How to say “spicy” in Thai

Phet: the word on every menu

เผ็ดpèt is spicy-hot, the burn of chilli. It's one short syllable with a low tone and a breathy p, like the p in "pet" with a puff of air, ending in a t you don't release. That breath matters: เป็ดbpèt, with an unaspirated p, means "duck". So ไม่เผ็ดmâi pèt is "not spicy", while a too-soft p gives you something close to "no duck". Hold a hand in front of your mouth: you should feel air on pèt.

Don't use ร้อนráwn for spicy: it means hot in temperature, as in hot soup or a hot day.

Ordering at a street stall

Thai street food is cooked to order, so you can set the heat. Say ไม่เผ็ดนะmâi pèt ná as you order, or choose a level: เผ็ดน้อยpèt náwy (mild), เผ็ดกลางpèt glaang (medium), เผ็ดมากpèt mâak (very). At a som tam stall the cook pounds the chillies into each salad, and may simply ask พริกกี่เม็ดprík gìi mét, "how many chillies?". One is plenty for most beginners.

Many dishes can be made without chilli at all (ไม่ใส่พริกmâi sài prík), but some, like green curry or certain soups, start from a chilli paste, so even "not spicy" carries some warmth. If you really can't handle heat, say so clearly: กินเผ็ดไม่ได้gin pèt mâi dâi, "I can't eat spicy food".

Chilli on the table

Most noodle shops and many restaurants put the heat on the table instead: พริกน้ำปลาprík nám-bplaa (sliced chillies in fish sauce), dried chilli flakes and chillies in vinegar. So a mild bowl can become as fiery as you like. The tiny, fierce chillies are พริกขี้หนูprík-kîi-nǔu, literally "mouse-dropping chillies", named for their size.

When it's too hot

Thais don't reach for water so much as for sticky rice (ข้าวเหนียวkâao-nǐaw), raw vegetables or a sweet drink like Thai iced tea. And they'll laugh, kindly, at your red face and ask เผ็ดไหมpèt mǎi. The honest answer is เผ็ดแต่อร่อยpèt dtàe à-ràwy: "spicy, but delicious".