no eres genial
/no eɾes xenjal/from spelling rules
To say "you're not cool" in Spanish, use no eres genial.
The phrase no eres genial is used to tell someone they are not cool. It specifically focuses on a lack of greatness or excellence in a person.
Which one should you use?
The phrase no eres genial emphasizes a lack of excellence. In contrast, other slang terms in Spanish might focus more on a person's social status or their level of being 'cool' in a social sense.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, you can use the slang expression No sos copado/a to say you're not cool.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase no eres genial uses the second-person singular form of the verb ser (to be) in its negative form. If you change eres to es, the phrase becomes no es genial, which changes the subject from the informal 'you' to 'he', 'she' or the formal 'you'.
Did you know?
- The word genial is derived from the Latin word genius, which referred to a guardian spirit. Before it meant 'great' or 'cool', it was used to describe things related to festive celebrations and marriage.
- Because Spanish uses the verb ser in no eres genial, you are implying that the person's lack of coolness is a permanent personality trait rather than a temporary mood.
- While no eres genial is grammatically correct, it can sound overly formal or old-fashioned to native speakers. In Spain, people are far more likely to use the slang term guay to describe someone who is 'cool'.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are arguing about their fashion tastes.
- AlejandroMira mi ropa, soy muy moderno.Look at my clothes, I'm very modern.
- ElenaAlejandro, no eres genial.Alejandro, you're not cool.
- Alejandro¿Por qué dices eso, Elena?Why do you say that, Elena?
- ElenaPorque esa ropa es muy fea.Because those clothes are very ugly.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries eres, genial, no, CC BY-SA 4.0.
