chévere
casual, Puerto Rico
The classic Puerto Rican word for "cool" is chévere. Younger speakers also say brutal, and the English cool is heard too.
Meaning: great, nice, impressive (adjective)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| chévere | casual, Puerto Rico |
| brutal | slang |
| cool | casual, borrowed from English |
Chévere works as an adjective (una fiesta chévere) and as a reply to news, like saying "great". It does not change for gender.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Chévere is common in the Caribbean and parts of South America, so it is not unique to the island, but it is part of everyday Puerto Rican speech. Other regions have their own words, such as padre in Mexico.
Did you know?
- The word chévere is also very common in Colombia and Venezuela, and its exact origin is debated.
Examples in context
- Esa canción está chévere.That song is cool.
- Qué chévere verte.How nice to see you.
- Ese carro está brutal.That car is awesome.
Example conversation
Luis tells his friend Carlos about a new beach bar in San Juan.
- LuisAbrieron un sitio nuevo en la playa.A new place opened at the beach.
- Carlos¿Y cómo es?And what is it like?
- LuisEstá chévere, tienes que ir.It is cool, you have to go.
