | চামুচ চামুচ | ||
| Aymara | mä cucharadita | ||
| Bhojpuri | चम्मच के बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ސައިސަމުސާ އެވެ | ||
| Dogri | चम्मच चम्मच | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kutsarita | ||
| Guarani | peteĩ kuñataĩ | ||
| Ilocano | kutsarita | ||
| Krio | ti spɔnj | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | کەوچکێکی چا | ||
| Maithili | चम्मच | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯆꯥꯃꯆ ꯑꯃꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | teaspoon khat a ni | ||
| Oromo | kanastaa shaayii | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଏକ ଚାମଚ | ||
| Quechua | cucharadita | ||
| Sanskrit | चम्मचम् | ||
| Tatar | чәй кашыгы | ||
| Tigrinya | ማንካ ሻሂ | ||
| Tsonga | xipunu xa tiya | ||