Inklingo

How to Say "yummy" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “yummy” is “delicioso” — use 'delicioso' when you want to describe food as delicious in a more general or slightly more formal way, often suitable for children's explanations or polite compliments..

English → Spanish

delicioso

deh-lee-see-OH-so/deliˈsjo.so/

AdjectiveA1General
Use 'delicioso' when you want to describe food as delicious in a more general or slightly more formal way, often suitable for children's explanations or polite compliments.
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.)

rico

REE-koh/ˈriko/

AdjectiveA1Informal
Choose 'rico' for a more informal and enthusiastic exclamation about how tasty food or drink is, commonly used among friends and family.
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.

Informal vs. General Use

Learners often confuse 'rico' and 'delicioso' by using 'delicioso' in very informal settings where 'rico' would sound more natural. While 'delicioso' is always correct for 'delicious,' 'rico' adds a touch of casual enthusiasm that is very common in everyday Spanish speech.

Related Translations

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