Question
I’ve just arrived at a Japanese restaurant and I’m eager to try some local dishes. However, I’m a bit concerned about the spiciness levels as I’m not used to spicy food. How can I ask the waiter, “Is this dish spicy?” in Japanese?
Japango Editor Team
この料理（りょうり）は辛（から）いですか。
Kono ryoori wa karai desuka?
Is this dish spicy?
This is a straightforward phrase to inquire about the spiciness of a dish. Kono ryoori means “this dish,” and karai means “spicy.” If you want to ask whether a dish is mild, you can replace karai with amari karakunai, which means “not very spicy”.
Feel free to adjust this expression to suit your meal preferences when you’re dining out in Japan. Simply describe the dish in front of ryoori wa karai desuka if you have a specific dish in mind. For example, “Karee wa karai desuka?” means “Is the curry spicy?” Enjoy your culinary adventure!
