Hi, I’m Kodak.
You take your first bite of a meal, and a Spanish speaker smiles and says:
¡Qué rico!
You may already know that rico can mean “rich” or “wealthy.”
So what does money have to do with food?
In conversations about food, rico usually has a completely different meaning:
● tasty
● delicious
● good
● enjoyable
The expression ¡Qué rico! therefore means something like:
“How delicious!”
However, beginners soon encounter several similar sentences:
Está rico.
Es rico.
Sabe rico.
Se ve rico.
Huele rico.
These expressions are related, but they are not always interchangeable.
In this article, we will examine qué rico from a beginner’s perspective and compare rico with delicioso, sabroso, and bueno.
Someone tasted my food and said “¡Qué rico!”
Was that a compliment?
Yes!
In that situation, ¡Qué rico! means “How delicious!” or simply “This is really good!”
It is a very natural compliment about food.
- 1 What Does Qué Rico Mean in Spanish?
- 2 Rico Does Not Always Mean “Rich”
- 3 Qué Rico or Que Rico: Which Spelling Is Correct?
- 4 How to Pronounce Qué Rico
- 5 Rico Meaning for Food
- 6 Rico, Rica, Ricos, and Ricas
- 7 Qué Rico vs. Qué Rica
- 8 Está Rico vs. Es Rico
- 9 What Does Sabe Rico Mean?
- 10 Se Ve Rico and Huele Rico
- 11 How Do You Respond to Qué Rico?
- 12 Rico vs. Delicioso
- 13 Rico vs. Bueno
- 14 Rico vs. Sabroso
- 15 Does Comida Rica Mean “Rich Food”?
- 16 Rico en: Rich in Something
- 17 Can Rico Describe People?
- 18 Muy Rico and Riquísimo
- 19 Natural Expressions with Rico
- 20 Regional Usage
- 21 The Origin of Rico
- 22 Natural Conversation Examples
- 23 Common Beginner Mistakes
- 23.1 Mistake 1: Thinking rico always means wealthy
- 23.2 Mistake 2: Writing que rico without an accent
- 23.3 Mistake 3: Ignoring adjective agreement
- 23.4 Mistake 4: Using ser for every immediate taste reaction
- 23.5 Mistake 5: Translating English “rich food” as comida rica
- 23.6 Mistake 6: Assuming delicioso is always stronger
- 23.7 Mistake 7: Forgetting that rico can describe abundance
- 23.8 Mistake 8: Using rico carelessly for people
- 23.9 Mistake 9: Writing ricísimo
- 24 Frequently Asked Questions About Qué Rico
- 24.1 What does qué rico mean in English?
- 24.2 Does rico mean rich or delicious?
- 24.3 Is it qué rico or que rico?
- 24.4 How do you pronounce qué rico?
- 24.5 What is the difference between está rico and es rico?
- 24.6 What does sabe rico mean?
- 24.7 What does se ve rico mean?
- 24.8 What does huele rico mean?
- 24.9 What is the difference between rico and delicioso?
- 24.10 Is delicioso stronger than rico?
- 24.11 What is the difference between rico and sabroso?
- 24.12 Does comida rica mean rich food?
- 24.13 What does rico en proteínas mean?
- 24.14 How do you respond when someone says qué rico about your food?
- 24.15 What is the strongest form of rico?
- 25 Qué Rico Meaning and Rico vs. Delicioso: Summary
- 26 Related Guide
What Does Qué Rico Mean in Spanish?
¡Qué rico! is an exclamation used when something tastes, smells, looks, or feels especially pleasant.
When the subject is food or drink, its most natural English translations are:
How delicious!
This is delicious!
This tastes so good!
Yum!
That looks delicious!
The exact translation depends on what the speaker is reacting to.
¡Qué rico está este pastel!
This cake is so delicious!
¡Qué rico huele!
That smells so good!
¡Qué rico se ve!
That looks delicious!
The core image of rico in these examples is:
Something gives a pleasant and satisfying sensory experience.
That pleasant experience may come from taste, smell, texture, appearance, or the overall eating experience.
I learned that rico means “rich.”
How can the same word mean “delicious”?
Rico has several meanings.
It can describe a wealthy person, something abundant or valuable, or something pleasant and tasty.
The surrounding words and situation tell you which meaning is intended.
Rico Does Not Always Mean “Rich”
The Spanish adjective rico has several important meanings.
| Meaning | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| Wealthy | Es un hombre rico. | He is a rich man. |
| Abundant in something | Es rico en proteínas. | It is rich in protein. |
| Valuable or luxurious | Usaron telas muy ricas. | They used luxurious fabrics. |
| Tasty or pleasant | La sopa está rica. | The soup tastes good. |
When rico appears around eating, cooking, smells, drinks, or restaurants, the intended meaning is usually “tasty” or “delicious.”
Mi vecino es rico.
My neighbor is wealthy.
Food context:
El arroz está rico.
The rice tastes good.
Does qué need an accent mark in qué rico?
Yes.
In an exclamation meaning “how,” write qué with an accent mark.
The correct expression is ¡Qué rico!, not que rico.
Qué Rico or Que Rico: Which Spelling Is Correct?
The correct spelling of the exclamation is:
¡Qué rico!
Qué carries a written accent because it is an exclamative word.
How delicious!
× ¡Que rico!
The accent distinguishes exclamative or interrogative qué from unstressed que, which can function as a conjunction or relative word.
¡Qué rico está!
It is so delicious!
Conjunction:
Creo que está rico.
I think it tastes good.
Spanish also normally uses opening and closing exclamation marks:
¡Qué rico!
In casual messages, people sometimes omit the opening mark or accent, but the standard spelling includes both.
How do I pronounce qué rico?
Does the Spanish r need a strong roll?
It is approximately “keh REE-koh.”
The single r at the beginning of rico is usually pronounced strongly, similar to the rolled sound used at the beginning of Spanish words.
How to Pronounce Qué Rico
IPA: /ke ˈriko/
Stress: RI-co
Break it into three syllables:
qué | ri | co
Important pronunciation points:
- qué has a clear Spanish e sound;
- the stress in rico falls on ri;
- the final o is a clear vowel, not an English “oh” glide;
- the initial r of rico is stronger than the light tap heard between vowels.
A practical beginner approximation is:
keh REE-koh
Rico Meaning for Food
When used with food, rico describes something that tastes pleasant or provides an enjoyable sensory experience.
Este café está muy rico.
This coffee tastes really good.
Prepararon una sopa muy rica.
They made a very tasty soup.
Los tacos estaban ricos.
The tacos were delicious.
Rico is especially useful because it sounds natural in everyday conversation.
It does not necessarily claim that the food is extraordinary or luxurious. It can simply mean:
I like the flavor.
This is enjoyable to eat.
This turned out well.
If I am reacting to a feminine food such as la sopa, should I say ¡Qué rica!?
If you explicitly refer to la sopa, use the feminine form:
¡Qué rica está la sopa!
However, the standalone reaction ¡Qué rico! is commonly used as a general exclamation about what you are tasting.
Rico, Rica, Ricos, and Ricas
Rico is an adjective, so it normally agrees with the noun in gender and number.
| Form | Used with | Example |
|---|---|---|
| rico | Masculine singular | El pastel está rico. |
| rica | Feminine singular | La sopa está rica. |
| ricos | Masculine plural or mixed plural | Los tacos están ricos. |
| ricas | Feminine plural | Las empanadas están ricas. |
El arroz está rico.
la comida → rica
La comida está rica.
los postres → ricos
Los postres están ricos.
las galletas → ricas
Las galletas están ricas.
Why can people say the standalone ¡Qué rico! even when the food has a feminine name?
Because the speaker may be reacting generally to “this,” “what I’m tasting,” or the whole experience rather than modifying the spoken noun directly.
If the noun is included, agreement becomes clear: ¡Qué rica está la sopa!
Qué Rico vs. Qué Rica
Both forms are possible.
Standalone reaction
¡Qué rico!
How delicious!
This is a general reaction to food, a smell, a sensation, or something pleasant.
Agreement with an explicit masculine noun
¡Qué rico está el chocolate!
The chocolate is so delicious!
Agreement with an explicit feminine noun
¡Qué rica está la salsa!
The sauce is so delicious!
Agreement with a plural noun
¡Qué ricos están estos tacos!
These tacos are so good!
¡Qué ricas están las croquetas!
These croquettes are delicious!
Which is more natural for food: está rico or es rico?
When tasting a particular dish or serving, está rico is usually the most useful pattern.
It describes how the food tastes in the present situation.
Es rico can describe a food as generally tasty or can carry one of rico’s other meanings.
Está Rico vs. Es Rico
The difference between estar and ser can be confusing for beginners.
Está rico: This tastes good
Use estar rico when evaluating a particular dish, drink, preparation, or serving.
El pollo está rico.
The chicken tastes good.
Esta sopa está muy rica.
This soup is very tasty.
¿Está rico el café?
Does the coffee taste good?
The idea is similar to:
It tastes good right now.
I have tried it and find it pleasant.
Es rico: It is tasty / It is rich
Ser rico can describe a more general characteristic:
El mango es rico.
Mango is tasty.
However, the meaning depends heavily on the subject.
Carlos es rico.
Carlos is wealthy.
Este alimento es rico en fibra.
This food is rich in fiber.
For beginners who are giving an opinion after tasting food, estar rico is the safer and more immediately useful construction.
Está rico.
It tastes good.
You describe a general quality:
El aguacate es rico y nutritivo.
Avocado is tasty and nutritious.
You describe wealth:
El dueño del restaurante es rico.
The restaurant owner is wealthy.
If I say “El pastel es rico,” will people think the cake has money?
No. Context makes the food meaning clear.
However, if you have just taken a bite, el pastel está rico often sounds more natural as an immediate evaluation.
What Does Sabe Rico Mean?
Sabe rico means:
It has a pleasant flavor.
Here, sabe comes from the verb saber.
Although beginners first learn saber as “to know,” it can also describe how something tastes.
La salsa sabe rica.
The sauce tastes good.
Este jugo sabe muy rico.
This juice tastes really good.
¿A qué sabe?
What does it taste like?
Sabe rico explicitly focuses on flavor, while está rico gives a more general positive evaluation of the food.
Is sabe rico exactly the same as está rico?
They often communicate the same overall opinion.
Sabe rico explicitly means that the flavor is good.
Está rico is a broader everyday judgment that the food is enjoyable.
Se Ve Rico and Huele Rico
You do not have to taste food before using rico.
Se ve rico: It looks delicious
Ese pastel se ve rico.
That cake looks delicious.
La pasta se ve muy rica.
The pasta looks really good.
The adjective may agree with the explicit noun:
The cake looks delicious.
La ensalada se ve rica.
The salad looks delicious.
Los tacos se ven ricos.
The tacos look delicious.
Huele rico: It smells good
La comida huele rico.
The food smells good.
¡Qué rico huele el pan!
The bread smells so good!
Depending on the region and speaker, you may also hear:
Huele bien.
It smells good.
Can I say qué rico before I have tasted the food?
Yes.
You can react to the appearance or smell:
¡Qué rico se ve! or ¡Qué rico huele!
The exact source of the pleasant impression is understood from the verb.
How Do You Respond to Qué Rico?
If someone says ¡Qué rico! about food you prepared, they are complimenting you.
Natural responses include:
Thank you.
Me alegra que te guste.
I’m glad you like it.
Qué bueno que te gustó.
I’m glad you liked it.
Gracias. Es una receta de mi abuela.
Thanks. It’s my grandmother’s recipe.
Sírvete más.
Have some more.
You do not need a special fixed response.
The appropriate answer depends on whether you cooked the food, served it, recommended it, or are simply eating together.
Should I answer de nada when someone compliments my food?
Gracias is more natural because you are receiving a compliment.
De nada is normally used after someone thanks you.
You can also say me alegra que te guste.
Can I say qué rico directly to a chef or restaurant server?
Yes, especially in a friendly conversation.
For a fuller compliment, say Está muy rico, Todo está delicioso, or Me encantó la comida.
Rico vs. Delicioso
Rico and delicioso can both mean that food tastes very good.
They overlap, but their usual tone is slightly different.
| Word | Core impression | Common tone |
|---|---|---|
| rico | Tastes good and is enjoyable | Everyday, spontaneous, conversational |
| delicioso | Causes strong pleasure; delicious | More emphatic, descriptive, or polished |
It tastes good.
Natural everyday reaction.
Está delicioso.
It is delicious.
More enthusiastic or emphatic praise.
However, this is not a strict intensity scale.
Tone of voice can make ¡Qué rico! extremely enthusiastic, while delicioso can be used calmly in a menu, review, or description.
Does delicioso always mean that the food is better than something described as rico?
No.
Delicioso often sounds more emphatic, but the speaker’s tone and context matter.
A joyful ¡Qué rico! can express very strong approval.
Rico in Everyday Conversation
¿Te gusta la sopa?
Do you like the soup?Sí, está muy rica.
Yes, it tastes really good.
This exchange sounds relaxed and conversational.
Delicioso as Stronger Praise
El postre estaba delicioso.
The dessert was delicious.
This gives the food clear and enthusiastic praise.
Delicioso in Descriptions and Menus
Pruebe nuestro delicioso pastel de chocolate.
Try our delicious chocolate cake.
Delicioso is especially natural in promotional, descriptive, or written language.
Which one sounds more like the normal English word “tasty”?
Rico often corresponds naturally to “tasty” or “good.”
Delicioso is the more direct equivalent of “delicious.”
But translations change according to tone and context.
Everyday “This tastes good”:
Está rico.
Enthusiastic “This is delicious”:
Está delicioso.
Spontaneous “Yum!”:
¡Qué rico!
Rico vs. Bueno
Bueno is the general Spanish adjective meaning “good.”
Rico, when applied to food, focuses more clearly on the pleasant taste or sensory experience.
The food is good.
A broad positive evaluation.
La comida está rica.
The food tastes good.
A more taste-focused evaluation.
Bueno can evaluate:
- quality;
- nutrition;
- morality;
- usefulness;
- performance;
- taste.
Rico more immediately suggests enjoyment, flavor, or sensory pleasure when food is involved.
Is la comida está buena wrong?
No. It can also mean that the food is good.
Está rica places clearer emphasis on the enjoyable taste, while está buena is a broader positive judgment.
Regional preferences also vary.
Rico vs. Sabroso
Sabroso is another common word meaning “tasty” or “flavorful.”
It is connected closely with sabor, meaning “flavor.”
Pleasant and enjoyable to taste or experience
sabroso
Full of pleasant flavor; flavorful or well-seasoned
delicioso
Extremely pleasant or delightful; delicious
La carne está rica.
The meat tastes good.
La carne está sabrosa.
The meat is flavorful.
La carne está deliciosa.
The meat is delicious.
The differences are tendencies rather than fixed boundaries. In many everyday situations, all three words can praise the same dish.
If food has lots of spices, should I always use sabroso?
Not always.
Sabroso often emphasizes flavor, but food does not need to be spicy.
A mild bread, soup, or dessert can also be sabroso if it has a pleasant flavor.
Does Comida Rica Mean “Rich Food”?
This is an important false-friend problem for English speakers.
In Spanish:
Es una comida rica.
It is tasty food.
It does not necessarily mean food that is heavy, creamy, fatty, or high in calories.
English “rich food” often describes food with an intense amount of cream, butter, sugar, fat, or flavor.
Depending on the intended meaning, Spanish may use expressions such as:
comida muy grasosa / grasa — very greasy or fatty food
un sabor intenso — an intense flavor
un postre muy cremoso — a very creamy dessert
un plato contundente — a filling or substantial dish
Therefore:
Usually: tasty food
rich food
Not automatically: comida rica
I wanted to say that a cheesecake was too rich, so I said demasiado rico.
What did that sound like?
It may sound like “too delicious,” which is probably not what you meant.
You could say es muy pesado, es demasiado dulce, or explain that it has too much cream or fat.
Rico en: Rich in Something
The construction rico en means “rich in” or “containing a large amount of something.”
El pescado es rico en proteínas.
Fish is rich in protein.
Esta fruta es rica en vitamina C.
This fruit is rich in vitamin C.
La dieta es rica en fibra.
The diet is rich in fiber.
Notice that rico agrees with the noun:
la fruta → rica en vitaminas
los alimentos → ricos en fibra
las verduras → ricas en nutrientes
In this structure, rico describes abundance rather than taste.
Does rico en proteínas mean that the protein tastes good?
No.
In the pattern rico en + noun, rico means “abundant in” or “containing a lot of.”
The sentence describes nutritional content, not flavor.
Can Rico Describe People?
Yes, and this is another reason context is important.
Rico as wealthy
Ella es rica.
She is wealthy.
Rico as affectionate or attractive
In some contexts and regions, rico or rica can be applied to a person as an affectionate compliment or as a comment on physical attractiveness.
Therefore, a sentence such as:
¡Qué rico!
does not always concern food.
The situation determines the meaning.
¡Qué rico! = How delicious!
Talking about money:
Es rico. = He is wealthy.
Talking about a person’s appearance:
Está rico / rica may be understood as an attraction-related comment in some regions.
Beginners should therefore avoid using rico casually to describe unfamiliar people unless they understand the local meaning and social tone.
If I say “Ella está rica,” am I saying that she is wealthy?
Not usually.
For wealth, use ella es rica.
Ella está rica may be interpreted as a comment about physical attractiveness, depending on the region and context.
Could I call a female chef rica when I mean that her food is good?
Do not direct the adjective at the chef.
Say la comida está rica, todo está delicioso, or cocinas muy bien.
That clearly praises the food or cooking skill.
Muy Rico and Riquísimo
To strengthen rico, you can use muy:
Está muy rico.
It tastes very good.
You can also use the superlative form:
rica → riquísima
ricos → riquísimos
ricas → riquísimas
El pastel está riquísimo.
The cake is absolutely delicious.
La salsa está riquísima.
The sauce is incredibly tasty.
Estos tacos están riquísimos.
These tacos are incredibly good.
Notice the spelling change:
↓
riquísimo
The c changes to qu to preserve the hard k sound before i.
Why is it riquísimo and not ricísimo?
Spanish changes c to qu before i to keep the original hard sound.
Without the change, the pronunciation would change.
The correct spelling is riquísimo.
Is riquísimo stronger than delicioso?
Riquísimo is explicitly an intensified form, so it expresses very strong approval.
Delicioso is also strong praise.
The emotional strength still depends on how the speaker says it.
Natural Expressions with Rico
¡Qué rico!
¡Qué rico!
How delicious! / Yum!
Está rico
El arroz está rico.
The rice tastes good.
Está muy rico
Este café está muy rico.
This coffee is really good.
Está riquísimo
El postre está riquísimo.
The dessert is absolutely delicious.
Sabe rico
La bebida sabe rica.
The drink tastes good.
Huele rico
Huele rico aquí.
It smells good in here.
Se ve rico
Ese plato se ve rico.
That dish looks delicious.
Rico en
Es rico en calcio.
It is rich in calcium.
Regional Usage
The food-related meaning of rico is widely understood throughout the Spanish-speaking world.
However, the preferred sentence pattern may vary by region and speaker.
You may hear:
Está bueno.
Sabe rico.
Sabe bien.
Huele rico.
Huele bien.
Forms with rico are especially noticeable in much of Latin American Spanish, while some speakers or regions may prefer constructions with bien or bueno in particular contexts.
These are not absolute national rules. Spanish usage varies within countries as well as between them.
For beginners, the following expressions are broadly useful and easy to understand:
Está muy rico.
Está delicioso.
La comida está muy buena.
Will every Spanish speaker understand ¡Qué rico! about food?
Yes, the food-related meaning is widely understood.
The frequency of individual patterns such as sabe rico or huele rico can vary, but rico meaning tasty is general Spanish.
The Origin of Rico
The Spanish word rico comes from the Gothic word reiks.
The modern word has developed several related and unrelated-looking meanings, including:
abundant
valuable or luxurious
fertile
tasty or pleasant
very good of its kind
For a modern learner, it is more useful to connect these meanings through the broad idea of something possessing a desirable quality or abundance than to assume that every use directly refers to money.
In food-related situations, the most important meaning is simply:
pleasant and enjoyable to taste.
Can the original meaning help me remember the food meaning?
You can connect the modern meanings through the idea of something having a desirable or abundant quality.
However, for everyday use, it is simplest to learn estar rico as one complete pattern meaning “to taste good.”
Natural Conversation Examples
Tasting a home-cooked meal
Try the soup.
B: ¡Qué rica! ¿La hiciste tú?
It’s delicious! Did you make it?
A: Sí. Me alegra que te guste.
Yes. I’m glad you like it.
Seeing a dessert
Look at the cake I bought.
B: ¡Qué rico se ve!
It looks delicious!
Smelling food from the kitchen
What are you cooking?
B: Pollo con ajo.
Chicken with garlic.
A: ¡Qué rico huele!
It smells so good!
At a restaurant
How is everything?
Customer: Todo está delicioso, gracias.
Everything is delicious, thank you.
Giving a casual opinion
Did you like the tacos?
B: Sí, estaban muy ricos.
Yes, they were really good.
Comparing two dishes
Which one did you like more?
B: Los dos estaban ricos, pero el pescado estaba delicioso.
Both were tasty, but the fish was delicious.
Common Beginner Mistakes
Mistake 1: Thinking rico always means wealthy
When it describes food, rico usually means tasty, pleasant, or delicious.
Mistake 2: Writing que rico without an accent
○ ¡Qué rico!
Mistake 3: Ignoring adjective agreement
○ La sopa está rica.
× Los tacos están rica.
○ Los tacos están ricos.
Mistake 4: Using ser for every immediate taste reaction
When evaluating a particular serving after tasting it, está rico is often the most natural beginner pattern.
Mistake 5: Translating English “rich food” as comida rica
Comida rica normally means tasty food. Use a more specific expression for heavy, creamy, fatty, or intense food.
Mistake 6: Assuming delicioso is always stronger
Delicioso often sounds emphatic, but tone and context determine the actual strength of the compliment.
Mistake 7: Forgetting that rico can describe abundance
In rico en fibra, the word means “rich in” or “containing a lot of,” not tasty.
Mistake 8: Using rico carelessly for people
Depending on the sentence and region, rico may refer to wealth, affection, or physical attractiveness. Clearly name the food when you are praising a meal.
Mistake 9: Writing ricísimo
○ riquísimo
There are many different forms.
What are the three expressions I should remember first?
Start with these:
¡Qué rico! — How delicious!
Está muy rico. — It tastes really good.
Está delicioso. — It is delicious.
Those three expressions cover most beginner food conversations.
Frequently Asked Questions About Qué Rico
What does qué rico mean in English?
Qué rico means “How delicious,” “This tastes so good,” or “Yum” when it refers to food. It can also react to a pleasant smell, appearance, feeling, or experience.
Does rico mean rich or delicious?
It can mean either. When rico describes a person’s finances, it means wealthy. When it describes food, it usually means tasty or delicious. Context determines the meaning.
Is it qué rico or que rico?
The correct exclamation is ¡Qué rico! with an accent mark on qué. Exclamative qué means “how” or “what” in this construction.
How do you pronounce qué rico?
It is pronounced approximately “keh REE-koh.” The stress in rico falls on the first syllable.
What is the difference between está rico and es rico?
Está rico commonly evaluates how a particular food or serving tastes. Es rico can describe a general characteristic, but depending on the subject it can also mean wealthy or rich in something.
What does sabe rico mean?
Sabe rico means “It tastes good.” It explicitly focuses on the flavor of the food or drink.
What does se ve rico mean?
Se ve rico means “It looks delicious.” The phrase is used before tasting food when its appearance is appealing.
What does huele rico mean?
Huele rico means “It smells good” or “It smells delicious.” The construction is especially common in conversational Latin American Spanish.
What is the difference between rico and delicioso?
Both can praise food. Rico is especially common in spontaneous everyday conversation and can mean tasty or good. Delicioso is a direct equivalent of delicious and often sounds more emphatic or descriptive.
Is delicioso stronger than rico?
It often sounds more emphatic, but not always. Tone and context affect the strength. An enthusiastic ¡Qué rico! can express very strong approval.
What is the difference between rico and sabroso?
Rico broadly describes something as enjoyable or tasty. Sabroso more clearly emphasizes pleasant flavor and can correspond to “flavorful.”
Does comida rica mean rich food?
Usually not. Comida rica normally means tasty food. English “rich food” may need a more specific Spanish expression such as comida pesada, depending on the intended meaning.
What does rico en proteínas mean?
It means “rich in protein” or “containing a large amount of protein.” In this construction, rico describes abundance rather than taste.
How do you respond when someone says qué rico about your food?
You can say gracias, me alegra que te guste, or qué bueno que te gustó. There is no single required response.
What is the strongest form of rico?
A common intensified form is riquísimo, meaning extremely tasty or absolutely delicious. It changes according to gender and number: riquísima, riquísimos, and riquísimas.
Qué Rico Meaning and Rico vs. Delicioso: Summary
● Correct spelling: ¡Qué rico! with an accent on qué
● Food meaning of rico: tasty, pleasant, delicious
● Está rico: It tastes good
● Sabe rico: It has a good flavor
● Se ve rico: It looks delicious
● Huele rico: It smells good
● Rico vs. delicioso: rico is highly conversational; delicioso is often more emphatic or descriptive
● Rico vs. sabroso: sabroso emphasizes pleasant flavor
● Adjective forms: rico, rica, ricos, ricas
● Intensified form: riquísimo
● Other meanings: wealthy, abundant, valuable, rich in something
● Beginner recommendation: Learn ¡Qué rico!, está muy rico, and está delicioso first
Do not memorize only rico = rich.
In a food conversation, connect rico with the core image of a pleasant and satisfying sensory experience.
When you taste something good, the easiest natural reactions are:
¡Qué rico!
Está muy rico.
Real Academia Española and Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española, Diccionario de la lengua española, entry for “rico, rica.”
Real Academia Española and Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española, Diccionario de la lengua española, entry for “delicioso, deliciosa.”
Real Academia Española and Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española, El buen uso del español, section concerning exclamative constructions.
El Colegio de México, Diccionario del español de México, entries for “rico,” “sabroso,” and “delicioso.”
Related Guide
This article is part of our complete guide to Spanish phrases for eating, covering what to say before, during, and after a meal.
