This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. French to English

piment vs poivron

English translation: pimiento/chili pepper and bell pepper

11:29 Jun 27, 2000
French to English translations [PRO]
French term or phrase: piment vs poivron
I am experiencing difficulties differentiating between "piment" and "poivron".

In the Oxford Hachette Concise I find the following translations:

Piment = (plant)capsicum
Poivron = sweet pepper

and in the Collins Robert I find:

Piment =(plant) pepper, capsicum, (fruit) pepper, capsicum
Poivron = (sweet) pepper, capsicum

It would seem that the two are very similar plants and to make matters more confusing my Oxford English dictionary defines sweet pepper as a mild-flavoured kind of capsicum.

Should it help the sentence I am translating relates to the harvesting of crops in Naples and is as follows:

"primeurs (plusieurs récoltes), ail, artichauts, aubergines, broccoli, choux, fèves, fleurs diverses, haricots, melons, oignons, pastèques, piments, poivrons, tomates."

Thanks in advance for any ideas.
Helen
English translation:pimiento/chili pepper and bell pepper
Explanation:
Judging by what we see on the supermarket shelves, "piment" is most commonly called a chili/chilli pepper or simply a chili/chilli (covering all the hot ones). You also see the Spanish term pimiento, though rather less often these days..
"Poivron" is unequivocally a bell pepper. It is mild rather than sweet (the red and yellow pepper is arguably quite sweet, but the green pepper is definitely not..).
Selected response from:

Alison Gaunt
Local time: 04:03
Grading comment
Thank you very much for your detailed reply. I am now happy to use "chili pepper" for "piment" and "bell pepper" for "poivron" having viewed all the answers.
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
nahot vs. sweet pepper
Sébastien St-François (X)
nachili pepper/bell pepper
Béatrice Huret-Morton
nachili peppers or chilis / bell peppers or peppers
RCE
napimiento/chili pepper and bell pepper
Alison Gaunt


  

Answers


7 mins
hot vs. sweet pepper


Explanation:
In French, «piment» describes a hot pepper (e.g., jalapeno), whereas «poivron» describes a variety of sweet, mild pepper (e.g., poivron vert = green pepper, poivron rouge = red pepper). Hope this helps.

Sébastien St-François (X)
Local time: 22:03
PRO pts in pair: 21
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

13 mins
chili pepper/bell pepper


Explanation:
Piments are "chili peppers" and poivrons "bell peppers".

Cheers,

Béa

Béatrice Huret-Morton
Local time: 05:03
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 300
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

22 mins
chili peppers or chilis / bell peppers or peppers


Explanation:
Béa is absolutely right. As you know, (bell) peppers are a staple of Italian food, but people often overlook the importance of chilis (chili peppers). A mnemonic device might be "les piments sont piquants".

RCE
Local time: 05:03
PRO pts in pair: 4
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

14 hrs
pimiento/chili pepper and bell pepper


Explanation:
Judging by what we see on the supermarket shelves, "piment" is most commonly called a chili/chilli pepper or simply a chili/chilli (covering all the hot ones). You also see the Spanish term pimiento, though rather less often these days..
"Poivron" is unequivocally a bell pepper. It is mild rather than sweet (the red and yellow pepper is arguably quite sweet, but the green pepper is definitely not..).

Alison Gaunt
Local time: 04:03
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 56
Grading comment
Thank you very much for your detailed reply. I am now happy to use "chili pepper" for "piment" and "bell pepper" for "poivron" having viewed all the answers.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search