Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| soberbio | /soˈbeɾbjo/ |
| excelente | /eɡsθeˈlente/ /eɡseˈlente/ |
| magnífico | /maɡˈnifiko/ |
| superbo (disused) |
All these terms describe something of the highest quality or exceptionally good. While soberbio can mean superb, it is more commonly used to describe someone who is arrogant or haughty. For a strictly positive term that is safe to use when referring to high quality without any risk of implying arrogance, use excelente.
Which one should you use?
If you want to express admiration for something exceptional in a formal context, use magnífico. If you want to say 'outstanding' or 'excellent' formally, you can also use sobresaliente. In contrast to the formal options, genial is an informal way to say 'great' or 'awesome' and fenomenal is an informal way to express enthusiasm for something outstanding.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the slang term guay is used to mean great, cool or superb.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun form of the adjective soberbio is soberbia, which refers to the character trait of pride or arrogance.
How do you pronounce it?
/soˈbeɾbjo/
Did you know?
- The word sobresaliente is used in Spanish academic grading to denote the highest possible mark, similar to 'outstanding'.
- The word soberbio comes from the Latin 'superbus', which is the ancestor of the English word 'superb'.
- If you want to sound enthusiastic and informal rather than formal, use fenomenal to mean 'superb'.
Examples in context
- Su técnica es excelente, pero ella necesita tocar con más expresión.Her technique is superb, but she needs to play with more expression.This sentence is useful for describing the quality of a technique using excelente.Tatoeba #3116879 by marcelostockle, translation #309020 by CM
- El servicio fue excelente en ese restauranteThe service was superb at that restaurant
- Ese concierto fue magníficoThat concert was superb
- Su presentación fue sobresalienteHis/her presentation was superb
- Esa película estuvo genialThat movie was superb
- ¡El partido de fútbol estuvo increíble!The soccer match was superb!
- La comida en ese restaurante es fenomenalThe food at that restaurant is superb
- El sabor de este vino es soberbio.The flavor of this wine is superb.
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are eating at a fancy restaurant.
- DanielPrueba este pescado, el sabor es soberbio.Try this fish, the flavor is superb.
- SofíaTienes razón, está delicioso.You are right, it is delicious.
- Daniel¿Te gusta también la salsa?Do you like the sauce too?
- SofíaSí, todo el plato es soberbio.Yes, the whole dish is superb.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “superb” translations and entries soberbio, excelente, magnífico, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries excelente, magnífico, soberbio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
