alegre
/aˈleɡɾe/
The English phrase joyful translates to Spanish as alegre. Wiktionary also lists gozoso.
Meaning: feeling or causing joy (adj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| alegre | /aˈleɡɾe/ |
| gozoso | /ɡoˈθoso/ /ɡoˈsoso/ |
The term is used to describe someone or something that is feeling or causing joy.
Which one should you use?
alegre is the standard, everyday word used to mean joyful or cheerful. In contrast, gozoso is a more intense, formal or literary term typically used to describe profound spiritual or religious joy.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, alegre is a commonly used term for expressing joy or happiness.
How does it change in a sentence?
alegre is an invariable adjective in gender, so it does not change its ending for masculine or feminine nouns. However, it does change to alegres in the plural form to match plural nouns. If you need the noun form meaning joy, use alegría.
How do you pronounce it?
/aˈleɡɾe/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish speaking countries, calling someone alegre can be a polite euphemism for saying they are drunk.
- The word alegre shares a common ancestor with the English word 'alacrity', which describes a brisk and cheerful readiness.
- While alegre is common, the related noun alegría is used in the name of the 'alegrías', a specific and spirited style of flamenco dance and song.
Examples in context
- Me siento felizI feel joyful
- Estamos viviendo tiempos gozososWe are living in joyful times
- Llegué a casa regocijadaI arrived home full of joy
- Estoy contento/aI am joyful
- ¡Estoy feliz de la vida!I'm overjoyed!
- Hoy me levanté de buen humorI woke up in a joyful mood
- Estoy muy alegreI am very joyful
- Me siento extremadamente felizI feel extremely joyful
- El niño tiene un semblante muy alegre.The boy has a very joyful expression.
- Hoy es un día alegre para todos.Today is a joyful day for everyone.
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are talking about a friend's party.
- DanielLa fiesta fue muy alegre, ¿verdad?The party was very joyful, right?
- SofíaSí, Daniel, todos estaban muy felices.Yes, Daniel, everyone was very happy.
- DanielMe gusta ese ambiente tan alegre.I like that joyful atmosphere.
- SofíaYo también, Sofía lo pasó genial.Me too, Sofía had a great time.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “joyful” translations and entries alegre, gozoso, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alegre, gozoso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
