KoreanBlueprint
Daily Korean
Today’s Phrase
너무 매워요
neo·mu mae·weo·yo
neomu maeweoyo
It’s too spicy
Cultural Insight
Korea’s food is globally famous for its spice. Dishes like 불닭볶음면 (fire noodles) and 김치찌개 (kimchi stew) can be intensely spicy. Don’t be afraid to say 맵지 않게 해 주세요 — restaurants are usually happy to adjust.
Phrase Breakdown
너무
neomu
too, excessively
An intensifier meaning ‘too much’ or ‘very’
매워요
maeweoyo
is spicy
맵다 (to be spicy) → 매워요 (polite present)
Expresses that the level of spice exceeds your tolerance — crucial for dining in Korea!
Example Phrases
이 음식 너무 매워요. 덜 맵게 해 주실 수 있어요?
I eumsik neomu maeweoyo. Deol maepge hae jusil su isseoyo?
This food is too spicy. Can you make it less spicy?
덜 means ‘less’; -게 하다 means ‘to make (something) a certain way’.
맵지 않은 것 있어요?
Maepji anneun geot isseoyo?
Is there something that’s not spicy?
-지 않다 is the negative form of adjectives.
저 매운 거 잘 못 먹어요.
Jeo maeun geo jal mot meogeoyo.
I can’t eat spicy food well.
잘 못 먹다 means ‘not able to eat well’.
Related Phrases
안 맵게 해 주세요
an maepge hae juseyo
Please make it not spicy
Specifically requests a non-spicy preparation.
달아요
darayo
It’s sweet
Describing sweet-tasting food.
짜요
jjayo
It’s salty
Describing overly salty food.
Quick Review
추천해 주세요
Can you recall what this means?
chucheonhae juseyo
Please recommend something