Asking if a dish is spicy in English
How to ask if a dish is spicy and whether they can make it milder.
Full script
Key phrases
The lines worth keeping. Read them once before you go out.
Ask about the dish's heat
spicy = with chili heat; hot can mean spicy, but also very warm
Polite way to ask for less spice
mild = low spice / medium = some spice / hot = very spicy; no spice = not spicy at all
Say a little spice is fine
on a scale of 1 to 5 = a 1-to-5 rating
Ask for milk just in case
just in case = if needed; milk helps more than ice water with spicy food
Quick answers
Before ordering: what to say in English
Say “Is this dish spicy?” — ask about the dish's heat. spicy = with chili heat; hot can mean spicy, but also very warm.
You can't eat very spicy food: what to say in English
Say “Can you make it mild?” — polite way to ask for less spice. mild = low spice / medium = some spice / hot = very spicy; no spice = not spicy at all.
Still want some spice: what to say in English
Say “A little spicy is okay.” — say a little spice is fine. on a scale of 1 to 5 = a 1-to-5 rating.
Cools the spicy heat: what to say in English
Say “A glass of milk, just in case.” — ask for milk just in case. just in case = if needed; milk helps more than ice water with spicy food.