Which one should you use?
If you want to express the concept of 'delicious' in different ways, you might use delizioso/a, which is the simplest and most common term. For an enthusiastic way to say 'delicious', you can use buonissimo/a. In more formal contexts, you can use squisito/a or the phrase un cibo squisito to mean 'exquisite food'. For a highly formal way to refer to a culinary delicacy or a mouthwatering treat, use prelibatezza.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
cibo delizioso is a standard expression, but for a more sophisticated or formal tone, use un cibo squisito. The term prelibatezza is also used in formal contexts to describe high-quality delicacies.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the masculine singular noun cibo and the matching masculine singular adjective delizioso. When expressing the plural 'delicious foods', both the noun and the adjective must be changed to their masculine plural forms: cibi deliziosi.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈtʃi.bo de.litˈtsjo.zo/. It has 5 syllables and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use cibo deliziosa to describe food. The adjective must agree in gender with the masculine noun cibo.
When do people say it?
If you are eating something particularly wonderful, a common enthusiastic reaction is Dio mio, che bontà!, which translates to 'Oh my God, how delicious!'
Did you know?
- The word cibo shares a common ancestor with the Spanish and Portuguese words cebo and cevo, but in those languages, the word has shifted meaning to mean 'bait' used for fishing or hunting.
- In Italian, you can describe a person as delizioso/a to mean they are charming or delightful, a usage that extends the concept of 'delicious' beyond just food.
- The exclamation Dio mio! used when eating delicious food is a cultural reflex that can be used even by people who are not particularly religious.
Examples in context
- Mark stava mangiando del cibo delizioso.Mark was eating delicious food.This sentence is useful for seeing the phrase cibo delizioso used in a sentence.Tatoeba #13443735 by Guybrush88, translation #11577234 by Amastan
- Questo piatto è davvero gustosoThis dish is truly delicious
- Ho appena assaggiato un dessert squisitoI just tasted a delicious dessert
- Questa pietanza è una vera prelibatezzaThis dish is a true delicacy
- La pasta è deliziosaThe pasta is delicious
- Questa pizza è buonissima!This pizza is incredibly delicious!
- Questa lasagna è divina. Dio mio, che bontà!This lasagna is divine. Oh my God, how delicious!
- Grazie! Questo risotto è davvero gustoso. Complimenti allo chef!Thank you! This risotto is truly delicious. Compliments to the chef!
- Ho appena assaggiato questa torta. È buonissima! Hai la ricetta?I just tasted this cake. It's delicious! Do you have the recipe?
- Dio mio, che bontà! Questa focaccia è un capolavoro per il palato.Oh my God, how delicious! This focaccia is a masterpiece for the taste buds.
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Chiara are having dinner together.
- LorenzoTi piace questo cibo delizioso, Chiara?Do you like this delicious food, Chiara?
- ChiaraSì, è davvero fantastico!Yes, it is truly fantastic!
- LorenzoSono felice che ti piaccia.I am happy that you like it.
- ChiaraGrazie mille, Lorenzo.Thank you very much, Lorenzo.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (cibo, delizioso) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cibo, delizioso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
