genial
/xeˈnjal/
The English phrase 'cool' can be translated into Spanish as genial.
In Spanish, genial is used to describe something that is great, wonderful or awesome. It captures the colloquial sense of 'cool' used to praise an idea, a place or an object.
Meaning: having a slightly low temperature (adj)
Which one should you use?
While 'cool' in English can refer to a slightly low temperature, the Spanish word genial only refers to the slang or colloquial sense of 'cool' meaning 'great' or 'awesome'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Depending on the region, other words can be used for 'cool' or 'nice', such as the slang term Bárbaro to mean 'great' or the word Chévere to express that something is cool or nice.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, genial does not change its form for gender, but it must agree in number with the noun it modifies, such as in ideas geniales.
How do you pronounce it?
/xeˈnjal/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often use genial to mean a cool temperature, but genial actually means 'great' or 'wonderful' in Spanish. Use fresco when referring to temperature.
Did you know?
- In Argentina, you will often hear bárbaro to mean 'great' or 'cool'. In other contexts, this word can still mean 'barbaric' or 'cruel'.
- The word chévere is believed by some linguists to have originated from the English phrase 'share verdad' or from African languages via the Caribbean.
- In some regions, calling a person fresco does not mean they are 'cool' in temperature, but that they are being 'cheeky' or 'overly bold'.
Examples in context
- Esto es muy genial.This is very cool.This sentence shows how to use genial to describe something as very cool.Tatoeba #4329362 by pchamorro, translation #2869070 by Hybrid
- Este lugar es genial.This place is cool.This sentence shows how to use genial to describe a place as cool.Tatoeba #4329399 by pchamorro, translation #3424120 by CK
- Esa es una idea genial.That's a very cool idea.This sentence shows how to use genial to describe an idea as cool.Tatoeba #10097496 by manufrutos, translation #10095621 by CK
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Alejandro are discussing the temperature of the water.
- MaríaEl agua está genial para nadar.The water is cool for swimming.
- AlejandroSí, no está fría ni caliente.Yes, it is neither cold nor hot.
- MaríaMe gusta que el clima esté genial.I like that the weather is cool.
- AlejandroA mí también, es muy refrescante.Me too, it is very refreshing.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry genial, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
