Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 素敵な | suteki na |
| 壮大な | sōdai na |
The term 素敵な is used to describe things that are qualitatively lovely, wonderful or aesthetically pleasing. It is a common choice for describing charming atmospheres, beautiful clothing or a person's pleasant personality. When you want to refer to a 'great person' in a historical or moral sense, the noun 偉人 is used instead.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on the type of 'greatness' you wish to express. While 素敵な describes something charming or wonderful, 壮大な is used to describe things that are great in terms of scale, such as a grand landscape or a magnificent project. If you want to express that something is 'great' or 'amazing' as a reaction to something impressive, the colloquial term すごい is often used.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun 偉人 refers specifically to a person of major significance, such as a historical figure or someone of great social importance.
How do you pronounce it?
suteki na
Did you know?
- The word すごい originally meant 'terrible' or 'frightening' before it evolved into a common way to say 'great' or 'amazing'.
- If you want to say someone is 'great' at a skill, like playing piano, you would not use any of the words on this page. You would instead use 上手 to mean 'skillful'.
- Although 偉人 means 'great person', it is almost never used to describe a living friend or colleague, as it is reserved for figures of historical legacy.
Examples in context
- 素敵な考えね。That's a great idea.This sentence shows how to use 素敵な to describe a great idea.Tatoeba #8510961 by small_snow, translation #42740 by CK
- 素敵な夜をお過ごしください。Have a great night.This sentence uses 素敵な to wish someone a great night.Tatoeba #11178841 by small_snow, translation #1447080 by AlanF_US
- 素敵な時間をお過ごしください。Have a great time.This sentence uses 素敵な to wish someone a great time.Tatoeba #8567697 by small_snow, translation #4656967 by AqQoyriq_1
- その結果は素晴らしいですね。That result is great, isn't it?
- 彼は優れた芸術家です。He is a great artist.
- 彼のパフォーマンスはすごかった！His performance was great!
- あなたはそのドレスで素敵に見えます！You look great in that dress!
- このケーキはめちゃくちゃうまい！This cake is incredibly great!
- 昨日のライブはやばかった！Yesterday's live performance was amazing!
- どうもありがとう！Thanks a lot!
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hiyori and Ren are looking at a photo of a hotel.
- 陽葵 Himari見て、素敵なホテルだね。Mite, sutekina hoteru da ne.Look, it's a great hotel, isn't it?
- 蓮 Ren本当だ。ここに行きたいな。Hontō da. Koko ni ikitai na.You're right. I want to go here.
- 陽葵 Himari蓮くんもそう思う？Ren-kun mo sō omou?Do you think so too, Ren?
- 蓮 Renうん、最高の旅行になりそうだね。Un, saikō no ryokō ni narisō da ne.Yeah, it looks like it would be a great trip.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “great” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
