genial

/kheh-nyahl/

great

A group of stylized, joyful cartoon characters cheering enthusiastically with bright smiles and raised arms, surrounding a single, perfectly ripe, glowing red apple.

Visualizing the informal meaning of 'genial' as 'great' or 'cool,' representing enthusiastic approval of something wonderful.

genial(Adjective)

great?expressing enthusiasm, e.g., 'a great idea',cool?similar to 'awesome' or 'neat',fantastic?very good

Also:awesome?expressing admiration,brilliant?UK English equivalent for 'great'

📝 In Action

¡Qué genial que vienes a la fiesta!

How cool that you're coming to the party!

La película fue genial, me encantó.

The movie was great, I loved it.

Tus amigos son geniales.

Your friends are great/awesome.

Word Connections

Synonyms

estupendo (stupendous, wonderful)
fantástico (fantastic)
guay (cool (Spain))
chévere (cool (Latin America))

Antonyms

horrible (horrible)
fatal (awful)
pésimo (terrible)

Common Collocations

¡Qué genial! – How great! / How cool!
Pasarlo genial – To have a great time
Una idea genial – A great idea

💡 Grammar Points

Making 'genial' Match

Like most describing words (adjectives), 'genial' needs to match the thing it's describing. If the thing is plural, add an '-es' to make 'geniales'. For example: 'un plan genial' (one great plan) vs. 'unos planes geniales' (some great plans).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Describing a Mood

Mistake: "Él está genial hoy."

Correction: To say someone is in a great mood, it's more natural to say 'Él está de muy buen humor'. Saying 'es genial' describes the person's character ('he's a great person'), not their temporary feeling.

⭐ Usage Tips

The Perfect Reaction

Just shouting '¡Genial!' is a super common and natural way to react to good news or a fun suggestion. It works just like 'Awesome!' or 'Great!' in English.

A stylized inventor character looking intently at a complex, abstract puzzle structure, which is suddenly completed by a single, glowing geometric shape snapping perfectly into place above their head.

Representing the meaning of 'genial' as 'brilliant' or showing a stroke of genius in solving a difficult problem.

genial(Adjective)

brilliant?an idea, a plan, a solution

Also:inspired?a decision, a performance,of genius?a work of art, a move in a game

📝 In Action

El arquitecto tuvo una idea genial para el diseño del museo.

The architect had a brilliant idea for the museum's design.

Fue una solución genial a un problema muy complicado.

It was a brilliant solution to a very complicated problem.

El director le dio un toque genial a la escena final.

The director gave a touch of genius to the final scene.

Word Connections

Synonyms

brillante (brilliant)
ingenioso (ingenious, clever)
sobresaliente (outstanding)

Antonyms

mediocre (mediocre)
absurdo (absurd)
tonto (silly, dumb)

⭐ Usage Tips

Connect it to 'Genio'

This meaning is directly tied to the noun 'genio' (genius). Think of 'una idea genial' as 'an idea from a genius.' This helps separate it from the more casual 'cool' or 'great' meaning.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: genial

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'genial' to mean 'brilliant' or 'of genius'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

genio(genius, temper) - noun

genialidad(brilliance, stroke of genius) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'genial' the same as 'genial' in English?

Not usually! In English, 'genial' means friendly and cheerful. While Spanish 'genial' can have a related, rare meaning, 99% of the time it means 'great/cool' or 'brilliant'. To say someone is friendly and cheerful in Spanish, you'd use words like 'amable' or 'simpático'.

Do I say 'genial' or 'geniales'?

It depends on what you're describing. If you're talking about one thing, use 'genial' (e.g., 'el libro es genial'). If you're talking about more than one thing, use 'geniales' (e.g., 'los libros son geniales').