Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| estuvo delicioso | /estubo deliθjoso/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /estubo delisjoso/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
| fue delicioso | /fwe deliθjoso/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /fwe delisjoso/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
These phrases are used to compliment a meal after eating it. You can use estuvo delicioso to focus on the sensory experience of the meal, or estaba delicioso as a very natural way to describe how the food tasted while you were eating it.
Which one should you use?
While both are standard, use estuvo delicioso to describe the sensory experience of the meal itself. Use fue delicioso if you are characterizing the meal as a specific, completed and significant event or a highlight of an occasion.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, you might say estuvo sabroso to mean 'it was tasty'.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using these phrases, ensure the adjective matches the gender of the noun you are describing. For example, if you are referring to a feminine noun like la comida (the food/meal), you must use the feminine form estuvo deliciosa.
Did you know?
- If you are in Spain, you might hear someone say está de muerte, which literally translates to 'it is of death' but actually means 'it is to die for'.
- In a formal setting, rather than describing the food, it is common to compliment the cook directly by saying Está muy bueno su sazón, which means 'your seasoning is very good'.
- While delicioso is perfectly understood, many native speakers avoid it in casual settings, preferring the word rico to mean 'delicious'.
Examples in context
- La comida estuvo deliciosa.The food was delicious.
- El postre estuvo delicioso.The dessert was delicious.
- La cena fue exquisita.The dinner was exquisite.
- El helado estaba riquísimo.The ice cream was extremely delicious.
- La pizza estaba riquísima.The pizza was extremely delicious.
- El pollo estuvo buenísimo.The chicken was really great.
- La sopa estuvo buenísima.The soup was really great.
- La comida estuvo muy rica.The food was very delicious.
- El postre fue exquisito, estaba riquísimo.The dessert was exquisite, it was extremely delicious.
- Todo estuvo delicioso, gracias.Everything was delicious, thank you.
- El pollo estuvo delicioso.The chicken was delicious.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are finishing a dinner at home.
- AlejandroSofía, la cena estuvo deliciosa.Sofía, the dinner was delicious.
- Sofía¡Qué bueno! Me alegra mucho.How great! I am very happy.
- AlejandroRealmente estuvo delicioso todo.Everything really was delicious.
- SofíaGracias, Alejandro. Qué amable eres.Thank you, Alejandro. How kind you are.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “it was delicious” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
