German Herbs and Spices Glossary

When you are cooking or dining in a German-speaking country, you will want to know the words for herbs, spices, and seasonings. Explore these two lists. First, a German-English list and then an English-German list.

German-English Herbs and Spices Glossary

Key:
Noun gender: r (der, masc.), e (die, fem.), or s (das, neu.)

A
r Anis anise

B
s Basilikum basil
r Beifuß mugwort
r Bockshornklee fenugreekc
s Bohnenkraut savory n.
r Boretsch borage
e Brunnenkresse watercress
s Bürzelkraut/Purzelkraut purslane

C
r Cardamom/Kardamom cardamom, cardamon
Cayenne-Pfeffer cayenne pepper
r Coriander cilantro (coriander)
r Cumin cumin
e Curcuma/Kurkuma turmeric
r/s Curry curry

D
r Dill dill

E
e Edelraute rue
r Estragon tarragon

F
r Fenchel fennel
r Fencheltee fennel tea

G
e Gartenkresse nasturtium
e Gelbwurz turmeric
e Gewürznelke (-n) clove(s)

H
r Holunder elder
e Holunderbeere elderberry
Hopfen (pl) hops

I
r Ingwer ginger

K
e Kamille camomile, chamomile
Kapern (pl) capers
r Kapuziner nasturtium
e Kapuzinerkresse nasturtium
r Kerbel chervil
r Knoblauch garlic
r Koriander cilantro, coriander
s Kraut herb
  Kräuter (pl) herbs
e Kräuterbutter herb butter
r Kräuterlikör herbal liqueur
r Kräutertee herb(al) tea
e Kresse cress
r Kreuzkümmel cumin
r Kümmel caraway (seed)
r Kürbissamen pumpkin seed
e Kurkuma turmeric

L
r Lauch (-e) leek(s), allium
r/s Liebstöckel lovage
s Löffelkraut common scurvygrass
s Lorbeerblatt bay leaf
Lorbeerblätter (pl) bay leaves

M
r Majoran majoram, majoran, marjoram
r Majoran sweet majoram, knotted majoram
r Meerrettich horseradish
e Minze mint
r Mohn poppy (seed)
e Muskatnuss nutmeg

N
e Nelke (-n) clove(s)
r Nelkenpfeffer allspice (berries of the pimento tree)

O
r Oregano oregano

P
r Paprika paprika
e Paprikaschote pimento
e Peperoni chili pepper, peperoni (spice)
e Petersilie parsley
r Pfeffer pepper
s Pfefferkorn (-körner) peppercorn(s)
e Pfefferminze peppermint
r Piment allspice (berries of the pimento tree)
r Porree (-s) leek(s), allium
r Portulak, s Bürzelkraut/Purzelkraut purslane
r Puderzucker powdered sugar

R
r Rosmarin rosemary

S
r Safran saffron
r/e Salbei sage
e Schale peel (orange, lemon)
r/e Schickoree chicory
r Schnittlauch chives
r Selleriesamen (-) celery seed(s)
r Senf mustard
Senfkörner (pl) mustard seed
r Sesam sesame
s Steinkraut stonecrop

T
r Thymian thyme
e Tripmadam, s Steinkraut stonecrop

V
e Vanillestange vanilla pod
r Vanillezucker vanilla-flavored sugar

W
e Wacholderbeere juniper berry
Wacholderbeeren (pl) juniper berries
r Waldmeister woodruff
e Wegwarte chicory
e Weinraute rue
r Wermut (seasoning) wormwood
r Wermut (herbal liqueur) vermouth
s Wurstkraut, r Majoran sweet majoram, knotted majoram
würzen v. to season, add seasoning/spices

Y
r Ysop hyssop

Z
e Zichorie (in coffee) chicory
r Zimt cinnamon
e Zitronenmelisse lemon balm
e Zitronenschale (-n) lemon peel(s)
r Zwiebel onion  

English-German Herbs and Spices Glossary

Key:
Noun gender: r (der, masc.), e (die, fem.), or s (das, neu.)

A
allspice (berries of pimento tree) r Nelkenpfeffer, r Piment
anise r Anis

B
basil s Basilikum
bay leaf s Lorbeerblatt
bay leaves Lorbeerblätter (pl)
borage r Boretsch

C
camomile, chamomile e Kamille
capers Kapern (pl)
caraway (seed) r Kümmel
cardamom, cardamon Kardamom, Cardamom
cayenne pepper Cayenne-Pfeffer
celery seed(s) r Selleriesamen (-)
chervil r Kerbel
chicory e Wegwarte, r/e Schickoree, e Zichorie (in coffee)
chili pepper e Peperoni
chives r Schnittlauch
cilantro (coriander) r Koriander
cinnamon r Zimt
clove(s) e Nelke (-n), e Gewürznelke (-n)
common scurvygrass s Löffelkraut
coriander r Coriander/Koriander
cress e Kresse/Brunnenkresse
cumin r Cumin, r Kreuzkümmel
curry r/s Curry

D
dill r Dill

E
elder r Holunder
elderberry e Holunderbeere

F
fennel r Fenchel
fennel tea r Fencheltee
fenugreek r Bockshornklee

G
garlic r Knoblauch
ginger r Ingwer

H
hops Hopfen (pl)
horseradish r Meerrettich
hyssop r Ysop

J
juniper berry e Wacholderbeere
juniper berries Wacholderbeeren (pl)

L
leek(s), allium r Lauch (-e), r Porree (-s)
lemon balm e Zitronenmelisse
lemon peel(s) e Zitronenschale (-n)
lovage r/s Liebstöckel

M
majoram, majoran, marjoram r Majoran
mint e Minze
mugwort r Beifuß
mustard r Senf
mustard seed Senfkörner (pl)

N
nasturtium e Gartenkresse, r Kapuziner, e Kapuzinerkresse
nutmeg e Muskatnuss

O
onion r Zwiebel
oregano r Oregano

P
paprika r Paprika
parsley e Petersilie
peel (orange, lemon) e Schale
peperoni, chili pepper e Peperoni
peperoni, chili pepper r Paprika (Switz.)
pepper r Pfeffer
peppercorn s Pfefferkorn (-körner)
peppermint e Pfefferminze
pimento e Paprikaschote
poppy (seed) r Mohn
powdered sugar r Puderzucker
pumpkin seed r Kürbissamen
purslane r Portulak, s Bürzelkraut/Purzelkraut

R
rosemary r Rosmarin
rue e Weinraute, e Edelraute

S
saffron r Safran
sage r/e Salbei
savory n. s Bohnenkraut
season, add seasoning/spices v. würzen
sesame seeds Sesamkörner (pl), r Sesam
stonecrop e Tripmadam, s Steinkraut
sweet majoram, knotted majoram s Wurstkraut, r Majoran

T
tarragon r Estragon
thyme r Thymian
turmeric e Curcuma/Kurkuma, e Gelbwurz

V
vanilla-flavored sugar r Vanillezucker
vanilla pod e Vanillestange
vermouth r Wermut (herbal liqueur)

W
watercress e Brunnenkresse
woodruff r Waldmeister
wormwood r Wermut (seasoning)