excelente
ek-seh-LEN-teh
📝 In Action
La comida en este restaurante es excelente.
A2The food at this restaurant is excellent.
Hiciste un trabajo excelente en el proyecto.
B1You did an excellent job on the project.
¡Qué excelente idea!
A2What an excellent idea!
Tus amigos son personas excelentes.
B1Your friends are excellent people.
💡 Grammar Points
One Form for 'He' and 'She' Words
Adjectives ending in '-e', like 'excelente', are easy! They use the same form for both masculine and feminine things. For example: 'un libro excelente' (an excellent book) and 'una película excelente' (an excellent movie).
Making it Plural
To talk about more than one thing, just add an '-s' to the end. For example, 'unos libros excelentes' (some excellent books) and 'unas películas excelentes' (some excellent movies).
Where It Goes in a Sentence
'Excelente' almost always comes after the thing it's describing, which is the normal spot for descriptive words in Spanish. For example, 'una cena excelente' (an excellent dinner).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Trying to Make it Feminine
Mistake: "Sometimes learners try to make 'excelente' match a feminine word by changing it to 'excelenta'. For example: 'La sopa está excelenta.'"
Correction: The word 'excelenta' doesn't exist. Just keep it as 'excelente' for everyone and everything. The correct way is: 'La sopa está excelente.'
⭐ Usage Tips
A Stronger 'Bueno'
Think of 'excelente' as a big step up from 'bueno' (good). When something is more than just good, use 'excelente' to give it strong praise and show you're really impressed.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: excelente
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'excelente' and 'sobresaliente'?
They are very similar and both mean 'outstanding'. 'Excelente' is much more common in everyday conversation for general praise ('This coffee is excellent!'). 'Sobresaliente' also means 'outstanding' but you'll hear it more in formal or academic settings, like for grades on a test ('Sacó una nota sobresaliente' - He got an outstanding grade).
Can I put 'excelente' before the noun, like 'un excelente día'?
Yes, you can, but it's less common. Placing it before the noun ('un excelente día') adds a bit more emotional emphasis, like saying 'a truly excellent day!'. The most standard and neutral position is after the noun ('un día excelente').