# hot and spicy food



## indoctus

Hello: 

I'm trying to say the following:

"My wife cannot eat black pepper, garlic, nor any hot and spicy food. Red and green peppers are OK if they are not hot peppers."

Mi atento:

"Mi esposa no puede comer la pimienta negra, ni el ajo, ni ningún comida picante. Los pimientos rojos y verdes le van bien con tal de que no sean pimientos picantes."

Muchas Gracias.


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## koxol

Mi esposa no puede comer pimienta negra, ajo, ni ninguna comida picante o con muchas especias. Puede comer pimientos rojos y verdes, mientras no sean (de los) picantes.


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## celenita

que tal: "Mi esposa no puede comer pimienta negra, ajo, ni ningún alimento caliente y picante. Pimientos rojos y verdes están bien si no son ajís (pimientos picantes)."


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## koxol

Creo que en este contexto, _hot_ quiere decir picante, no caliente.
Evité la palabra ají o chile, para que se entienda en un español general.


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## BocaJuniors

koxol said:


> Creo que en este contexto, _hot_ quiere decir picante, no caliente.
> Evité la palabra ají o chile, para que se entienda en un español general.


 Concuerdo 100%


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## indoctus

Hola Koxol y Celenita:

Muchas gracias por su ayuda. Deberia mencionar que es para un viaje a España.

Adiós.


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## Carmen16

*Tomar*, no comer. 
Se usa más 'tomar' cuando va seguido de lo que se ingiere, tanto para bebidas (Tómate la leche/tb: Bébete la leche) como para comidas (Tomaré la ensalada número 4, por favor). 

Aunque también se puede decir: 'Me comí un platazo (a full plate) de lentejas', aunque 'Me tomé unas lentejas'. Rarezas del español. Bienvenidas ampliaciones a mi explicación.


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## iribela

Carmen16 said:


> *Tomar*, no comer.
> Se usa más 'tomar' cuando va seguido de lo que se ingiere, tanto para bebidas (Tómate la leche/tb: Bébete la leche) como para comidas (Tomaré la ensalada número 4, por favor).
> 
> Aunque también se puede decir: 'Me comí un platazo (a full plate) de lentejas', aunque 'Me tomé unas lentejas'. Rarezas del español. Bienvenidas ampliaciones a mi explicación.


Puede ser cuestión de entornos, pero no conozco el uso de "tomar" en este caso. Si no "comer", tal vez consumir u otro verbo según el contexto. No puede o no debe comer/consumir ajo, pimienta, etc.


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## Carmen16

Sí, según el contexto. En el caso del ajo que pones por ejemplo, mejor usar 'tomar' o 'consumir', aunque se puede decir también 'Si come ajos, se pone malísimo'. Personalmente, considero más correcto emplear 'tomar' o 'consumir' en los ejemplos de más arriba.


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## iribela

Carmen16 said:


> En el caso del ajo que pones por ejemplo, mejor usar 'tomar' o 'consumir', aunque se puede decir también 'Si come ajos, se pone malísimo'. Personalmente, considero más correcto emplear 'tomar' o 'consumir' en los ejemplos de más arriba.


Yo no diría 'no puedo _tomar_ ajo/pimienta/cebolla', sino 'no puedo comer o consumir ajo/pimienta/cebolla'.
Podría decir, por ejemplo, 'no puedo tomar la cena muy tarde porque me cae pesada', o 'no me gusta tomar el desayuno en la cama', hablando de una comida toda, pero no usaría el verbo _tomar_ para referirme a un alimento sólido en particular, como en 'no puedo tomar huevo/ajo/tomate porque me cae mal'. Será uso regional, pero así lo entiendo.


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## Carmen16

Pues sí, según la región, pues veo que eres de Uruguay. Cada región o país tendrá su forma distinta de expresar lo mismo.

Gracias por tus puntualizaciones; siempre es bueno aprender cosas nuevas.


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## gengo

koxol said:


> Mi esposa no puede comer pimienta negra, ajo, ni ninguna comida picante o con muchas especias.



I'd say that there is no need to translate the words hot and spicy separately.  That combination of words functions as a single adjective in English, and we have many foods that are labeled as "hot and spicy" on the packaging.  The reason for this is that the word "hot" is ambiguous, and can mean either caliente or picante.  Therefore, it is almost as if we think of this as a single word:  hotandspicy.

This ambiguity often leads to exchanges such as the following.

-Wow, this food is too hot for me to eat.
-Do you mean temperature hot or spicy hot?

We could, of course, just use the word "spicy," but for some reason we seem to really like the word "hot" in such contexts.

Therefore, I would translate the original simply as "ni ninguna comida picante."


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## Mirlo

koxol said:


> Mi esposa no puede comer pimienta negra, ajo, ni ninguna comida picante o con muchas especias. Puede comer pimientos rojos y verdes, mientras no sean (de los) picantes.


Estoy de acuerdo con "ninguna comida picante", pero también debo decir " la razon de uqe Koxol decidio agregar  con muchas epecias o sazón"
picante no es lo mismo que sazón , a lo mejor porque en Estados Unidos no se usan las especias como en latinoamerica , no se comprende. En mi país solo se diria spicy food, ya que no acostumbramos a usar picante (hot) en todo.
Pienso que ese es el problema.


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## OtroLencho

gengo said:


> That combination of words functions as a single adjective in English, and we have many foods that are labeled as "hot and spicy" on the packaging.



Exactly; as far as I know there's no single-word equivalent for "picante" in English.

A problem with "...con muchas especias" (above) is that the concept is NOT necessarily implied in the original.  Are all spices irritants?


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## Mister Draken

OtroLencho said:


> Are all spices irritants?



No, no todas lo son.

Debo añadir que existe el adjetivo "especiado/a" y significa que a una comida se le han añadido especias. Lo bueno de este adjetivo es que no especifica si la comida tiene muchas o pocas especias. Y me parece que es lo mismo con "spicy".


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## gengo

OtroLencho said:


> A problem with "...con muchas especias" (above) is that the concept is NOT necessarily implied in the original.



Good point.  Somewhat illogically, spicy is not the same in meaning as "with lots of spice."  My pumpkin pies contain lots of spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, etc.), but no one would ever say that they are spicy, since spicy always means picante (que te pica).


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## iribela

Mister Draken said:


> No, no todas lo son.
> 
> Debo añadir que existe el adjetivo "especiado/a" y significa que a una comida se le han añadido especias. Lo bueno de este adjetivo es que no especifica si la comida tiene muchas o pocas especias. Y me parece que es lo mismo con "spicy".


Sí, es cierto. El tema es que "spicy" se asocia más con cierto perfil de sabores. Si me dices que una comida es 'spicy', me imagino picante. Mientras que hay especias, como la vainilla y la canela, que no son picantes.

Edit: Estaba escribiendo a la par de gengo.


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## Mister Draken

¿No será entonces que el sintagma "hot & spicy" se traduce "picante y especiado/a" y cuando están tanto "hot" como "spicy" solas y por separado siempre se traducirán como "picante"?


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## iribela

Mister Draken said:


> ¿No será entonces que el sintagma "hot & spicy" se traduce "picante y especiado/a" y cuando están tanto "hot" como "spicy" solas y por separado siempre se traducirán como "picante"?


Yo usaría 'especiado' para 'spiced', no para 'spicy', como _spiced ale_ o _spiced cookies_. En mi experiencia, 'hot and spicy' significa picante.


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## gengo

iribela said:


> En mi experiencia, 'hot and spicy' significa picante.





picante = hot and spicy = spicy = hot

When the context makes the meaning clear, "hot" is probably the most commonly used word in normal speech.


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## iribela

gengo said:


> When the context makes the meaning clear, "hot" is probably the most commonly used word in normal speech.


Agree. Sometimes, when you're tasting a dish, if it turns out to be a little hot or spicy you might say, for example, "there's a little heat in there." It means you detected a spicy/hot ingredient.


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## Mirlo

OtroLencho said:


> Exactly; as far as I know there's no single-word equivalent for "picante" in English.
> 
> A problem with "...con muchas especias" (above) is that the concept is NOT necessarily implied in the original.  Are all spices irritants?





> Some additional spices which are irritating to the stomach are ginger, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, caraway, all spice, vinegar, and anything made with vinegar, baking soda, and baking powder products. The putrefying, fermenting, or rotting in processing results in the production of amines, ammonia, and irritating acids. One of the toxic amines produced in cheese causes migraine headaches. An intolerance to lactose, the chief carbohydrate of cheese and milk, is probably the most common food sensitivity in America. If we put mustard on the skin, it will make the skin red, and in a little time raise a blister. If we happen to get a little pepper in the eye, it makes it become irritated, very red, and inflamed. When we take these things into the stomach, they cause the stomach to be irritated, and its living membrane becomes red, just as the skin or eye does


I have personal been through this, my husband wasn't used to the spices (especias) that we use in Panama, therefore he had trouble sometimes when he ate our food. But, in United States they think that the only food is Mexican food, with all respect, so they associate spices with hot only...LOL


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## iribela

Mirlo said:


> I have personal been through this, my husband wasn't used to the spices (especias) that we use in Panama, therefore he had trouble sometimes when he ate our food. But, in United States they think that the only food is Mexican food, with all respect, so they associate spices with hot only...LOL


Maybe some people do, but in my experience in the United States, people are aware of the difference between _spices_ and _spicy._


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## Mirlo

iribela said:


> Maybe some people do, but in my experience in the United States, people are aware of the difference between _spices_ and _spicy._


That's not what I was saying, I'm pretty sure that they use spices, my mother in law does, but the generalized thought is that the Hispanic food is "hot and spicy" in most parts of the United States. I have been to many places (States)  in where that's the case.


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## iribela

Mirlo said:


> That's not what I was saying, I'm pretty sure that they use spices, my mother in law does, but the generalized thought is that the Hispanic food is "hot and spicy" in most parts of the United States. I have been to many places (States)  in where that's the case.


I see, but earlier you said that "they associate spices with hot only," which is a different statement. Thanks.


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## Mirlo

iribela said:


> I see, but earlier you said that "they associate spices with hot only," which is a different statement. Thanks.


That is because, it is the general perception :

*Why is Hispanic food spicy?

Chili pepper plants produce a chemical called capsaicin from which the spicy flavor and burning sensation originates*. This active compound is used as a defense mechanism to prevent fungi and insects from invading. It also deters animals from eating the peppers who would otherwise grind the seeds to obliteration. Jun 6, 2017

*Why is Hispanic food so good?*


One of the main factors making Mexican food so irresistible, is that *it is a blend of different cultures*. Its distinct blend of spices, seasonings and vibrant colors create a beautiful presentation. Many of the traditional Mexican dishes still represent their deep, pre-hispanic origins, making them truly unique.


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## iribela

Mirlo said:


> That is because, it is the general perception :
> 
> *Why is Hispanic food spicy?
> 
> Chili pepper plants produce a chemical called capsaicin from which the spicy flavor and burning sensation originates*. This active compound is used as a defense mechanism to prevent fungi and insects from invading. It also deters animals from eating the peppers who would otherwise grind the seeds to obliteration. Jun 6, 2017
> 
> *Why is Hispanic food so good?*
> 
> 
> One of the main factors making Mexican food so irresistible, is that *it is a blend of different cultures*. Its distinct blend of spices, seasonings and vibrant colors create a beautiful presentation. Many of the traditional Mexican dishes still represent their deep, pre-hispanic origins, making them truly unique.


Notice that you're mixing two different propositions:

1) you said that "they (in the United States) associate spices with hot only," 
2) you say that their general perception is that all Hispanic food is spicy.

Not all spices are hot, and they don't associate spices with hot only. That is different from saying that they think, according to your experience, that all Hispanic food is spicy.
You may have misspoken, happens to me too.


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## elroy

Yes, the correct translation here is just “picante.”  And @iribela is right on all counts. 



koxol said:


> picante o con muchas especias


= spicy and well-seasoned



celenita said:


> alimento caliente y picante


= warm and spicy


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## Mirlo

iribela said:


> Notice that you're mixing two different propositions:
> 
> 1) you said that "they (in the United States) associate spices with hot only,"
> 2) you say that their general perception is that all Hispanic food is spicy.
> 
> Not all spices are hot, and they don't associate spices with hot only. That is different from saying that they think, according to your experience, that all Hispanic food is spicy.
> You may have misspoken, happens to me too.


But, the examples that I gave you proved otherwise. Those are questions , and answers given in the internet. 
 I know , that all spices are not hot. But, there is a vast majority of restaurants in the USA  are Mexican ,so the perception is that ALL Hispanics cook that way, due also to that 63% of  Hispanics in this country are of Mexican descent. I am just trying to explain something. I am not trying to say that anyone in this post is wrong. 
I am not saying that there is something bad with it.


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## gengo

Mirlo said:


> I know , that all spices are not hot. But, there is a vast majority of restaurants in the USA  are Mexican ,so the perception is that ALL Hispanics cook that way, due also to that 63% of  Hispanics in this country are of Mexican descent.



You may be right that many or most Americans are ignorant about how varied Hispanic cuisine is, and think that it is all like Mexican food.  However, that doesn't really have anything to do with how to translate "hot and spicy" as in the original question of this thread.  The answer to that is simple:  picante.


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## Mirlo

gengo said:


> You may be right that many or most Americans are ignorant about how varied Hispanic cuisine is, and think that it is all like Mexican food.  However, that doesn't really have anything to do with how to translate "hot and spicy" as in the original question of this thread.  The answer to that is simple:  picante.


I don't thing is ignorance. I think is just costume. Second, I never said that "picante" was wrong. I was only explaining, why 3 of us got confused at the beginning.



> A pumpkin pie can be both _hot_ (out of the oven) and _spicy_ (due to the common inclusion of ingredients in its recipe such as cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, mace and cloves) but is not actually _piquant_. Conversely, pure capsaicin is piquant, yet is not naturally accompanied by a hot temperature or spices.


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## gengo

Mirlo said:


> I don't thin*k it* is ignorance. I think *it* is just costume *custom*. Second, I never said that "picante" was wrong. I was only explaining why 3 of us got confused at the beginning.





> A pumpkin pie can be both _hot_ (out of the oven) and _spicy_ (due to the common inclusion of ingredients in its recipe such as cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, mace and cloves) but is not actually _piquant_.



I can't imagine anyone calling a pumpkin pie spicy.  If they did, I certainly wouldn't eat it, because I would assume that they had added hot sauce (salsa picante) to the mix.  Whoever wrote the above quote does not speak the same English that I do.


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## iribela

Mirlo said:


> But, the examples that I gave you proved otherwise. Those are questions , and answers given in the internet.
> I know , that all spices are not hot. But, there is a vast majority of restaurants in the USA  are Mexican ,so the perception is that ALL Hispanics cook that way, due also to that 63% of  Hispanics in this country are of Mexican descent. I am just trying to explain something. I am not trying to say that anyone in this post is wrong.
> I am not saying that there is something bad with it.


Except that the post was about something else (how to say hot and spicy), and what you might be trying to prove is not relevant.


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