Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA |
|---|---|
| pyszny | /ˈpɘʂ.nɘ/ |
| smaczny | /ˈsmat͡ʂ.nɘ/ |
| wyśmienity | /vɘ.ɕmjɛˈɲi.tɘ/ |
| dobry | /ˈdɔ.brɘ/ /ˈdɔ.brɨ/ (Middle, Polish) |
These terms are used to describe food that is pleasing to the taste. You can intensify any of these descriptions by adding the adverb bardzo before the adjective to mean 'very delicious'.
Which one should you use?
While pyszny is a standard way to say delicious, there are several nuances between the available forms. Smaczny also means tasty or delicious. Wyśmienity is a more sophisticated term meaning 'excellent' or 'exquisite'. In contrast, dobry is a very basic word meaning 'good' and is much weaker than pyszny when describing the quality of food. For an informal way to emphasize that food is incredibly delicious, you might use rewelacyjny, which means 'fantastic' or 'amazing'.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, the form of the word must change to match the gender of the noun it describes. The default masculine form is pyszny. Use pyszna for feminine nouns, such as zupa (soup) and pyszne for neuter nouns, such as jedzenie (food). If you are describing a group of people in a metaphorical sense using the masculine personal plural, use pyszni.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of pyszny is /ˈpɘʂ.nɘ/. It has two syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- If you describe a person as pyszny, you are not complimenting their taste, but rather calling them 'arrogant' or 'pompous'.
- Before eating, Poles often say Smacznego!, which is derived from the word smaczny. It functions like 'Bon appétit' and is the standard way to wish others a good meal.
- While pyszny means 'delicious' today, its root is the word pycha, which means 'pride' or 'arrogance'.
Examples in context
- Ten ryż jest pyszny.This rice is delicious.This sentence uses pyszny to describe rice.Tatoeba #8989707 by digitcrusher, translation #8409262 by Amastan
- Koktajl z krewetek był pyszny.The prawn cocktail was delicious.This sentence uses pyszny to describe a prawn cocktail.Tatoeba #10468174 by Shounen, translation #1527866 by CM
- Pyszny aromat z kuchni został zepsuty przez dym papierosowy.The delicious aroma from the kitchen was ruined by cigarette smoke.This sentence uses pyszny to describe an aroma.Tatoeba #13804043 by Just_Balls, translation #13804041 by Just_Balls
- To danie jest pyszneThis dish is delicious
- Ta kawa jest pysznaThis coffee is delicious
- Ten placek jest pycha!This pie is delicious!
- Te pierogi są rewelacyjne!These pierogi are amazing!
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Krzysztof and Anna are eating a meal together at home.
- KrzysztofAnia, ten obiad jest pyszny!Anna, this dinner is delicious!
- AnnaCieszę się, że ci smakuje.I'm glad you like it.
- KrzysztofNaprawdę, zrobiłaś to świetnie.Really, you did great.
- AnnaDziękuję, Krzysztofie.Thank you, Krzysztof.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “delicious” translations and entries pyszny, smaczny, wyśmienity, dobry, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dobry, pyszny, smaczny, wyśmienity, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
