Herbs and Spices in German with examples
Can you imagine a world where cooking is without any Herbs or spices? Food without any proper or suitable herbs and spices is so bland that it has no taste whatsoever!!! Herbs and spices define a culture, it takes an ordinary dish and make it extraordinary!! The same is the case in Germany or any European country!!! So do you need a better reason to learn about the list of herbs and spices in German?
Not only that, one of the “most” common topics in German is learning the vocabulary for how to describe what you ate and what needs to be cooked. In real life, you would need to order in a restaurant based on whether or not a certain spice is present in the dish. There might be warnings saying that the food contains certain herbs and spices. So, many questions can be asked around this topic. Let us go through the list of herbs and spices in German and a few example sentences for the same.
A supermarket example
When you go to a supermarket, you’ll have an entire rack dedicated to herbs and spices. You can see about 40 – 50 different herbs and spices stacked up there, ready for usage. You need to know the German vocabulary for the list of Herbs in German and the list of Spices in German so that you can buy and use them properly.
These are the common herbs and spices that are found in any German household. You can now learn the vocabulary for the list of herbs and Spices in German with tons of examples and English translation.
Translation for Herbs and Spices in German?
- The German word or translation for “Herb” is “Das Kraut”
- The German word or translation for “Herbs” is “Die Kräuter”
- The German word or translation for “Spice” is “das Gewürz”
- The German word or translation for “Spices” is “die Gewürze”
| English | German | English Sentence | German Sentence |
| die Lakritze | Liquorice | Liquorice is very expensive | Lakritz ist sehr teuer |
| der Curry | Curry | Curry is spicy. | Curry ist scharf. |
| der Chili | Chili | Chili can be sweet or spicy. | Chili kann süß oder scharf sein. |
| der grüne Kardamom | Cardamom | Cardamom is an indian spice. | Kardamom ist ein indisches Gewürz. |
| der Kreuzkümmel | Cumin | Cumin is very tasty | Kreuzkümmel ist sehr lecker |
| der Pfeffer | Pepper | Please buy Pepper. I am making soup today. | Bitte kaufen Sie Pfeffer. Ich mache heute Suppe. |
| der Safran | Saffron | Saffron is the most expensive spice. | Safran ist das teuerste Gewürz. |
| der Senf | Mustard | Can you buy three bottles of Mustard? | Können Sie drei Flaschen Senf kaufen? |
| der Sesam | Sesame | We are having Sesame Bread and Hummus spread for lunch. | Zum Mittagessen gibt es Sesambrot und Hummus-Aufstrich. |
| die Gewürznelke | Clove | I purchased Clove for EUR 3 | Ich habe Gewürznelke für 3 EUR gekauft |
| die Muskatnuss | Nutmeg | We have a Nutmeg plant at home | Wir haben eine Muskatnusspflanze zu Hause |
| die Vanille | Vanilla | I love Vanilla cake. | Ich liebe Vanillekuchen. |
Finer list of Herbs and Spices in German
These are the more refined or “Fine” Spices that are found in any German household. You can now learn the German vocabulary for the list of Herbs and Spices in German with examples in English and in German.
| Gewürz | Meaning | English Sentence | German Sentence |
| das Basilikum | Basil | The goat ate the Basil plant. | Die Ziege hat die Basilikumpflanze gefressen. |
| der Echte Kerbel | Chervil | The Chervil plant has large leaf | Die Kerbelpflanze hat ein großes Blatt |
| der Echte Koriander | Coriander | I sell Coriander in the market. | Ich verkaufe Koriander auf dem Markt. |
| der Echte Lorbeer | Laurel | Laurel is a herb. | Lorbeer ist ein Kraut. |
| der Estragon | Tarragon | Rich people eat Tarragon everyday. | Reiche Leute essen täglich Estragon. |
| der Fenchel | Fennel | Boil water with some Fennel | Wasser mit etwas Fenchel aufkochen |
| der Oregano | Oregano | I like pizza with Oregano | Ich mag Pizza mit Oregano |
| der Rosmarin | Rosemary | Rosemary has a lovely smell. | Rosmarin hat einen schönen Duft. |
| der Salbei | Sage | Sage is a small plant. | Salbei ist eine kleine Pflanze. |
| der Thymian | Thyme | You can make biscuits with Thyme and Parsley | Du kannst Kekse mit Thymian und Petersilie backen |
| die minze | Mentha | Mint Cigarettes are very expensive. | Minze Zigaretten sind sehr teuer. |
| die Petersilie | Parsley | Can you bake cookies with Parsley? | Kann man mit Petersilie Kekse backen? |
| die Zitronenmelisse | Lemon balm | I have a headache and so I drank tea with Lemon balm. | Ich habe Kopfschmerzen und habe deshalb Tee mit Zitronenmelisse getrunken. |
Der Kardamom – Cardamom in German
Cardamom is one of the most popular spices in the word. In fact it is called as the “Queen of Spices” in India. Cardamom has a strong flavour and is used for making tea or as an additive for cooking.
In Germany, Cardamom is used for baking biscuits, cakes and also in some variations of pies and sweets. You can get cardamom in powdered form or also whole, green or black.
Nelken (Gewürznelken) – Clove in German
Clove is a very popular spice in Europe as it is considered very aromatic and tasty. Along with cardamom, you can find cloves being used for making biscuits and cakes.
Clove is also very popular since it’s an ingredient used in making toothpaste.
Der Zimt – Cinnamon in German
Cassia bark is commonly grown and produced in Indonesia, China, and India. It is used as a sweet flavourful ingredient. Cinnamon is well known for its sweet and aromatic taste. The German word for the spice Cinnamon is “der Zimt”.
What do Germans make with Cinnamon? It is widely used for making tea and spice blends. Cinnamon buns are a speciality in many countries in Europe as they have a sweet an aromatic taste.
Der schwarze Pfeffer – Black Pepper in German
Black Pepper is without a doubt, the most commonly used spice all over the world. Black pepper has originated from India.
The German word for the spice Black Pepper is “Der schwarze Pfeffer”. What do Germans make with Black Pepper? Black Pepper is added to almost every gravy or savoury dish you could think of. Other than its food applications, it is also heavily used for its medicinal value. Pepper is prescribed to mothers, babies and children for boosting immunity.
das Basilikum – Basil in German
Basil is one of the famous spices in Germany. Basil is native to tropical regions from central Africa to Southeast Asia. It is a tender plant, and is used in cuisines worldwide.
The German word for the spice Basil is “das Basilikum”. What do Germans make with Basil? Basil is one of the key ingredients for making Pesto Sauce and is fantastic with Pasta. Its brilliant on salads and one can also made a smoothie with Basil. Basil is used for making soups as well.
der Echte Kerbel – Chervil in German
Chervil is one of the common spices in Germany. Chervil is called French parsley is a delicate herb related to parsley. It is commonly used to season mild-flavoured dishes and is a constituent of the French herb mixtures.
The German word for the spice Chervil is “der Echte Kerbel”. What do Germans make with Chervil? Chervil is used for making Chervil Vinaigrette and some sauces. It is also used as a top up on pizzas and pastas. Like Basil, it is used for making pastas and soups as well. Lemon chicken with Chervil sauce is a dish you’d find in high end restaurants.
der Echte Koriander – Coriander in German
Coriander is one of the more popular spices in Germany and you can find it in every supermarket. It is commonly used to season South East Asian cuisine such as Indian and Chinese cuisine. It is used generously and adds a strong flavour to dishes.
The German word for the spice Coriander is “der Echte Koriander”. What do Germans make with the spice Coriander? Coriander is used for making Dips, Thai Curry, Indian food recipes and sauces. It is used as a top up on rice and Chinese noodles. You can find it commonly in Thai, Indian and Chinese restaurants.
der Echte Lorbeer – Laurel in German
The bay laurel originates in Asia and it grows into huge trees. Its leaves are evergreen, which were consecrated to the god Apollo, were highly valued in ancient times. A wreath of laurel leaves was given as a high honour to poets, singers and generals who could then “rest on their laurels”.
The German word for the spice Laurel is “der Echte Lorbeer”. What do Germans make with the spice Laurel? Laurel is also used in culinary for making vinegar, liquor, spicing up Indian cuisine and also for making flavoured steamed rice.
der Fenchel – Fennel in German
Fennel is one of the very strongly flavoured herbs and is used in cooking all over Asia and Europe. It is a highly aromatic herb used in cooking and is one of the primary ingredients of absinthe.
It is used as a strong flavourful garnish. Mint is well known for its dominating taste. The German word for the spice Fennel is “der Fenchel”. What do Germans make with Fennel? Fennel is used for as a pizza topping, topping up pasta, soups, salad dressings, potato dressings, relish and also for stuffing, braising and making spreads.
der Oregano – Oregano in German
You will be very familiar with the spice “Oregano” as it is the main topping for a pizza and also for pasta sauce. Oregano is one of the most widely-used herbs across the world. It is found in Mexican cuisine commonly and is one of the components of chili powder. The dried form is very common, but fresh oregano is also employed in some dishes.
The German word for the spice Oregano is “der Oregano”. What do Germans make with Oregano? Fennel is used for as the best pizza topping, topping up pastas and soups, salad dressings, potato dressings, relish and also for stuffing, braising and making spreads.
die minze – Mint in German
Mint is one of the most versatile herbs used in cooking all over the world. It is found in every country and is very tasty.
It is used as a strong flavourful garnish. Mint is well known for its dominating taste. The German word for the spice Mint is “die Minze”. What do Germans make with Mint? Mint is used for making mint tea, topping up pasta, Lemon chicken, as a salad dressing, potato dressing and also for making Blugur and couscous.
die Petersilie- Parsley in German
Parsley is one of the most versatile herbs used in Middle Eastern cooking and is common all over Europe. It is found in every super market across the country.
It is used as a garnish, but more popularly used to spice up food. There are two varieties of parsley: curly leaf and flat leaf. Curly leaf is probably the most recognizable, as restaurants often use it as a garnish on their plating.
The German word for the spice Parsley is “die Petersilie”. What do Germans make with the spice Parsley? Parsley is used for making pasta, pesto sauce, as a salad dressing, potato dressing and also for making sauces.
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