English for the Spices and Herbs Trade: Vocabulary for Chefs and Importers

If you buy or sell spices for a living, vague English can cost you money. A chef who asks for “good quality” might get something unusable. An importer who says “send the shipment soon” could end up with a warehouse full of damp coriander. The trade runs on precise, shared vocabulary—around grades, forms, and logistics. Let’s go through the words that actually matter, without the fluff.

Spices & Herbs Vocabulary: Forms and Descriptors

The first thing to nail is the form of the product. Spices come in different physical states, and each has a specific name in trade English.

Form	Meaning	Example
Whole	Unprocessed seeds, pods, or bark	“We need whole black cardamom, not ground.”
Ground	Powdered after drying	“The ground turmeric must pass through a 60-mesh sieve.”
Cracked	Coarsely broken pieces	“For garam masala, we use cracked cinnamon bark.”
Dried	Moisture removed (for herbs)	“Dried oregano should have a moisture content below 8%.”

Beyond form, you’ll hear flavor descriptors. These are not poetry—they are purchase conditions. Terms like “pungent” for ginger, “floral” for saffron, or “woody” for clove tell the supplier exactly which batch you want. If you say “the aroma should be sharp and camphoric,” a cardamom exporter knows you mean the green variety, not the black.

Trade & Sourcing Terms That Close Deals

Once you know what you want, you need to talk about money, contracts, and quality checks. Here are the terms that come up every day:

• FOB (Free on Board) – The seller is responsible until the goods are on the ship. After that, you (the buyer) take the risk. Example: “We’re quoting $2,400/MT FOB Mombasa for the cloves.”
• CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight) – The seller covers shipping and insurance to your port. Example: “The cinnamon is offered at $3,100/MT CIF Rotterdam.”
• Lot number – Each batch gets a unique ID. You track problems back to a specific lot. Example: “The off-grade cumin came from lot 22B.”
• Moisture content – A critical measure for dried herbs. Higher than allowed means mould or weight loss. Example: “Their bay leaves had 14% moisture—way above the 10% max.”
• Extraneous matter – Stems, stones, dirt. Maximum allowed is usually 1–2%. Example: “Reject the shipment if extraneous matter exceeds 1.5%.”

Quality grades also have their own labels. For many spices, “FAQ” (Fair Average Quality) means the standard middle grade. “Premium” or “Extra” means cleaner, larger, or more aromatic. Don’t assume; always ask for the supplier’s internal grading table.

Real Talk: Knowing the Terms Avoids Disasters

I once saw a small restaurant owner order “whole nutmeg” and receive pre-ground powder because the supplier thought “whole” was just a style of packaging. It wasn’t a scam—just poor vocabulary. The owner had to return the batch and lost a weekend of prep.

In import paperwork, the “botanical name” is the ultimate safety net. “Cinnamon” can mean Cinnamomum verum (true cinnamon) or Cinnamomum cassia (cassia). They look similar but taste different and have different safety limits for coumarin. Putting C. verum on the contract prevents misunderstandings.

Beyond the raw terms, you need to know how to form requirement sentences clearly. Don’t say “I want spicy pepper.” Say “I need Piper nigrum Tellicherry Extra Bold, moisture ≤ 12%, extraneous matter ≤ 1%, in 50 kg poly-lined jute bags.” That sentence contains: botanical name, grade, moisture limit, purity, and packaging. That’s the professional style.

Test Your Trade English with English Measure

You might be fluent in everyday English but struggle when a supplier writes “proforma invoice” or “letter of credit.” The difference between accepting FOB and CIF can shift a deal by thousands. That’s where targeted practice helps.

Instead of guessing your level, take the free English Measure test. It covers reading, listening, writing, and speaking—so you can see exactly where your business English needs polish. Then, focus on the vocabulary that moves product.

Take the test now →

---

📝 Related Practice Section

Vocabulary Practice: Expand your vocabulary with interactive word lists and exercises designed for your level!

👉 Click here to start your free Vocabulary Practice now!