estaba delicioso
/estaba deliθjoso/from spelling rules
The Spanish phrase for "that was delicious" is estaba delicioso.
This phrase is used to express that food or drink tasted very good.
Which one should you use?
While estaba delicioso describes the state of the food during the meal, you can use estuvo delicioso to refer to a specific, completed event such as a single meal. For a very common and slightly more casual alternative, you can use estaba rico.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Caribbean countries and parts of South America, the colloquial phrase ¡Estuvo buenazo! is used to mean "It was amazing!"
How do you pronounce it?
/estaba deliθjoso/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use era delicioso when they should use estaba delicioso to describe the taste of a specific meal.
Did you know?
- While delicioso sounds elegant, using está de muerte (literally 'it is of death') is a common colloquial way in Spain to say something is incredibly delicious.
- If you are in a restaurant in Argentina, you might hear the word exquisito used to describe a delicious meal, which sounds like 'exquisite' but is a standard way to say 'very tasty'.
- In some Latin American countries, people use the word deli as a shortened, slang version of delicioso in very casual settings.
Examples in context
- ¡Estuvo riquísimo! Los chefs del restaurante son realmente talentosos.It was extremely delicious! The chefs at this restaurant are truly talented.
- El postre estaba delicioso.The dessert was delicious.
- Todo lo que cocinaste estaba delicioso.Everything you cooked was delicious.
Example conversation
Sofía and Javier are finishing a meal at a restaurant.
- Sofía¿Te gustó la comida, Javier?Did you like the food, Javier?
- JavierSí, todo estaba delicioso.Yes, everything was delicious.
- SofíaA mí también me encantó.I loved it too.
- JavierPidamos el postre ahora.Let's order dessert now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
