Inklingo

How to Say "delicious" in Spanish

English → Spanish

rico

REE-koh/ˈriko/

AdjectiveA1tasty food
Use 'rico' when you want to express that food or drink is very tasty, often with enthusiasm, similar to 'yummy' or 'delicious'.
A single slice of rich chocolate cake sitting on a white plate, with steam rising gently and a bright red strawberry garnish.

Examples

¡Qué rico está este café! ¿Qué le pusiste?

How delicious this coffee is! What did you put in it?

La comida mexicana es muy rica en especias.

Mexican food is very rich in spices (flavorful).

Taste requires 'Estar'

Mistake: “El pastel es rico. (The cake is a rich person.)”

Correction: El pastel está rico. (The cake tastes good.) The verb 'estar' is always used when describing how food currently tastes.

delicioso

deh-lee-see-OH-so/deliˈsjo.so/

AdjectiveA1Food, taste, smell
This is a direct and common translation for 'delicious', suitable for describing the taste, smell, or overall quality of food and drinks.
A single, perfectly ripe, bright red strawberry glistening with moisture, sitting on a clean white surface.

Examples

Este pastel de chocolate es realmente delicioso.

This chocolate cake is truly delicious.

La cena que preparaste estaba deliciosa.

The dinner you prepared was delicious (feminine form).

Pasamos un momento delicioso en la playa.

We spent a delightful moment at the beach.

Matching the Word

As an adjective, 'delicioso' must change its ending to match the noun it describes. Use '-a' for feminine words (la pizza deliciosa) and add '-s' for plural words (los pasteles deliciosos).

Using Ser vs. Estar

When talking about food, we usually use 'estar' (to be) because the deliciousness is a temporary state or the result of preparation: 'La sopa está deliciosa' (The soup is delicious right now).

Forgetting Gender Match

Mistake: “La comida es delicioso.”

Correction: La comida es deliciosa. (Because 'comida' is feminine, the adjective must end in -a.)

buena

/BWEH-nah//ˈbwena/

AdjectiveA2very tasty
Use 'buena' to describe food as tasting very good or being of high quality, often implying it's well-prepared or simply very enjoyable.
A woman smiling with her eyes closed in delight as she tastes a spoonful of soup.

Examples

¡La sopa está muy buena!

The soup is very good/tasty!

Esta tarta de manzana está buenísima.

This apple pie is delicious.

Use 'Estar' for Taste

To describe how food tastes right now, use the verb 'estar'. 'La sopa está buena' means this specific soup tastes good. 'La sopa es buena' means soup, in general, is good for you.

Choosing Between 'Rico' and 'Delicioso'

Learners often use 'delicioso' for everything, but 'rico' is more common and often more natural-sounding for everyday tasty food. While 'delicioso' is a perfect match for 'delicious', 'rico' carries a slightly more informal and enthusiastic vibe, similar to 'yummy'.

Related Translations

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