美味しいですか？
oishii desu ka?
The English phrase "is it good?" can be translated into Japanese as 美味しいですか？ (oishii desu ka?) when referring specifically to the taste of food or drink.
The phrase 美味しいですか？ is used to ask if food or drink tastes good. It focuses specifically on flavor. It should not be used to ask about the quality of an object or a situation.
Which one should you use?
The term 美味しい (oishii) specifically refers to taste. If you want to ask if the quality of something is good rather than its flavor, you would use a different word like 良い (ii).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase おいしいですか is a formal way to inquire about the taste or quality of food. For a more polite and softer tone, you can use 美味しいでしょうか？ to say "I wonder if it is delicious?" If you are in a very formal setting and want to seek someone's opinion on whether something is good or not, you can use いかがですか. In informal situations, you can use 美味しい？ by dropping the ですか and using a rising intonation or use the short phrases いい？ or どう？
How do you pronounce it?
oishii desu ka?
Did you know?
- The phrase 美味しい is sometimes used figuratively to describe a 'sweet deal' or an advantageous situation in business, similar to the English 'lucrative'.
- While 美味しい refers to taste, the word うまい is also used to describe someone who is skilled at a task, meaning 'good at' or 'dexterous'.
- The word 美味しい originates from 旨い, where the root 旨 originally meant 'fruit' or 'the best part of a thing'.
Examples in context
- この映画はいかがですか？How is this movie?
- あのレストランはいかがですか？How is that restaurant?
- この料理はおいしいですか？Is this dish delicious?
- このケーキはおいしいですか？Is this cake delicious?
- この曲、いい？Is this song good?
- うん、いいね！Yeah, it's good!
- この本、いい？Is this book good?
- このカフェ、どう？How is this cafe?
- このスープは美味しいですか？Kono suupu wa oishii desu ka?Is this soup good?
- そのケーキは美味しいですか？Sono keeki wa oishii desu ka?Is that cake good?
- 新しいレストランの料理は美味しいですか？Atarashii resutoran no ryouri wa oishii desu ka?Is the food at the new restaurant good?
Example conversation
Yui and Hiroto are eating at a new cafe.
- 結衣 Yui大翔さん、そのコーヒーは美味しいですか？Hiroto-san, sono koohii wa oishii desu ka?Hiroto, is that coffee good?
- 大翔 Hirotoはい、とても美味しいですよ。Hai, totemo oishii desu yo.Yes, it is very good.
- 結衣 Yuiそれは良かったです。Sore wa yokatta desu.That's good to hear.
- 大翔 Hiroto結衣さんのケーキも美味しそうですね。Yui-san no keeki mo oishisou desu ne.Yui's cake looks delicious too.
