이거 매워요?

Speech Level

This uses the polite informal speech level. The '-어요' ending is standard and polite for interacting with restaurant staff.

How it works

A simple subject and adjective combination.

• 이거: This. A spoken contraction of '이것' (this thing).
• 매워요: Is spicy? The polite present tense of the descriptive verb '맵다' (to be spicy).

Omitted Particles

The subject '이거' is explicitly stated, but the topic or subject particle (은/는 or 이/가) is omitted. Dropping these particles is very common in casual and polite spoken Korean.

Sound Changes

The dictionary form '맵다' has a 'ㅂ' batchim (bottom consonant). When conjugated with the '-어요' ending, the 'ㅂ' changes to '우', which then combines with '어' to form '워', resulting in '매워요'.

Notes

A crucial question to ask about unfamiliar dishes to gauge their spiciness before ordering.