Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| rico | /ˈriko/ |
| delicioso | /deliˈθjoso/ /deliˈsjoso/ |
In Spanish, you use these words to describe food that tastes good. While rico is the most common way to express that something is tasty, you can also use delicioso for emphasis or exquisito to express great satisfaction in more formal settings.
Which one should you use?
The word rico has two distinct meanings depending on what you are describing: it means 'yummy' when talking about food, but it means 'rich' or 'wealthy' when describing a person. In terms of intensity, riquísimo is an informal way to say something is very yummy and ¡Está buenísimo! is used for food that is especially enjoyable.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Rico is the standard, everyday term for something tasty. Delicioso can sound slightly more formal or emphatic. For very formal contexts, you might use exquisito to show great satisfaction with a meal. In informal settings, you can use riquísimo, the exclamation ¡Qué rico! or the phrase ¡Está para chuparse los dedos! to describe exceptionally delicious food.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender with the food being described. For example, you would use rico for a masculine noun but rica for a feminine noun like comida.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈriko/
When do people say it?
When you taste something delicious, it is very common to react immediately with the exclamation ¡Qué rico! If something is exceptionally good, you might use the informal phrase ¡Está para chuparse los dedos!, which translates to 'It's finger-licking good!'
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, calling a person rico or rica can be a flirtatious way to say they are physically attractive.
- The word rico originally meant 'mighty' or 'powerful' in Gothic, long before it was used to describe someone with lots of money or tasty food.
- Depending on the context, rico can also describe a pleasant sensation that is not food, such as a 'yummy' or 'lovely' smell or a comfortable breeze.
Examples in context
- Si como mucho ramen, ¿será menos rico?If I eat ramen a lot, does it get less yummy?This sentence explores if eating a lot of ramen makes it less yummy.Tatoeba #10302000 by DJ_Saidez, translation #10301999 by DJ_Saidez
- ¿Te gustaría probar este delicioso pastel?Would you like to taste this yummy cake?This sentence is a way to offer someone a yummy cake.Tatoeba #13978033 by mervert1, translation #1560854 by dilek
- La comida en este restaurante es deliciosaThe food in this restaurant is delicious
- El pastel está exquisitoThe cake is exquisite
- El café está muy sabrosoThe coffee is very tasty
- La pizza está riquísimaThe pizza is delicious
- ¡Este postre está para chuparse los dedos!This dessert is finger-licking good!
- ¡Este plato está buenísimo!This dish is really good!
- Este chocolate está muy rico.This chocolate is very yummy.
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are eating lunch together.
- ElenaPrueba el arroz, está muy rico.Taste the rice, it is very yummy.
- JavierTienes razón, me encanta.You are right, I love it.
- Elena¿Quieres más?Do you want more?
- JavierSí, por favor, Javier quiere más.Yes, please, Javier wants more.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yummy” translations and entries rico, delicioso, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries delicioso, rico, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
