Want to know how to say “corn” in different languages? Corn is one of the world’s most important crops and is used in foods, animal feed, cooking, and many traditional dishes.
The word for corn can vary between languages. Some languages use a word specifically meaning maize, while others commonly use a general word for corn. Below, you’ll find corn translated into 70 languages, together with easy English pronunciations.
| Language | Native Word | Easy English Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| English | Corn | KORN |
| Spanish | Maíz | Mah-EES |
| French | Maïs | Mah-EES |
| German | Mais | MICE |
| Italian | Mais | MICE |
| Portuguese | Milho | MEEL-yoh |
| Dutch | Maïs | MYSE |
| Swedish | Majs | MICE |
| Norwegian | Mais | MICE |
| Danish | Majs | MICE |
| Finnish | Maissi | MY-see |
| Icelandic | Maís | MYSE |
| Irish | Arbhar | AR-ver |
| Welsh | Ŷd | EED |
| Scottish Gaelic | Arbhar | AR-uh |
| Polish | Kukurydza | Koo-koo-RID-zah |
| Czech | Kukuřice | Koo-koo-RZHIT-seh |
| Slovak | Kukurica | Koo-koo-REET-sa |
| Slovenian | Koruza | Koh-ROO-zah |
| Croatian | Kukuruz | Koo-koo-ROOZ |
| Serbian | Кукуруз | Koo-koo-ROOZ |
| Bosnian | Kukuruz | Koo-koo-ROOZ |
| Romanian | Porumb | Poh-ROOMB |
| Hungarian | Kukorica | Koo-koh-REET-sah |
| Greek | Καλαμπόκι | Kah-lah-MBOH-kee |
| Russian | Кукуруза | Koo-koo-ROO-zah |
| Ukrainian | Кукурудза | Koo-koo-ROOD-zah |
| Belarusian | Кукуруза | Koo-koo-ROO-zah |
| Bulgarian | Царевица | Tsah-reh-VEE-tsah |
| Macedonian | Пченка | PCHEN-kah |
| Albanian | Misër | MEE-suhr |
| Turkish | Mısır | Muh-SUHR |
| Arabic | ذرة | DUR-rah |
| Hebrew | תירס | TEE-ras |
| Persian | ذرت | ZOR-ret |
| Kurdish | Genim | Geh-NEEM |
| Hindi | मक्का | MAK-kah |
| Urdu | مکئی | Mak-KAI |
| Punjabi | ਮੱਕੀ | MAK-kee |
| Bengali | ভুট্টা | BHOOT-ta |
| Gujarati | મકાઈ | Ma-KAI |
| Marathi | मका | MA-ka |
| Nepali | मकै | Ma-KAI |
| Sinhala | බඩ ඉරිඟු | BAH-da ee-RIN-goo |
| Tamil | சோளம் | SOH-lum |
| Telugu | మొక్కజొన్న | Mok-ka-JON-na |
| Kannada | ಜೋಳ | JOH-la |
| Malayalam | ചോളം | CHOH-lum |
| Thai | ข้าวโพด | Khao-PHOHT |
| Vietnamese | Ngô | NGOH |
| Indonesian | Jagung | Jah-GOONG |
| Malay | Jagung | Jah-GOONG |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Mais | MYSE |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | 玉米 | YOO-mih |
| Japanese | トウモロコシ | TOH-moh-roh-KOH-shee |
| Korean | 옥수수 | OOK-soo-soo |
| Mongolian | Эрдэнэ шиш | Er-DEH-neh sheesh |
| Burmese | ပြောင်းဖူး | Pyaung-FOO |
| Khmer | ពោត | POHT |
| Lao | ເຂົ້າໂພດ | KHAO-poht |
| Swahili | Mahindi | Mah-HIN-dee |
| Zulu | Ummbila | OOM-bee-lah |
| Afrikaans | Mielies | MEE-lees |
| Amharic | በቆሎ | Beh-KOH-loh |
| Yoruba | Àgbàdo | AGB-ah-doh |
| Hausa | Masara | Mah-SAH-rah |
| Māori | Kānga | KAA-ngah |
| Hawaiian | Kō | KOH |
| Samoan | Saga | SAH-ngah |
| Esperanto | Maizo | MY-zoh |
What Does “Corn” Mean?
Corn is a cereal grain that comes from the maize plant. It is commonly eaten fresh, dried, ground into flour, or processed into different food products.
Corn can be:
- Boiled or grilled
- Added to salads
- Used in soups
- Ground into cornmeal
- Made into tortillas
- Used to make popcorn
- Used as animal feed
- Processed into starch and other ingredients
In American English, corn commonly means maize. In British English, maize is often used for the crop, while corn can have a broader meaning related to cereal grains.
How Do You Say Corn in Spanish?
In Spanish, corn is maíz.
Maíz is pronounced approximately mah-EES.
Example:
El maíz es un alimento importante.
= Corn is an important food.
How Do You Say Corn in French?
The French word for corn is maïs.
It is pronounced approximately mah-EES.
Example:
Le maïs est populaire dans de nombreux pays.
= Corn is popular in many countries.
How Do You Say Corn in German?
In German, corn is Mais.
It is pronounced approximately like “mice.”
Example:
Mais wird häufig angebaut.
= Corn is commonly cultivated.
How Do You Say Corn in Italian?
Italian also uses mais for corn.
Pronunciation: MICE
The word is particularly common when talking about the crop and food made from maize.
How Do You Say Corn in Portuguese?
In Portuguese, corn is milho.
Pronunciation: MEEL-yoh
Example:
O milho é usado em muitos pratos.
= Corn is used in many dishes.
How Do You Say Corn in Arabic?
A common Arabic word for corn or maize is ذرة (dhurra).
The pronunciation can vary somewhat between Arabic dialects.
How Do You Say Corn in Hindi?
In Hindi, corn is commonly called मक्का (makkā).
Pronunciation: MAK-kah
Example:
मक्का एक महत्वपूर्ण फसल है।
= Corn is an important crop.
You may also encounter भुट्टा (bhutta) when referring specifically to an ear of corn, especially corn on the cob.
How Do You Say Corn in Urdu?
In Urdu, corn is commonly مکئی (makai).
Pronunciation: mak-KAI
For corn on the cob, بھٹا (bhatta) is also commonly used in everyday South Asian contexts.
How Do You Say Corn in Punjabi?
In Punjabi, corn is ਮੱਕੀ (makki).
Pronunciation: MAK-kee
Corn is an important agricultural crop in Punjab and is also used in traditional foods such as makki di roti.
How Do You Say Corn in Chinese?
In Mandarin Chinese, corn is 玉米 (yùmǐ).
Pronunciation: approximately YOO-mee.
- 玉 (yù) = jade
- 米 (mǐ) = rice
Together, 玉米 is the standard Mandarin word for maize/corn.
How Do You Say Corn in Japanese?
Japanese uses トウモロコシ (tōmorokoshi) for corn.
Pronunciation: TOH-moh-roh-KOH-shee
Corn is commonly eaten grilled, boiled, or added to various Japanese dishes.
How Do You Say Corn in Korean?
In Korean, corn is 옥수수 (oksusu).
Pronunciation: OOK-soo-soo
It is commonly eaten as a vegetable or snack and is also used in Korean food products.
Corn vs. Maize
Corn and maize generally refer to the same plant, but usage depends on region.
In American English, “corn” is the everyday word for maize.
In British English, “maize” is commonly used when referring specifically to the crop, while “corn” can historically refer to cereal grains more generally.
For example:
- Corn on the cob
- Corn flour
- Cornmeal
- Maize crop
- Maize farming
So, when translating “corn,” the most appropriate word can depend on whether you mean the crop, the grain, or a particular food product.
Corn on the Cob in Different Contexts
“Corn” does not always mean exactly the same thing as corn on the cob.
For example:
- Corn — the general grain or plant
- Corn on the cob — the whole ear of corn
- Corn kernels — individual pieces of corn
- Cornmeal — dried and ground corn
- Corn flour — finely ground corn product
- Popcorn — a special variety of corn that pops when heated
This distinction is useful when translating food-related sentences.
Popular Foods Made From Corn
Corn is used in foods all over the world.
Some popular corn-based foods include:
- Popcorn
- Corn tortillas
- Cornbread
- Cornmeal
- Polenta
- Corn soup
- Corn chips
- Corn porridge
- Corn flour
- Corn on the cob
- Corn salad
- Corn fritters
Different cultures have developed their own ways of preparing this versatile crop.
Why Learn “Corn” in Different Languages?
Learning the word corn in different languages can be useful for travelers, students, food lovers, and language learners.
It can help you:
- Understand food labels
- Talk about agriculture
- Order food while traveling
- Build everyday vocabulary
- Recognize ingredients
- Learn words related to farming and cooking
- Explore international food cultures
Because corn is grown and eaten in many parts of the world, it is a useful piece of global vocabulary.
Related Corn Vocabulary
If you are learning the word corn, these related terms are useful too:
- Maize
- Corn cob
- Corn kernel
- Cornfield
- Cornmeal
- Corn flour
- Corn starch
- Popcorn
- Sweet corn
- Corn oil
- Corn syrup
- Cornbread
- Corn tortilla
- Corn crop
- Corn farmer
Learning these words together makes it easier to discuss food, farming, cooking, and agriculture.
How to Remember “Corn” in Different Languages
Some translations are very similar across European languages.
For example:
Spanish: Maíz
French: Maïs
German: Mais
Italian: Mais
Swedish: Majs
Norwegian: Mais
Danish: Majs
Another useful group is the Slavic languages:
Polish: Kukurydza
Slovak: Kukurica
Croatian: Kukuruz
Serbian: Кукуруз
Russian: Кукуруза
Ukrainian: Кукурудза
Grouping similar words together can make all 70 translations easier to remember.
Quick Reference: Corn in 10 Languages
| Language | Word |
|---|---|
| English | Corn |
| Spanish | Maíz |
| French | Maïs |
| German | Mais |
| Italian | Mais |
| Portuguese | Milho |
| Hindi | मक्का |
| Urdu | مکئی |
| Chinese | 玉米 |
| Japanese | トウモロコシ |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is corn called in Spanish?
Corn is maíz in Spanish.
What is corn called in French?
Corn is maïs in French.
What is corn called in German?
Corn is Mais in German.
What is corn called in Hindi?
Corn is commonly मक्का (makkā) in Hindi. भुट्टा (bhutta) can refer specifically to corn on the cob.
What is corn called in Urdu?
Corn is مکئی (makai) in Urdu.
What is corn called in Punjabi?
Corn is ਮੱਕੀ (makki) in Punjabi.
What is corn called in Chinese?
Corn is 玉米 (yùmǐ) in Mandarin Chinese.
What is corn called in Japanese?
Corn is トウモロコシ (tōmorokoshi) in Japanese.
What is corn called in Korean?
Corn is 옥수수 (oksusu) in Korean.
Is maize the same as corn?
Yes. Maize and corn generally refer to the same plant, although regional English usage differs. “Corn” is especially common in American English, while “maize” is widely used in British English when referring specifically to the crop.
Conclusion
The word “corn” has many interesting translations around the world. From maíz in Spanish and maïs in French to مکئی in Urdu, 玉米 in Chinese, and トウモロコシ in Japanese, each language has its own way of describing this important crop.
Learning corn in different languages is also a great way to discover related vocabulary about food, farming, cooking, and agriculture. Whether you are studying a new language or simply exploring international words, these 70 translations give you a useful multilingual reference.
