maïs doux
masculine
The English phrase "sweet corn" is translated into French as maïs doux.
maïs doux refers specifically to the variety of corn intended for human consumption. While the word maïs can refer to corn in general, including grain used for livestock, maïs doux specifies the edible variety.
Meaning: corn suitable for eating by humans (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term is a literal translation where maïs means "corn" and doux means "sweet".
Which one should you use?
maïs doux is the specific term for the edible variety, whereas maïs is the general term for all types of corn.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Canadian French, the informal term blé d'Inde is used to refer to sweet corn.
How does it change in a sentence?
As a masculine noun, maïs doux is preceded by the masculine definite article le to form le maïs doux.
Did you know?
- The term blé d'Inde reflects a historical era when many explorers and settlers confused the geography of the Americas with the East Indies.
- In French, the adjective doux used in maïs doux is the same word used to describe a 'soft' fabric or a 'mild' winter.
- The word maïs traces its ancestry back to the Taíno language of the Caribbean, specifically the word mahís.
Examples in context
- Je vais prendre le maïs doux, s'il vous plaît.I'll have the sweet corn, please.
- On fait des grillades ce soir, et j'ai acheté du blé d'Inde. Tu veux que j'en prépare pour toi ?We're having a barbecue tonight, and I bought some sweet corn. Do you want me to prepare some for you?
- J'aime manger du maïs doux.I like to eat sweet corn.
- Il y a du maïs doux dans la salade.There is sweet corn in the salad.
- Voulez-vous du maïs doux avec votre poulet ?Do you want sweet corn with your chicken?
Example conversation
A couple is preparing a barbecue in their garden.
- HugoEmma, est-ce qu'on a du maïs doux ?Emma, do we have any sweet corn?
- EmmaOui, j'ai acheté du maïs doux ce matin.Yes, I bought some sweet corn this morning.
- HugoSuper, je vais le préparer pour le barbecue.Great, I will prepare it for the barbecue.
- EmmaC'est une excellente idée, Hugo.That is an excellent idea, Hugo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sweet corn” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries doux, maïs, CC BY-SA 4.0.
