Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| chile | /ˈt͡ʃile/ | masculine |
| ají | /aˈxi/ | masculine |
| locote | /loˈkote/ | masculine |
All three forms are masculine nouns used to refer to the fruit of the chili pepper. While these words refer to the physical fruit, chile is also frequently used in many contexts to describe the heat or spiciness of a dish. If you wish to describe a pepper as mild, you can use the adjective suave. In Mexico, you may encounter specific varieties such as guajillo, which is generally used to prepare sauces or poblano, a milder type often used for stuffing peppers.
Which one should you use?
chile refers to the fruit itself, though it is also commonly used to denote the level of spiciness in food.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term chile is the most common way to refer to chili peppers in Mexico and among Spanish speakers in the United States. In the Andean regions of South America, such as Peru, Bolivia and Chile, the term ají is primarily used. In Paraguay and parts of Argentina, the term locote is used to refer to certain types of chili peppers, often those that are less spicy. In Peru, rocoto is the specific term for a particular large variety of chili pepper.
How does it change in a sentence?
All provided forms are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtʃile/
Did you know?
- The word chile is not actually Spanish in origin, but was borrowed from the Nahuatl word chīlli used by the Aztecs.
- While ají is the standard term in the Andean region, it is also the root of the word ají amarillo, a pepper so central to Peruvian cuisine that it is considered a national symbol.
Examples in context
- Me encanta la comida picante con mucho chileI love spicy food with lots of chili
- Me encanta agregar un chilito a mis tacosI love adding a little chili pepper to my tacos
- rocoto rellenoStuffed rocoto peppers
- El chile es muy picante.The chili pepper is very spicy.
- Necesito un chile rojo para la salsa.I need a red chili pepper for the sauce.
- Ese chile verde es pequeño.That green chili pepper is small.
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are shopping for ingredients at a market.
- Javier¿Viste el chile que quería Lucía?Did you see the chili pepper Lucía wanted?
- LucíaSí, está en el puesto de vegetales.Yes, it is in the vegetable stall.
- JavierVoy a comprar ese chile para ella.I am going to buy that chili pepper for her.
- LucíaGracias, Javier, eres muy amable.Thanks, Javier, you are very kind.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chili pepper” translations and entries chile, ají, locote, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ají, chile, locote, CC BY-SA 4.0.
