Which one should you use?
Use 美味しい (oishii) to say something 'is delicious' (after tasting it), but use 美味しそう (oishisou) to say it 'looks delicious' (before tasting it). Additionally, うまそう (umasou) is an informal way to convey that something looks tasty.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
おいしそう can be used informally to describe appetizing food. おいしそうです means 'it looks delicious' and is used in formal situations. Adding ですね to 美味しそう makes the phrase a polite observation or a way to seek agreement with a companion, such as 'That looks delicious, doesn't it?' In casual speech, particularly among men or in very informal settings, 旨そう (umasou) is a common alternative to oishisou.
How does it change in a sentence?
The suffix -sou is attached to the stem of the adjective oishii to mean 'looks like' or 'appears to be'. To say 'that looked delicious' (past tense), you add でした (deshita) to the end of the phrase, resulting in 美味しそうでした.
How do you pronounce it?
oishisou
Did you know?
- If you use the word 美味しそう to describe a person's appearance rather than food, it would be extremely strange and likely considered a bizarre or offensive mistake.
- The word 旨い (umai) used in うまそう can also mean 'skillful' or 'good at something' when describing a person's performance.
- The suffix そう is so versatile that it can also be used to mean 'it looks like it is about to happen', such as when saying 'it looks like it is about to rain'.
Examples in context
- おいしそうなデザートをお願いします。I would like to order a dessert that looks delicious, please.
- そのラーメンはめちゃくちゃうまそう！That ramen looks incredibly delicious!
- 新しいレストランのメニューがおいしそうだね！The new restaurant's menu looks delicious!
- 美味しそうですね。Oishisou desu ne.That looks delicious.
- このケーキ、すごく美味しそう！Kono keeki, sugoku oishisou!This cake looks really delicious!
- 美味しそうな料理がたくさんあります。Oishisou na ryouri ga takusan arimasu.There are many dishes that look delicious.
Example conversation
Himari and Yamato are looking at a menu at a restaurant.
- 陽葵 Himari大翔くん、このパスタ美味しそうだよ。Yamato-kun, kono pasuta oishisō dayo.Yamato, this pasta looks delicious.
- 大翔 Hiroto本当だね。僕もそれにしようかな。Hontō dane. Boku mo sore ni shiyō kana.You're right. Maybe I'll have that too.
- 陽葵 Himari私はピザにするね。Watashi wa piza ni suru ne.I'll go with the pizza.
- 大翔 Hirotoいいえ、ピザの方が美味しそうかも！Iie, piza no hō ga oishisō kamo!Wait, the pizza might look more delicious!
