How To Say “Ice Cream” In Different Languages

Blog
23 October 2023
By Sarah Angela Almaden
Japanese House
Unsplash: Christian Bowen

When I have ice cream, my brain goes ahhhhh. That’s because this cold and creamy treat is giving me a brain freeze that I can barely hear my thoughts. But a temporary brain freeze is expected from this frozen, dairy dessert, anyway. Besides, if I refreeze and save it for another day then the ice cream won’t be as soft and fluffy as it is. Because, you know, science. Usually, when ice cream melts and refreezes, its molecular structure breaks down, and air escapes, which then results in the ice cream tasting a bit grainy and icy. Nevertheless, an ice cream is still an ice cream however it tastes. One thing, though, ice cream is called differently around the world. Would you like to know how? Scroll on and get ready for a tasty scoop after.

  • English: ice cream (ais kreem)
  • French: la crème glacée (lah krem glah-sey)
  • Japanese: アイスクリーム (aisukurīmu)
  • German: die Eiscreme (dee ais-kreem)
  • European Portuguese: o gelado (oo jeh-lah-doo)
  • Brazilian Portuguese: o sorvete (oo sor-ve-che)
  • Korean: 아이스크림 (aiseukeulim)
  • Indonesian: es krim (es kreem)
  • Turkish: dondurma (don-door-mah)
  • Polish: lody (loh-deh)
  • Hindi: आइसक्रीम (aaisakreem)
  • Arabic: بوظة (buaza)
  • Swedish: glass (glas)
  • Mandarin Chinese: 冰淇淋 (bīngqílín)
  • Norwegian: iskrem (ees-krem)
  • Spanish: el helado (el eh-la-doh)
  • Greek: παγωτό (pagotó)
  • Danish: flødeis (flee-deis)
  • Swahili: aiskrimu (ais-krim-oo)
  • Italian: il gelato (il jeh-lah-toh)
  • Russian: мороженое (morozhenoye)
  • Icelandic: rjómaís (ryoh-ma-ehs)
  • Ukrainian: морозиво (morozyvo)
  • Hungarian: fagylalt (fah-gye-lalt)
  • Tagalog: ice cream (ais kreem), sorbetes (sor-beh-tes)
  • Māori: ahikirīmi (ay-hee-kee-ree-mee)
  • Thai: ไอศกรีม (ai-sa-kreem)
  • Vietnamese: kem (kem)