chiles
/t͡ʃiles/from spelling rules
The English phrase "chillies" is translated into Spanish as chiles.
chiles refers to small spicy peppers used in cooking to add heat to food.
Which one should you use?
In many Spanish-speaking countries, chile refers specifically to the spicy pepper, whereas in English, "chili" can also refer to a spicy stew.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The word for chillies varies significantly by location. In Mexico, they are typically referred to as chile or chiles. In the Dominican Republic and parts of the Caribbean, the term ají picante is commonly used for spicy chili peppers. In the Andean region and the Southern Cone (including countries such as Peru, Argentina and Chile), the word ají is more common than chiles.
How does it change in a sentence?
chiles is the plural form, while chile is the singular form.
How do you pronounce it?
/tʃiles/
Did you know?
- The name of the country Chile might actually stem from the Mapuche word chili, which means 'cold' instead of being related to the heat of a pepper.
- While chiles describes the plant, the sensation of heat is described by the verb picar, meaning to prick or sting, as if the pepper is needles on the tongue.
- The word ají comes from the Taíno language of the Caribbean, which influenced Spanish across the Americas long before the word chile became the standard in Mexico.
Examples in context
- Me encantan los chiles picantes en mi comida.I love spicy chilies in my food.
- ¿Me pasas los chiles por favor?Could you pass me the chili peppers, please?
- Necesito comprar unos chiles para la salsa.I need to buy some chillies for the sauce.
- Estos chiles son muy picantes.These chillies are very spicy.
- ¿Vas a usar chiles verdes en la sopa?Are you going to use green chillies in the soup?
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are in the kitchen preparing dinner.
- Alejandro¿Dónde guardaste los chiles?Where did you store the chillies?
- LucíaEstán en el cajón de la verdura.They are in the vegetable drawer.
- AlejandroGracias, voy a picar unos para el guiso.Thanks, I'm going to chop some for the stew.
- LucíaTen cuidado, no te ardan los ojos.Be careful, don't let them burn your eyes.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
