Mohn
/moːn/masculine
The German word for poppy is Mohn.
Mohn is a masculine noun that refers to the plant of the genus Papaver. In culinary contexts, Mohn is also the standard word used to refer to poppy seeds.
Meaning: plant of the genus Papaver (noun)
Which one should you use?
While Mohn can refer to the plant or the seeds, Mohnblume is often used when you want to refer specifically to the flower of the poppy. For a more affectionate or informal tone, you can use Mohnblümchen to mean poppy.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine noun Mohn takes an -s ending in the genitive singular case, becoming Mohns (for example, 'of the poppy').
How do you pronounce it?
/moːn/
Did you know?
- The word Mohn is actually related to the ancient Greek word μήκων (mḗkōn) used in classical texts.
- In Germany, Mohn is a common ingredient in traditional cakes and rolls, whereas in some other English-speaking countries, poppy seeds are used primarily as a garnish.
- The word Mohn is a masculine noun, but when referring to the flower as Mohnblume, the gender shifts to feminine.
Examples in context
- Der Mohn ist rot.The poppy is red.This sentence is useful for describing the color of the Mohn.Tatoeba #12840025 by Yorwba, translation #11288185 by ghoza
- Die Farbe des Mohns ist rot.The color of the poppy is red.This sentence shows how to use the genitive form Mohns to talk about the color of the poppy.Tatoeba #11967327 by Naina, translation #11967224 by carlosalberto
- Die Farbe der Mohnblume ist rot.The colour of the poppy is red.This sentence demonstrates the use of Mohnblume when discussing the color of the poppy flower.Tatoeba #11967328 by Naina, translation #11975805 by sundown
- Die Mohnblume blüht in voller Pracht.The poppy is blossoming in full splendor.
- Mein kleines Mohnblümchen, du bist so süß!My little poppy, you are so sweet!
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah and Lukas are looking at a field of flowers.
- SarahIst das Mohn auf dem Feld?Is that poppy in the field?
- LukasJa, das ist ein wilder Mohn.Yes, that is a wild poppy.
- SarahIch mag die Farbe vom Mohn sehr.I like the color of the poppy very much.
- LukasDas sieht wirklich wunderschön aus, Sarah.It looks really beautiful, Sarah.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “poppy” translations and entries Mohn, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Mohn, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
