📖 Topic guide
How do you say not spicy in Thai?
Say ไม่เผ็ดครับ (mai phet khrap)ไม่เผ็ดค่ะ (mai phet kha). The two-word phrase ไม่เผ็ด literally means “not spicy,” and the final particle adds politeness. In a food order, the context makes it a request; elsewhere it can simply describe the food.
How to pronounce mai phet
RTGS writes the phrase as mai phet; the tone-marked learner form is mâi pèt. The ph represents an aspirated “p” sound, not an English “f” sound.
Listen to both recordings above. Keep the request short and point to the dish or menu item if the context is noisy.
Ordering food at school or in a restaurant
Say the dish name first and add ไม่เผ็ดครับไม่เผ็ดค่ะ. If you can tolerate a small amount of chilli, the related phrase เผ็ดนิดหน่อย or the lesson’s “only a little spicy” expression may fit better.
Recipes and individual ideas of “not spicy” vary, and a dish made with a prepared curry paste or sauce may already contain chilli. If chilli is a medical concern rather than a preference, explain the allergy or restriction clearly instead of relying on this phrase alone.
A common pronunciation trap
The word mai appears in many Thai expressions with different tones and meanings. Do not assume every romanized mai is pronounced identically; use the Thai script and audio together.