Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| picoso | /pikoso/ (from spelling rules) |
| alampante | /alampante/ (from spelling rules) |
Picoso is used to describe a food that provides a burning sensation caused by chilies or other spices. Beyond food, it can also be used to describe a person's temperament as being sharp, biting or provocative.
Which one should you use?
While picoso is common in many Latin American dialects, the term picante is the more universal and standard way to say spicy or hot.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Colombia and parts of Central America, the word ají may be used instead of picante.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective picoso must agree in gender and number with the noun it describes. You should use picosa for feminine singular nouns and picosos for masculine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/pikoso/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using picoso to mean a food is flavorful with many spices. In Spanish, picoso specifically refers to the heat or the burning sensation of chilies.
Did you know?
- Spanish has a specific distinction for 'hot' temperature caliente and 'hot' spice picante. Using caliente to describe a chili will only tell the listener that the pepper is warm to the touch.
- The Latin root of picoso is the suffix '-osus', which in English evolved into the suffix '-ose' as seen in words like 'verbose'.
- While English uses 'spicy' for both heat and flavor, Spanish speakers use picoso only for the burn. To describe a dish rich in cinnamon or cumin without the heat, they use especiado.
Examples in context
- Me gusta la comida picante.I like spicy food.
- Este guiso tiene un sabor picante.This stew has a spicy flavor.
- El chile habanero es conocido por ser muy ardiente.Habanero pepper is known for being very spicy.
- Este curry tiene un sabor ardiente y exótico.This curry has a hot and exotic flavor.
- Vamos a comer unas alitas de pollo picantonas.Let's have some spicy chicken wings.
- La salsa de esta hamburguesa está bien picantoncita.The sauce on this burger is quite spicy.
- Picante y sabrosoSpicy and tasty
- Ligeramente picanteMildly spicy
- Este curry está muy picoso.This curry is very spicy.
- ¿Es picoso el chile verde?Is the green chili spicy?
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are eating at a Mexican restaurant.
- Mateo¿Está muy picoso el taco?Is the taco very spicy?
- SofíaSí, para mí es un poco picoso.Yes, for me it is a little spicy.
- MateoA mí me encanta lo picoso.I love spicy things.
- SofíaEntonces disfruta tu comida, Mateo.Then enjoy your food, Mateo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “spicy” translations and entries picoso, alampante, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alampante, picoso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
