qué lindo
/ke lindo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "how lovely" can be translated into Spanish as qué lindo.
Qué lindo is used to express delight, affection or appreciation for something that is lovely or cute. You may also use qué bello to express a similar sentiment of admiration, meaning "how beautiful".
Which one should you use?
Qué lindo is the masculine or neutral form used when referring to a masculine noun or a general situation. If you are specifically referring to a feminine noun, such as una flor (a flower), you should use qué linda.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Qué lindo is a common, slightly informal and colloquial way to express delight. Other informal ways to express admiration include qué bonito/a, which can mean "how nice" or "how pretty" and qué chulo/a, which is used to express enthusiasm.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term qué lindo/a is common in Latin America to express appreciation for something cute or attractive. In certain regions, particularly in Spain, qué chulo/a is used to express enthusiasm or admiration.
How do you pronounce it?
/ke lindo/
Did you know?
- The word lindo is a linguistic relative of the English word 'legible'. Both can be traced back to Latin roots concerning correctness and clarity.
- In some contexts, qué lindo can be used sarcastically to describe a situation that is actually unpleasant, similar to saying 'how lovely' in a dry tone in English.
- Though lindo is used for 'lovely', the Spanish word for 'clean' is limpio. Despite their similar sounds, they are distinct words with different Latin origins.
Examples in context
- ¡Qué hermosa es esa pintura!How lovely that painting is!
- ¡Qué maravillosa voz tienes!How lovely your voice is!
- ¡Qué precioso vestido llevas!How lovely the dress you are wearing is!
- ¡Qué bonito jardín tienes!How lovely your garden is!
- ¡Qué lindo perrito!How lovely the little dog is!
- ¡Qué chulo tu carro nuevo!How lovely your new car is!
- ¡Qué hermoso atardecer!How lovely the sunset is!
- ¡Qué bonita flor!How beautiful the flower is!
- ¡Qué lindo día hace hoy!How lovely the weather is today!
- ¡Qué chula tu casa nueva!How lovely your new house is!
- ¡Qué lindo es este parque!How lovely this park is!
- Mira ese dibujo, ¡qué lindo!Look at that drawing, how lovely!
- Qué lindo gesto de tu parte.How lovely of you to do that.
Example conversation
María and Alejandro are looking at a new puppy.
- María¡Mira el cachorro, qué lindo!Look at the puppy, how lovely!
- AlejandroEs verdad, es muy tierno.It's true, he is very cute.
- María¿Podemos quedárnoslo?Can we keep him?
- AlejandroNo sé si sea buena idea.I don't know if that's a good idea.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lindo, qué, CC BY-SA 4.0.
