suena genial
/swena xenjal/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'sounds great' is translated into Spanish as suena genial.
suena genial is an expression used to show agreement or enthusiasm for a suggestion or plan. When expressing this enthusiasm in writing, it is very common to use exclamation marks at both the beginning and the end of the phrase: ¡Suena genial!
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb suena (it sounds) and the adjective genial (great/wonderful).
Which one should you use?
While suena bien is equivalent to 'sounds good', suena genial expresses a higher level of enthusiasm.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In many Latin American countries, such as Venezuela, Colombia or Ecuador, you can use the informal and friendly phrase Suena chévere to convey a casual tone.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb suena is in the third-person singular form to agree with an implied subject such as el plan (the plan) or la idea (the idea).
Did you know?
- If you are in Mexico, you might replace suena genial with suena padre to sound more like a local.
- In Argentina, you could say suena bárbaro to show high enthusiasm for a plan.
- The word genial comes from the Latin word for 'guardian spirit'. Originally, it described things related to a person's innate nature or a festive marriage ceremony.
Examples in context
- ¡Suena genial!It sounds great!This example shows how to use suena genial as an enthusiastic exclamation.Tatoeba #4557785 by swyter, translation #66736 by CK
- Tu plan suena genial.Your plan sounds great.This sentence uses suena genial to describe how a specific plan sounds.Tatoeba #866032 by SalsaVioleta, translation #17357 by CK
- Me parece excelente, ¿cuándo podemos comenzar?It sounds great, when can we start?
- Tu propuesta es maravillosa, estoy emocionado de trabajar en elloYour proposal sounds great, I'm excited to work on it
- Vamos al cine esta noche. Suena chévere, ¿no?Let's go to the movies tonight. Sounds great, right?
- ¡La banda tocó increíblemente bien! ¡Está brutal!The band played incredibly well! It sounds amazing!
- Ese viaje a la playa suena genial.That trip to the beach sounds great.
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are discussing plans for the weekend.
- Sofía¿Quieres ir al cine este sábado?Do you want to go to the cinema this Saturday?
- MateoSí, suena genial.Yes, sounds great.
- Sofía¡Perfecto! Yo compro las entradas.Perfect! I'll buy the tickets.
- MateoGracias, Sofía. Nos vemos allí.Thanks, Sofía. See you there.
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.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
