persona genial
/peɾsona xenjal/from spelling rules
To say "cool person" in Spanish, the default form is persona genial.
Note that the adjective genial in Spanish means "great" or "cool" and does not refer to temperature as the English word "cool" can sometimes imply.
Which one should you use?
While persona genial is a standard way to express this, you can use alguien genial if you specifically want to say "someone cool" instead of "a cool person".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Depending on where you are, there are different informal ways to express this. In Spain, you might hear persona guay, while in many parts of Latin America, particularly the Caribbean, persona chévere is a common informal way to describe a cool person.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, the term persona piola is used to describe a person who is cool and laid-back.
Did you know?
- The word genial comes from the Latin word for 'guardian spirit', reflecting an ancient belief in a personal divine protector.
- In some contexts, piola in Argentina can describe someone who is 'cool' because they are street-smart or cunning, rather than just friendly.
- While persona guay is common in Spain, using it in many Latin American countries might make you sound like you are trying too hard to imitate Spanish slang.
Examples in context
- Ese chico es súper bacanoThat guy is really cool
- Mi amigo Juan es muy guayMy friend Juan is really cool
- Tu hermano es una persona genial.Your brother is a cool person.
- Ella siempre es una persona genial.She is always a cool person.
- Conocerlo fue conocer a una persona genial.Meeting him was meeting a cool person.
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are talking about a new coworker.
- Mateo¿Qué te parece el nuevo jefe?What do you think of the new boss?
- LucíaEs una persona genial, me cae muy bien.He is a cool person, I like him a lot.
- MateoMe alegra que sea tan amable.I'm glad he is so kind.
- LucíaSí, es alguien con quien trabajar es fácil.Yes, he is someone who is easy to work with.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries genial, persona, CC BY-SA 4.0.
