verse genial
/beɾse xenjal/from spelling rules
In Spanish, 'looking fly' is expressed as verse genial.
This slang expression is used to describe someone who looks very stylish or attractive.
Which one should you use?
The form verse genial is the infinitive used to express the concept of 'to look great' or 'to look cool'. However, if you are describing a specific person's current appearance, such as saying 'He is looking fly', you should use the conjugated form se ve genial.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase utilizes the pronominal verb verse (to look or appear) rather than the standard verb ver (to see).
Did you know?
- In Caribbean Spanish, the word flow is often borrowed directly from English to describe someone who is 'looking fly'. They might say someone tiene flow to describe their style and attitude.
- If you want to sound more urban or 'street' in Spain, you might describe someone as estar de locos instead of using genial.
- The word genial is derived from the Latin 'genius', referring to a guardian spirit. It originally related to marriage and festive occasions rather than just being 'great'.
Examples in context
- ¡Estás vestido/a de manera genial!You're dressed really cool!
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are getting ready for a night out.
- Mateo¿Cómo me veo con esta chaqueta?How do I look in this jacket?
- SofíaTe haces verse genial, Mateo.You look fly, Mateo.
- Mateo¡Gracias! Tú también te ves muy bien.Thanks! You look very good too.
- SofíaYa estamos listos para salir.Now we are ready to go out.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries genial, CC BY-SA 4.0.
