Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| succoso | /sukˈko.zo/ /sukˈko.so/ |
masculine |
| sugoso | /suˈɡo.zo/ |
Both words are used to describe food that is juicy, but they refer to different types of wetness. Use succoso for food that contains its own natural juices. You can say molto succoso to mean very juicy.
Which one should you use?
Use succoso when referring to something that contains its own natural juice, such as a piece of fruit or a piece of meat. Use sugoso when referring to food that is juicy because it is covered in or contains a lot of sauce or gravy.
How does it change in a sentence?
The forms change to match the gender and number of the noun they describe. The masculine singular form is succoso, the feminine singular is succosa, the masculine plural is succosi and the feminine plural is succose. For the version relating to sauce, the feminine singular form is sugosa.
How do you pronounce it?
/sukˈko.zo/. The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- While English uses 'juicy' to describe a scandalous piece of gossip, Italian speakers typically use the word piccante, which literally means 'spicy'.
- In Italian, the root for sauce sugo also describes the 'gist' or 'essence' of a story. If someone says il sugo della questione, they are referring to the 'juicy' core of the matter.
- The Latin root sūcus is also the ancestor of the English word 'succulent', making succoso a distant cousin to the English word 'succulent'.
Examples in context
- Questa pera è molto succosaThis pear is very juicy.
- La carne è davvero gustosa e succosaThe meat is really tasty and juicy.
- Questo pollo è molto saporito e succosoThis chicken is very flavorful and juicy.
- Questa pizza è davvero succulenta!This pizza is really juicy!
- Questa fetta d'ananas fresca è gocciolante di succoThis slice of fresh pineapple is dripping with juice.
- Le pesche sono succoseThe peaches are juicy.
- Il pollo è rimasto succoso.The chicken remained juicy.
- Voglio un frutto succoso.I want a juicy fruit.
Example conversation
Matteo and Sofia are eating fruit in the kitchen.
- MatteoProva questo pezzo di pesca.Try this piece of peach.
- SofiaWow, è davvero succoso!Wow, it's really juicy!
- MatteoSì, è la migliore della stagione.Yes, it is the best of the season.
- SofiaGrazie per avermelo offerto, Matteo.Thanks for offering it to me, Matteo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “juicy” translations and entries succoso, sugoso, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
