Spanish · Food & Drink
"Spicy" in Spanish: picante
picante
Spicy (hot with chili) is picante. It does not change for gender: salsa picante, chile picante. Ask ¿está muy picante? before you dive in.
How to pronounce picante: audio and sound guideChecking a salsa
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How to pronounce picante
Say it
pee-KAHN-teh
/piˈkan.te/
pee-KAHN-teh, stress on KAHN. Soft c in picante sounds like s in Latin America. Keep the final e audible: teh, not "pee-kahnt".
"Spicy" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| picante | spicy; hot (chili heat) Default word for chili burn. | Default word for chili burn. |
| muy picante | very spicy Warns that the heat is strong. | Warns that the heat is strong. |
| poco picante | mildly spicy Ask for gentle heat. | Ask for gentle heat. |
| la salsa picante | hot sauce Bottle or table salsa with chili heat. | Bottle or table salsa with chili heat. |
How to use picante in real life
- 1Checking a salsa
¿Esta salsa está picante?
Is this salsa spicy?
Ask before spooning salsa marked picante.
- 2Ordering carefully
Sin chile. No quiero nada picante.
No chili. I do not want anything spicy.
Clear way to refuse picante heat.
- 3Praising heat
Me gusta el mole un poco picante.
I like the mole a little spicy.
Un poco picante means gentle warmth.
Mistakes English speakers make with picante
Incorrect: La sopa está spicy.
Correct: La sopa está picante.
Use picante for chili heat, not English spicy.
Incorrect: Quiero comida caliente como spicy.
Correct: Quiero comida picante.
Caliente means hot in temperature. Chili heat is picante.
Good to know
Good to knowPicante is about chili heat, not temperature. In Mexico, table salsas range from mild to fiercely picante—taste a drop first. Asking ¿está muy picante? is normal and polite.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Choosing salsa heat
ChatPal
Cuidado. Esta salsa está picante.
Careful. This salsa is spicy.
You
Prefiero algo poco picante.
I prefer something mildly spicy.
ChatPal
Entonces usa la verde suave.
Then use the mild green one.
You
Gracias por avisar.
Thanks for the warning.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Spicy" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Spicy" in Spanish
Does picante change for gender?
No. Picante stays the same: sopa picante, chile picante.
What is the difference between picante and caliente?
Picante is chili heat. Caliente is temperature hot.
How do I ask for mild food?
Poco picante or sin chile, por favor.
How do you pronounce picante?
pee-KAHN-teh with stress on KAHN.
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