Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| contento | /konˈtento/ | |
| gustoso | /ɡusˈtoso/ | |
| alegre | /aˈleɡɾe/ | |
| qué bueno | /ke bweno/ (from spelling rules) | interjection |
contento is used to express being pleased or satisfied with a specific situation. If you want to express a sense of satisfaction or contentment in a more formal way, you might use satisfecho/a. If you are reacting to news and want to say 'I'm glad to hear that', you can use the interjection qué bueno.
Which one should you use?
While contento often describes a state of being pleased with a specific situation, alegre describes a more general, bright or cheerful disposition. Additionally, gustoso often refers to something being tasty or providing sensory pleasure rather than the emotional state of being glad about news.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective contento must agree in gender and number with the person who is glad. Use contento for males, contenta for females and contentos for a group of males or a mixed group. Note that gustoso is used in many contexts to mean tasty or pleasurable.
How do you pronounce it?
/konˈtento/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, you can use alegre to describe a color that is 'bright' or 'vivid', moving the meaning of 'glad' from a human emotion to a visual quality.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, reacting to news with qué bueno is often accompanied by a slight nod or a smile, but saying it with a flat tone can accidentally signal sarcasm or disbelief.
- The English word 'content' and the Spanish word contento are siblings, both tracing back to the Latin 'contentus', meaning 'contained' or 'held together'.
Examples in context
- Me gusta verte alegre.I like seeing you glad.This sentence shows how to use alegre to describe someone's disposition.Tatoeba #1105016 by Shishir, translation #1293184 by marcelostockle
- Qué bueno, ¿no es así?I'm glad to hear that.This sentence uses the interjection qué bueno to express pleasure regarding news.Tatoeba #1372261 by marcelostockle, translation #254847 by CK
- Estoy contento de verla.I am glad to see her.This sentence uses contento to express being glad to see someone.Tatoeba #1249692 by marcelostockle, translation #261171 by CM
- Estoy contento de haber recibido esta oportunidadI am glad to have received this opportunity
- Estoy satisfecho con los resultados de mi trabajoI am glad/satisfied with the results of my work
- El equipo se siente alegre por la victoriaThe team feels glad about the victory
- ¡Me alegra verte contentillo después de tanto tiempo!I'm glad to see you happy after such a long time!
- Estoy chocha de haber ganado el concursoI'm glad for having won the contest
- ¡Encantado de conocerte!Glad to meet you!
- 49 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Daniel are talking about a new job.
- SofíaDaniel, ¿estás contento con tu nuevo empleo?Daniel, are you glad with your new job?
- DanielSí, estoy muy contento aquí.Yes, I am very glad here.
- SofíaMe alegra mucho escuchar eso.I am very happy to hear that.
- DanielGracias, Sofía, estoy realmente satisfecho.Thanks, Sofía, I am really satisfied.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “glad” translations and entries contento, gustoso, alegre, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alegre, bueno, contento, gustoso, qué, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
