Short answer
“delicious” in Spanish is delicioso
How to say delicious in Spanish?
How to say delicious in Spanish? The standard translation is delicioso (deh-lee-see-OH-so), and it works for food, flavors, and even smells. In casual conversation, especially in Latin America, you'll hear rico (REE-koh) all the time for 'tasty'; sabroso (sah-BROH-so) emphasizes a rich flavor, and exquisito (ehs-kee-SEE-toh) is a more formal or intense way to say 'exquisite' or 'delicious.' These adjectives change with grammatical gender: delicioso/rico for masculine nouns, deliciosa/rica for feminine nouns. For a quick reaction, ¡Está buenísimo! is a very natural way to say it's really delicious.
Common pairings
comida deliciosa (delicious food)está muy rico (it's very tasty)un sabor exquisito (an exquisite flavor)una salsa sabrosa (a flavorful sauce)
How to use it
- Use delicioso as the neutral standard word in writing, formal speech, or when you want a clear literal translation. It works for food, smells, and experiences.
- Use rico in everyday conversation for food, especially in Latin America. It literally means 'rich,' but when talking about a meal it means 'tasty' or 'delicious.'
- Use sabroso when you want to emphasize flavor rather than just saying something is good. Use exquisito when you want to sound more elegant or emphatic.
Examples
La tortilla está deliciosa.
The tortilla is delicious.
Deliciosa agrees with tortilla, a feminine noun. Pronounced deh-lee-see-OH-sa.
Este guacamole está muy rico.
This guacamole is very tasty.
Rico is the casual everyday word for tasty food; here it is masculine because guacamole is masculine. Pronounced REE-koh.
El pastel de chocolate estaba exquisito.
The chocolate cake was exquisite.
Exquisito sounds formal or dramatic. Pastel is masculine, so the adjective stays exquisito. Pronounced ehs-kee-SEE-toh.
¡Qué sabrosa está la salsa!
That salsa tastes so good!
Sabroso/a focuses on full, rich flavor. Salsa is feminine, so it becomes sabrosa. Pronounced sah-BROH-sah.
Common mistakes
| Wrong | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| La sopa está |
La sopa está deliciosa. | Sopa is feminine, so the adjective needs a feminine ending: deliciosa. |
| La comida está deliciosa. | Delicioso describes food, not feelings of satisfaction. To say you feel great, use Me siento genial. |
| Unnatural | Natural | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Ese plato |
Ese plato tiene un sabor muy rico. | Rico de sabor is a word-for-word English structure; in Spanish you say 'has a very rich flavor.' |
FAQ
- How to say delicious in Spanish?The standard expression is delicioso for masculine nouns and deliciosa for feminine nouns. In casual conversation, rico is also very common: ¡La sopa está muy rica!
- Is rico a good translation for delicious?Yes, especially with food. Rico literally means 'rich,' but saying Está rico means 'it tastes great.' It is more casual than delicioso.
- Does delicioso change for gender?Yes. Use delicioso with masculine nouns, like el pastel delicioso, and deliciosa with feminine nouns, like la tortilla deliciosa. The same rule applies to rico/rica, sabroso/sabrosa, and exquisito/exquisita.