Not Spicy in Vietnamese: Không Cay & No Chili

Quick answer

In one sentence

Not spicy in Vietnamese is không cay. For a direct food-stall request, say Không cay, or say Không lấy ớt when you specifically mean no chili. Khong cay means not spicy.

Easy pronunciation: khong kai
Best use: Use this when ordering noodles, street food, sauces, or anything where chili may be added. Use không lấy ớt if you want no chili added.

Phrase choice

Not spicy in Vietnamese: spice-level choices

Không cay asks for not spicy. Không lấy ớt is better when you specifically want no chili added.

Situation	Say this	Why it works
General request	Không cay	Use this when you want the dish itself to be mild.
No chili added	Không lấy ớt	This tells the vendor not to add chili or chili sauce.
Cannot eat spicy food	Tôi không ăn cay được	Explains your limit more clearly than a short request.

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Không cay

not spicy

Literal meaning: not spicy

Easy pronunciation: khong kai

Use this when ordering noodles, street food, sauces, or anything where chili may be added. Use không lấy ớt if you want no chili added.

Pronunciation breakdown

KhôngkhonglevelKeep the voice steady and level.caycaylevelKeep the voice steady and level.

Vietnamese spelling

Không→khờ ông không

cay→cờ ay cay

Useful variants

Không lấy ớt

No chili

Very practical at food stalls.

Ít cay thôi

Only a little spicy

If you can handle mild spice.

Đừng bỏ ớt

Please do not add chili

Direct and clear.

Tôi không ăn cay được

I cannot eat spicy food

Useful if you need to explain your limit clearly.

Example sentences

Cho tôi phở không cay.

Please give me pho that is not spicy.

Không lấy ớt nha.

No chili, please.

Cho tôi món này không cay được không?

Can you make this dish not spicy for me?

Tôi không ăn cay được.

I cannot eat spicy food.

Common mistakes

Không cay describes the dish; không lấy ớt tells them not to add chili.
If you search for no spicy in Vietnamese, the natural phrase is still không cay, not a word-for-word English order.
Nha softens the request in casual Southern speech.
Use không ăn cay được when you need to explain that you cannot eat spicy food at all.

FAQ

How do you say not spicy in Vietnamese?

Say không cay. It literally means not spicy and works as a short request when ordering food.

How do you say no spicy in Vietnamese?

The natural Vietnamese phrase is không cay, not a word-for-word no spicy translation. If you mean no chili, say không lấy ớt.

What does khong cay mean?

Khong cay is the unaccented spelling of không cay. It means not spicy: không means not, and cay means spicy.

How do you say no chili in Vietnamese?

Say không lấy ớt for no chili, or đừng bỏ ớt for please do not add chili.

Is Vietnamese food always spicy?

No. Many dishes are mild, but chili or sauce may be added at the table or stall.

Related phrase guides

Vietnamese food phrasesPractice không cay, không lấy ớt, ordering lines, and restaurant phrases with audio.Vietnamese street food phrasesUse not spicy and no chili requests at stalls and casual meals.Delicious in VietnamesePair không cay with ngon, ngon quá, and natural food compliments.Please in VietnameseMake food requests softer with làm ơn, cho tôi, giúp tôi, and nhé.Vietnamese negation with khôngUnderstand why không cay means not spicy and how không negates adjectives.Vietnamese yes/no questionsAsk có cay không? when you need to check whether a dish is spicy.

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