maïs
/ma.is/masculine
The English word "maize" is translated to French as maïs. If unsure, use maïs. Wiktionary also lists blé d'Inde.
Meaning: corn, a type of grain of the species Zea mays (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| maïs | /ma.is/ /majs/ (variant) |
masculine |
| blé d'Inde | /ble d‿ɛ̃d/ | Canada, masculine |
The word maïs refers to corn, a type of grain of the species Zea mays. You may also encounter common related terms such as épi de maïs for corn on the cob and farine de maïs for corn flour.
Which one should you use?
While maïs is the standard term for the grain, blé d'Inde is a regionalism used in Canada.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, the term blé d'Inde is used to refer to maize.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ma.is/ and consists of two syllables.
Did you know?
- The word maïs is actually an import from the Taíno language of the Caribbean. It entered the French language via the Spanish word 'maíz'.
- The spelling of maïs with a tréma on the 'i' is essential to ensure the two syllables are pronounced separately, rather than as a single sound.
- In French culture, maize is often associated with le maïs doux, a specific sweet corn variety primarily used for human consumption rather than animal feed.
Examples in context
- La France a prohibé une variété de maïs transgénique.France has banned a strain of genetically modified maize.This sentence illustrates the use of maïs in a sentence about a banned strain of genetically modified maize.Tatoeba #1491316 by sacredceltic, translation #1491145 by Scott
- En finir avec la monoculture du maïs et relancer la polyculture pour combattre l'uniformisation des paysages et des sols.Stop maize monoculture, and reestablish multiple cropping, to combat the loss of landscape and soil diversity.This sentence shows how maïs is used when discussing maize monoculture and landscape diversity.Tatoeba #429930 by sciuro, translation #430068 by witbrock
- Le maïs est une céréale de base dans de nombreuses cultures.Maize is a staple crop in many cultures.
- Le blé d'Inde est utilisé pour la production d'aliments pour animaux dans cette région.Maize is used for animal feed production in this region.
- maïs mûrripe maize
- J'ai acheté du maïs mûr au marché aujourd'hui.I bought ripe maize at the market today.
- Les enfants aiment griller des épis de maïs au barbecue.Children like to grill corn on the cob on the barbecue.
- Cette recette nécessite de la farine de maïs.This recipe requires corn flour.
- Le maïs est une culture essentielle ici.Maize is an essential crop here.
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are cooking dinner together.
- LucasEst-ce qu'on a du maïs pour la salade ?Do we have some corn for the salad?
- EmmaOui, il y a une boîte dans le placard.Yes, there is a can in the cupboard.
- LucasSuper, je vais préparer le maïs alors.Great, I'll prepare the corn then.
- EmmaMerci Lucas, ça sera délicieux !Thanks Lucas, it will be delicious!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “maize” translations and entries maïs, blé d'Inde, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries blé, blé d'Inde, maïs, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
