c'était délicieux
The English phrase "the food was delicious" is translated into French as c'était délicieux.
This phrase is used to say that the food tasted very good. You can also use the variation c'était succulent to express that the food was delicious or succulent.
Which one should you use?
Use c'est délicieux if you are currently eating the food, whereas c'était délicieux is used after the meal has finished.
Did you know?
- If you want to sound like a local in a casual setting, you might skip the adjective entirely and simply say C'était un régal, which literally translates to 'It was a feast' or 'It was a treat'.
- The word délicieux shares a common ancestor with the English word 'delicate', reflecting the idea that something truly delicious is refined and subtle rather than heavy.
- While English speakers often use 'delicious' to describe a meal, a French person might find the word délicieux a bit too intense or formal for a casual lunch, often preferring simpler terms like bon.
Examples in context
- Merci pour le dîner, c'était délicieux !Thank you for the dinner, it was delicious!
- Merci, c'était délicieux.Thank you, it was delicious.
- Oh là là, c'était délicieux !Oh my, it was delicious!
- Je pense que c'était délicieux.I think it was delicious.
Example conversation
Chloé and Nathan are finishing a meal at a restaurant.
- ChloéTu as aimé ton plat ?Did you like your dish?
- NathanOui, c'était délicieux !Yes, it was delicious!
- ChloéJe suis contente de l'entendre.I am happy to hear that.
- NathanOn devrait revenir bientôt.We should come back soon.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries délicieux, CC BY-SA 4.0.
