01
der Chili
chili pepper
The hot, often red or green fruit of the pepper plant (chili pepper), used as a spice.
example
Für die Soße habe ich einen frischen, roten Chili kleingeschnitten.
For the sauce, I chopped up a fresh red chili pepper.
der Chili
chili
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Meanings
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Usage tips
False friend
The German word 'Chili' (spice or dish) sounds similar to the English word 'chilly', which means 'cool' or 'feeling cold'. Be careful not to confuse the two.
EXAMPLE
Ich gebe gerne etwas Chili in meine Suppe.
I like to add a little chili to my soup.
Context clue
Context tells you whether the fruit or the dish is meant. Verbs like 'schneiden' (to cut) or 'hacken' (to chop) refer to the fruit, while verbs like 'kochen' (to cook) or 'essen' (to eat) point to the dish.
EXAMPLE
Kannst du bitte den grünen Chili für den Salat hacken?
Can you please chop the green chili pepper for the salad?
Typical collocations
When referring to the fruit, 'Chili' (chili pepper) is often combined with adjectives like 'frisch' (fresh), 'getrocknet' (dried), 'rot' (red), or 'grün' (green). Typical verbs are 'hacken' (to chop), 'schneiden' (to cut), and 'würzen' (to season).
EXAMPLE
Für mehr Schärfe kannst du einen getrockneten Chili verwenden.
For more heat, you can use a dried chili pepper.
Typical collocations
As a dish, 'Chili' (chili) is often used with 'kochen' (to cook), 'servieren' (to serve), or 'essen' (to eat). People often speak of 'einem Topf Chili' (a pot of chili) or 'einem Teller Chili' (a plate/bowl of chili).
EXAMPLE
Zum Chili servieren wir frisches Brot und saure Sahne.
We serve fresh bread and sour cream with the chili.
Compare with
Chili vs Pfeffer
pepper
'der Pfeffer' and 'der Chili' can both make food spicy, so they are easy to confuse. 'Pfeffer' is a spice made from peppercorns and is often on the table in ground form. 'Chili' is a hot fruit, meaning a chili pepper, or a spice made from it. In addition, 'Chili' can also mean a spicy dish. If you mean the classic spice next to salt, 'Pfeffer' is correct. If you mean the hot pepper or a very hot spice, 'Chili' fits better.
Chili
Für die Soße schneidet Mehmet einen roten Chili in kleine Stücke.
For the sauce, Mehmet cuts a red chili pepper into small pieces.
Pfeffer
Zum Schluss gibt sie noch etwas Pfeffer über die Nudeln.
At the end, she adds a little pepper over the pasta.
In real life
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