What does it mean word for word?
The phrase esto está genial literally means 'this is great'. It is composed of esto (this), está (is) and genial (great/awesome).
Which one should you use?
The choice between using 'está' and 'es' changes the meaning slightly. Use ¡esto está genial! to react to a specific situation or experience happening right now. Use ¡esto es genial! to describe a permanent characteristic of an object or concept.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a formal way to express admiration, you can use Es asombroso. In informal settings, Esto es genial is a common way to say 'This is awesome'. If you want to use highly colloquial language, you might say ¡Es una pasada! to mean 'It's mind-blowing'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Different Spanish-speaking regions have their own specific ways to express this sentiment. In Spain, you can use the colloquial ¡esto mola! to say 'this is cool'. In Mexico, ¡Esto está padrísimo! is a common informal way to say 'this is awesome'. In certain Latin American countries, you might also hear ¡Está poca madre! or ¡Está de pelos! to mean 'This is awesome!'
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase ¡esto está genial!, the verb está is used to describe a current state or experience. If you switch to ¡esto es genial!, the focus shifts to an inherent quality of the thing being discussed.
Did you know?
- An unexpected way to say something is awesome in Mexico is ¡Está de pelos!, which literally translates to 'It is of hairs'.
- In Spain, you can replace your enthusiasm with the verb molar, as in ¡esto mola!, which comes from the word for 'to grind' or 'to mill'.
- The word genial shares the same root as the English 'genial', but its original Latin meaning was much more literal, referring to a 'guardian spirit' or 'genius'.
Examples in context
- ¡Esto es genial! ¡Tenemos que tomar muchas fotos!This is awesome! We have to take many photos!
- ¡Es una pasada! ¿Cómo lo hizo?It's mind-blowing! How did they do it?
Example conversation
Daniel shows María a new gadget he bought.
- DanielMira lo que compré, María.Look what I bought, María.
- María¡Esto está genial!This is awesome!
- DanielSí, es muy útil.Yes, it is very useful.
- MaríaMe encanta el color.I love the color.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries esto, genial, CC BY-SA 4.0.
