così buono
/koˈzi ˈbwɔ.no/word by word
The English phrase "so delicious" is translated into Italian as così buono.
così buono is used to describe food that has a very pleasant taste. You can also use the intensifiers molto (very) or veramente (really) to emphasize the quality of food.
Which one should you use?
While così buono is a direct way to say "so delicious", the superlative form buonissimo is a very common and natural way to express that something is "so delicious" or "delicious" in Italian.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Naples, you can use the phrase è 'na vera prelibatezza! to mean "It's a real delicacy!"
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must change to match the gender and number of the noun it describes. Use così buona for feminine singular nouns, così buoni for masculine plural nouns and così buone for feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/koˈzi ˈbwɔ.no/. The word has 4 syllables and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
When do people say it?
To express the delight or goodness of a specific dish, you can say Che bontà!, which means "What a delight!"
Did you know?
- When food is exceptionally delicious, an Italian might say it is da leccarsi i baffi, which translates to 'enough to lick one's whiskers'.
- In a culinary context, the opposite of buono is often cattivo, which literally means 'bad' or 'evil'.
- Italians often accompany a phrase like così buono with a gesture of pinching their fingers together and moving them up and down near the chin.
Examples in context
- Ho avuto il piacere di gustare il tuo piatto. Che squisitezza!I had the pleasure of tasting your dish. How exquisite!
- Questa lasagna è buonissima! Complimenti alla cuoca!This lasagna is delicious! Congratulations to the cook!
- Questa torta è veramente deliziosa!This cake is really delicious!
- Questo dolce è così buono!This dessert is so delicious!
- Il tuo sugo è così buono.Your sauce is so delicious.
- Il pane appena sfornato è così buono.The freshly baked bread is so delicious.
Example conversation
A couple is eating dinner at a restaurant.
- FrancescoMartina, questo risotto è così buono!Martina, this risotto is so delicious!
- MartinaSì, Francesco, è davvero eccellente.Yes, Francesco, it is truly excellent.
- FrancescoVuoi un altro po'?Do you want a little more?
- MartinaNo grazie, sono piena.No thank you, I am full.
