A small child stands on a green hill and looks up in amazement at a huge, perfectly formed, colorful rainbow filling the sky. The scene evokes a sense of wonder.

maravilloso

/mah-rah-bee-YO-so/

AdjectivemA2

wonderful?general use,marvelous?general use

Also:amazing?expressing admiration or surprise,gorgeous?describing something beautiful

📝 In Action

El viaje a la costa fue maravilloso.

The trip to the coast was wonderful.

Tienes un talento maravilloso para la música.

You have a marvelous talent for music.

La vista desde la montaña es maravillosa.

The view from the mountain is gorgeous.

¡Qué libro tan maravilloso! No podía dejar de leerlo.

What an amazing book! I couldn't stop reading it.

Word Connections

Synonyms

fantástico (fantastic)
increíble (incredible)
espléndido (splendid)
excelente (excellent)

Antonyms

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

Common Collocations

un día maravilloso – a wonderful day
un lugar maravilloso – a marvelous place
una persona maravillosa – a wonderful person
una idea maravillosa – a wonderful idea

💡 Grammar Points

Making it Match: Gender and Number

This word changes its ending to match the person or thing it's describing. Think of it like a chameleon! Use 'maravilloso' for masculine things and 'maravillosa' for feminine things. If you're talking about more than one, add an 's': 'maravillosos' or 'maravillosas'.

Using 'Ser' vs. 'Estar'

Use 'ser maravilloso' for something that is always wonderful (its basic quality). For example, 'El arte es maravilloso' (Art is wonderful). Use 'estar maravilloso' for something that is wonderful right now (its current condition). For example, 'La cena está maravillosa' (The dinner is wonderful).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Forgetting to Change the Ending

Mistake: "La película es maravilloso."

Correction: La película es maravillosa. Because 'película' (movie) is a feminine word, the ending of 'maravilloso' needs to change to '-a' to match it.

⭐ Usage Tips

Stronger than 'Bueno'

Think of 'maravilloso' as a step up from 'bueno' (good) or 'bonito' (pretty). Save it for when you're really impressed. It adds a lot of positive emotion to what you're saying.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: maravilloso

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence is grammatically correct?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

maravilla(a wonder, a marvel) - noun

maravillar(to amaze, to fill with wonder) - verb

maravillosamente(wonderfully, marvelously) - adverb

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'maravilloso', 'increíble', and 'fantástico'?

They are very similar and often used interchangeably to say something is great. 'Maravilloso' often emphasizes beauty and wonder. 'Increíble' means 'incredible' or 'unbelievable.' 'Fantástico' is just like 'fantastic.' All of them are strong, positive words.

Do I need to use 'muy' (very) with 'maravilloso'?

You can, but you usually don't need to. 'Maravilloso' is already a very strong word, so saying 'muy maravilloso' can sound a bit repetitive, like 'very wonderful' in English. Just using 'maravilloso' is often enough to express a strong positive feeling.