excelente
/eɡsθeˈlente/
The phrase "very excellent" is expressed as excelente in Spanish.
The word excelente is used to describe something of extremely high quality.
How do you pronounce it?
/eɡsθeˈlente/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying muy excelente. English speakers often make this error by translating "very" literally, but because excelente is an absolute adjective, it does not take an intensifier like muy in standard Spanish.
Did you know?
- Unlike English, where 'excellent' is almost always positive, some Spanish speakers use excelente with a falling intonation to convey heavy irony or sarcasm when something goes wrong.
- If you use excelente to describe a person's performance in a professional setting, it can sometimes sound slightly condescending if not paired with a warm tone. In certain contexts, it sounds more like a judge's verdict than a friendly compliment.
- While muy is forbidden with excelente, Spanish speakers often use the phrase más que excelente to express a level of quality that exceeds the absolute.
Examples in context
- La película que vimos anoche fue súper excelente.The movie we watched last night was super excellent.
- Este vino es excelente.This wine is excellent.
- Tu trabajo fue excelente.Your work was excellent.
- La comida de este restaurante es excelente.The food at this restaurant is excellent.
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are finishing a meal at a restaurant.
- Sofía¿Te gustó la cena, Alejandro?Did you like the dinner, Alejandro?
- AlejandroSí, la pasta estaba excelente.Yes, the pasta was excellent.
- SofíaYo también pensé lo mismo.I thought the same thing too.
- AlejandroFue un servicio excelente.It was excellent service.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry excelente, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
