¡qué divertido!
/ˈke dibeɾˈtido/word by word
The English phrase "how fun" is translated into Spanish as ¡qué divertido!
¡qué divertido! is an exclamation used to express that something is enjoyable or exciting.
What does it mean word for word?
The word qué functions as an intensifier meaning "how" or "what a", and divertido means "fun" or "amusing".
Which one should you use?
While divertido is the standard way to say "fun", using ¡qué guay! or ¡qué chulo! (in Spain) expresses a similar sense of excitement or coolness but with different nuances of slang.
Is it said differently in some regions?
¡Qué chévere! Is widely used in Latin America, particularly in Colombia and Venezuela, to show enthusiasm. ¡Qué guay! Is an informal expression commonly used in Spain to convey excitement and fun.
How does it change in a sentence?
If the thing being described is a feminine noun, such as la fiesta (the party), you must change the adjective to the feminine form divertida.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈke dibeɾˈtido/
Did you know?
- In many Latin American countries, you can express the same level of excitement by saying ¡qué padre! or ¡qué bacán!, depending on the specific country you are visiting.
- The word divertido comes from the verb divertir, which shares a root with the English word 'divert'. While in English 'divert' often means to turn someone's attention away, in Spanish it retains its older sense of providing entertainment.
- The word qué in this exclamation is not a question word, even though it looks exactly like the 'what' used in questions. It functions purely as an intensifier to add emotional weight to the adjective.
Examples in context
- Qué divertido es este juegoHow fun this game is
- Qué entretenido es este programa de televisiónHow entertaining this TV show is
- Qué divertido es este parque de diversionesHow fun this amusement park is
- Qué entretenido es este libroHow entertaining this book is
- ¡Qué chévere está la fiesta!How fun this party is!
- ¡Qué chévere está este concierto!How fun this concert is!
- ¡Qué guay es esta playa!How fun this beach is!
- ¡Qué divertido es realmente este juego!How truly fun this game is!
Example conversation
Sofía and Javier are talking about a new amusement park.
- Sofía¡Vamos al parque de atracciones!Let's go to the amusement park!
- Javier¡Qué divertido!How fun!
- SofíaSí, Javier, será una gran aventura.Yes, Javier, it will be a great adventure.
- JavierEstoy muy emocionado por ir.I am very excited to go.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (qué, divertido) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries divertido, qué, CC BY-SA 4.0.
