Inklingo

How to Say "marvel" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “marvel” is “maravilla” — use 'maravilla' to describe a thing or achievement that is exceptionally beautiful, impressive, or admirable, often a natural wonder or a great accomplishment..

English → Spanish

maravilla

mah-rah-VEE-yah/ma.ɾaˈβi.ʎa/

nounA2general
Use 'maravilla' to describe a thing or achievement that is exceptionally beautiful, impressive, or admirable, often a natural wonder or a great accomplishment.
A brightly colored illustration of a small child looking up at a large, glowing, floating star in the night sky, their face expressing deep wonder and astonishment.

Examples

La Sagrada Familia es una maravilla arquitectónica.

The Sagrada Familia is an architectural marvel.

El Gran Cañón es una maravilla natural del mundo.

The Grand Canyon is a natural wonder of the world.

Esta nueva aplicación es una maravilla; me ahorra muchísimo tiempo.

This new app is a marvel; it saves me so much time.

Su capacidad para improvisar en el escenario es una maravilla que pocos pueden igualar.

His ability to improvise on stage is a wonder that few can match.

Gender Alert

Even though 'maravilla' ends in '-a', it is a feminine noun, so you must use 'la' or 'una' before it.

Confusing Noun and Adverb

Mistake: “La comida era maravilla. (Incorrect)”

Correction: La comida era una maravilla. OR La comida estaba de maravilla. (Correct). You need the article 'una' or the phrase 'de' to make it sound natural.

fenómeno

nounC1general
Use 'fenómeno' to describe someone with extraordinary talent or ability, or an exceptional, unusual, or remarkable event.

Examples

Ese jugador de ajedrez es un verdadero fenómeno; ganó el campeonato a los 15 años.

That chess player is a true marvel; he won the championship at 15.

Fenómeno vs. Maravilla

Learners often confuse 'fenómeno' and 'maravilla' by using 'maravilla' for people. Remember that 'fenómeno' is best reserved for people with exceptional talent or for unusual events, while 'maravilla' is more suited for impressive things, places, or achievements.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.