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When I typed "spicy natto" on Google Translate, I got this:

> スパイシーな納豆

Here are two things that confused me:

1) why do we need な?  
2) why not use 辛い?

Does anyone know?
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2018-09-06T17:51:34.620
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question
adjectives loanwords food
How do you describe something "spicy"?
Usually when 外来語 are used as adjectives, you should use な and use them just
like you use Japanese adjectives. The only exception is when the whole phrase
is a brand name or something, you can just useスパイシー納豆.

Now as to why Google chose スパイシー over からい, well there is a slight difference
between the two. からい has more a nuance of something that burns the tongue and
スパイシー is more about the taste to me, but this might differ from people.

And to be honest I don't think Google translate is that accurate so it
probably chose スパイシー because it's easier...
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2018-09-06T18:06:36.747
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[grammar](/questions/tagged/grammar "show questions tagged 'grammar'")[word-
choice](/questions/tagged/word-choice "show questions tagged 'word-
choice'")[syntax](/questions/tagged/syntax "show questions tagged
'syntax'")[meaning](/questions/tagged/meaning "show questions tagged
'meaning'")  
1) Why な is used after スパイシー  
  
when Japanese language imports a word from a foreign language, it almost
always receives and encapsulates it as a noun regardless what the word's
original function was in its source language. From there, the native speakers
will attach ～な to use it as if it were an adjective.  
This happens because, in Japanese speakers's mind, the meaning associated with
the foreign word is registered as a concept, devoid of the original word's
grammatical role, since the person doesn't speak its language. In fact, you
are feeling strange to see this usage of attaching ～な after スパイシー probably
because you're an native English speaker and in your mind 'spicy' is already
registered as an adjective. But, in Japanese speaker who only takes the
impression of this word "spicy" as to what kind of concept the word is about,
devoid of its syntactical role in original language, perceives it as
"spiciness" rather than 「spicy~ (some-noun-following)」. Therefore, to use this
newly imported concept 'spiciness'-- a noun-like-word in his/her mind -- as an
adjective, he/she should feel natural to add ～な after it to give it a role as
an adjective.  

2) Google translation is useful as mere a reference or a tool to find out what
the word's rough meaning is; but, definitely not dependable as replacement of
Japanese to English dictionary. It does better as English to Japanese
translation tool, though. Also, it's true that there is difference in nuance
between スパイシー and 辛い, but I suspect that this is just Google translation's
short coming that is causing you the confusion, unless the spice used to make
納豆 taste spicy is originating from western cooking; which, even if so, Google
translation has no way to detect from just two words!

```

    Google:
    spicy -> スパイシー
    辛い　-> spicy
    Japandict:
    spicy -> スパイシー
    辛い　-> spicy
    
    dictionary services on Japan side
    英和郎:
    spicy -> taste of spice
    辛い -> hot as pepper
    Weblio:
    spicy -> taste of spice
    辛い -> pungent, hot, acrid, spicy as in the case with curry
    goo:
    spicy -> taste of spice
    辛い -> hot as if stinging the tongue, taste of spice, peppery
    
    Also,
    「辛いラーメン」 but not 「スパイシーラーメン」 
    
    
```

To Japanese locals, or those who have been eating Japanese food or other
cousins' other than just e.g. American food, 辛い is a differing taste from
spicy taste, but to those who have not, calling all such tastes as just
"spicy" wouldn't seem to be a problem.
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