Spanish · Emotions & Descriptions
"Cool (great)" in Spanish: genial
genial
Note: Mexico: padre; Caribbean and the Andes: chévere; ES: guay
Cool meaning great in Spanish is genial. It does not change for gender. ¡Qué genial! is everyday praise.
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How to pronounce genial
Say it
heh-NYAHL
/xe.ˈnjal/
heh-NYAHL. Soft g like English h. Stress NYAHL.
"Cool (great)" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| genial | cool / great Wide Latin American praise. | Wide Latin American praise. |
| qué genial | how cool Reaction. | Reaction. |
| padre | cool (Mexico) Mexican informal. | Mexican informal. |
| chévere | cool (Caribbean/Andes) Regional informal. | Regional informal. |
How to use genial in real life
- 1New plan
Esa idea es genial.
That idea is cool.
Genial with idea.
- 2Concert invite
¡Qué genial! Yo voy contigo.
How cool! I’ll go with you.
Qué genial reaction.
- 3Team idea
Ustedes tuvieron un plan genial.
You all had a cool plan.
Genial with plan.
Mistakes English speakers make with genial
Incorrect: Una idea geniala.
Correct: Una idea genial.
Do not add -a. Genial stays the same.
Incorrect: Es geniales.
Correct: Es genial. / Son geniales.
Singular genial; plural geniales.
Good to know
Genial works across Latin America. Mexico often says padre. Caribbean and Andean Spanish use chévere. Spain uses guay. Beginners can stick with genial everywhere.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Reacting to a friend’s weekend plan
ChatPal
Organicé un picnic. ¿Te late?
I organized a picnic. Interested?
You
¡Qué genial! ¿A qué hora?
How cool! What time?
ChatPal
A las once. Va a estar genial.
At eleven. It’s going to be cool.
You
Llevo fruta y una manta.
I’ll bring fruit and a blanket.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Cool (great)" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Cool (great)" in Spanish
Does genial change for gender?
No. Genial is the same for masculine and feminine.
Mexico vs Caribbean cool?
Mexico: padre. Caribbean/Andes: chévere. Genial works widely.
How do I pronounce genial?
heh-NYAHL. Soft g like h.
Cool temperature?
Fresco or frío—not genial.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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