chile
everyday, Mexico
In Mexico chile is the word for a hot pepper, and it is spelled with one l. The country of Chile is written Chile too, with a capital letter.
Meaning: a hot pepper, or the country of Chile (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mexican | Note |
|---|---|
| chile | everyday, Mexico |
| Chile | country |
For the pepper, Mexicans name the kind, such as chile jalapeño, chile serrano or chile poblano. Picante means spicy.
Which one should you use?
The pepper is spelled chile in Mexico. The word chili is the English spelling and is not used in Spanish, and the English dish "chili" is chile con carne.
How do you pronounce it?
Say "CHEE-leh" for both the pepper and the country.
Did you know?
- The same pepper often has a different name when dried, such as chipotle for a smoked, dried jalapeño.
Examples in context
- ¿Le pongo chile a su taco?Shall I put chile on your taco?
- Este chile está muy picante.This chile is very spicy.
- Mi amigo es de Chile.My friend is from Chile.
Example conversation
Don Luis serves tacos at a street stand in Mexico City to a customer, Karla.
- Don Luis¿Le pongo salsa, joven?Shall I put salsa on, young lady?
- KarlaSí, pero que no pique mucho.Yes, but not too spicy.
- Don LuisEsta es de chile de árbol, cuidado.This one is made with chile de árbol, careful.
