美味しそう
oishisō
The English phrase "it looks delicious" is translated into Japanese as 美味しそう (oishisō).
This phrase is used specifically to express a visual impression of food. It is used when food appears to taste good based on how it looks, but it cannot be used to describe the actual taste once you have already eaten it.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase is constructed by attaching the suffix -sō to the stem of the adjective oishii (delicious) to change the meaning from "is delicious" to "looks delicious". Adding desu to the end of 美味しそう makes the phrase polite, while dropping desu makes it informal.
How do you pronounce it?
oishisō
Did you know?
- In a professional kitchen or high-end restaurant, a chef may use 旨そう umasō instead of 美味しそう for a more masculine or visceral tone.
- While 美味しそう describes food, the same grammar can be used on a person, such as 強そう 'looks strong', though using it on people can sometimes be seen as overly judgmental.
- While an English speaker might say 'That looks delicious' to a friend, Japanese speakers often use 美味しそう as a polite way to validate the effort of the person who prepared the meal.
Examples in context
- お寿司、おいしそう！食べたい！The sushi looks delicious! I want to try it!
- このラーメン、美味しそうだな！This ramen looks delicious!
- 美味しそうですね。Oishisō desu ne.It looks delicious, doesn't it?
- このケーキ、美味しそう！Kono kēki, oishisō!This cake looks delicious!
- それはとても美味しそうです。Sore wa totemo oishisō desu.That looks very delicious.
Example conversation
A couple is looking at a menu in a cafe.
- 結衣 Yuiこのパスタ、美味しそう！Kono pasuta, oishisō!This pasta looks delicious!
- 大翔 Hiroto本当に美味しそうだね。Hontō ni oishisō da ne.It really looks delicious.
- 結衣 Yui大翔、何にする？Hiroto, nani ni suru?Hiroto, what are you going to get?
- 大翔 Hiroto僕はハンバーグにするよ。Boku wa hanbāgu ni suru yo.I think I'll have the hamburger steak.
