How to Say “Is It Spicy?” in Turkish
The usual way to say “Is it spicy?” in Turkish is Acı mı? It is neutral: safe in almost any situation. Below are 4 alternatives, how to reply, an example dialogue and the grammar behind it.
In Turkish
Acı mı?
- Literally
- “hot is-it?”
- Register
- Neutralsafe in almost any situation
How Acı mı? is built
- acıhot (spicy); bitter; pain
- mıquestion particle
Other ways to say “Is it spicy?”
- Acılı mı?Neutral
“does it come with chilli?”
Acılı = with chilli.
- Acısız olsunNeutral
“make it without chilli”
-sız = without.
- Az acılı olsunNeutral
“make it a little spicy”
Middle ground.
- Çok acı!Neutral
“it’s very spicy!”
After the first bite.
How to reply
Biraz acı.
It’s a little spicy.
Hayır, hiç acı değil.
No, not spicy at all.
Example dialogue
- A
Adana kebap acı mı?
Is the Adana kebab spicy?
- B
Biraz acı. Urfa kebap acısız.
It’s a bit spicy. The Urfa kebab is mild.
Related phrases
All phrases →More food & drink
Go deeper
“Is it spicy?” in Turkish: FAQ
How do you say “Is it spicy” in Turkish?
The most common way is Acı mı? (literally “hot is-it?”), which is neutral: safe in almost any situation. You will also hear Acılı mı (“does it come with chilli?”): acılı = with chilli.
How do you reply to Acı mı?
Typical replies are Biraz acı. (“It’s a little spicy.”) and Hayır, hiç acı değil. (“No, not spicy at all.”).
What does each part of Acı mı mean?
acı = hot (spicy); bitter; pain; mı = question particle. Acı covers chilli heat but also bitterness and pain.
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