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"Cool" is a form of "cool", an adjective which is often translated as "fresco". "Cold" is an adjective which is often translated as "frío". Learn more about the difference between "cool" and "cold" below.
cool(
kul
)An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
1. (not hot)
a. fresco
There was a cool breeze coming through the windows.Entraba una brisa fresca por las ventanas.
2. (light)
a. fresco
I wear cool dresses on hot summer days.Llevo vestidos frescos en los calurosos días de verano.
3. (calm)
4. (pale)
a. fresco
I want to paint my room a cool color, such as blue or green.Quiero pintar mi habitación de un color fresco, como azul o verde.
5. (distant)
a. frío
She has been very cool toward me ever since she found out about my trip to Vegas.Ha sido muy fría conmigo desde que se enteró de mi viaje a Vegas.
6. (colloquial) (extremely good)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. genial (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Did you see how cool Jaime's new car is?¿Viste lo genial que está el carro nuevo de Jaime?
b. chévere (colloquial) (Latin America)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
That is so cool! I wish I could have gone on that trip.¡Qué chévere! Ojalá yo hubiera podido ir en ese viaje.
c. bacán (colloquial) (Central America) (South America)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
Regionalism used in South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela
That new restaurant is really cool!¡Qué bacán está el restaurante nuevo!
d. macanudo (colloquial) (Central America) (South America)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
Regionalism used in South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela
Sammy's bought some really cool new sneakers.Sammy se compró unos tenis nuevos macanudos.
e. copado (colloquial) (River Plate)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Yesterday I heard about a cool café downtown. Want to go?Ayer me contaron de un café copado que está en el centro. ¿Vamos?
f. padre (colloquial) (Mexico)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Mexico
How cool! We're going to Europe.¡Qué padre! Nos vamos a Europa.
g. chido (colloquial) (Mexico)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Mexico
What a cool watch, bro! Where did you buy it?¡Qué reloj más chido, hermano! ¿Dónde lo compraste?
h. bacano (colloquial) (Colombia)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Colombia
Your bike is so cool! Can I borrow it?¡Tu bici está bien bacana! ¿Me la prestas?
i. guay (colloquial) (Spain)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Spain
Your new sneakers are really cool.Tus tenis nuevos son muy guay.
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
I won a cool $500,000 playing the lottery!¡Gané en la lotería la friolera de $500,000!
The prices rose a cool 20% since last year.Los precios subieron un buen 20% desde el año pasado.
8. (acceptable)
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
It's cool; you don't have to come if you don't want to.Está bien, no tienes que venir si no quieres.
Whatever you want to do is cool.Lo que quieras hacer me parece bien.
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
10. (coldness)
a. el fresco (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
I love to sit on the terrace and enjoy the cool of the evening.Me encanta sentarme en la terraza y disfrutar el fresco de la noche.
b. el frescor (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The cool of the breeze was refreshing.El frescor de la brisa era refrescante.
11. (quiet)
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
13. (to make cold)
a. poner a enfriar
Please cool the beers for the garden party.Por favor pon las cervezas a enfriar para la fiesta en el jardín.
c. refrescar
In Seville, the people wipe the floor to cool the house.En Sevilla, la gente friega el suelo para refrescar la casa.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
14. (to get cold)
15. (figurative) (to die down)
A phrase used as a figure of speech or a word that is symbolic in meaning; metaphorical (e.g., carrot, bean).
a. enfriarse
Our relationship cooled with time, so we decided to break up.Nuestra relación se enfrió con el tiempo, así que decidimos romper.
An interjection is a short utterance that expresses emotion, hesitation, or protest (e.g., Wow!).
16. (colloquial) (used to express approval)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. genial (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
My mother lent me her car. - Cool!Mi madre me dejó su carro. - ¡Genial!
b. chévere (colloquial) (Latin America)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
Did you pass the math test? Cool!¿Aprobaste el examen de matemáticas? ¡Chévere!
c. bacán (colloquial) (Central America) (South America)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
Regionalism used in South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela
I made a crème caramel because I know it's your favorite dessert. - Cool!Hice un flan porque sé que es tu postre preferido. - ¡Bacán!
d. macanudo (colloquial) (Central America) (South America)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
Regionalism used in South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela
Did you get tickets to see the game? Cool!¿Conseguiste entradas para ver el partido? ¡Macanudo!
e. copado (colloquial) (River Plate)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Shall we meet at 5 pm outside the café? - Cool. See you there.¿Quedamos a las 5 pm en la puerta del café? - Copado. Allí estaré.
f. padre (colloquial) (Mexico)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Mexico
My parents are away. We can have the party at my house. - Cool!Mis padres no están. Podemos hacer la fiesta en mi casa. - ¡Padre!
g. chido (colloquial) (Mexico)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Mexico
My grandparents gave me a bike for my birthday. - Cool!Mis abuelos me regalaron una bici por mi cumpleaños. - ¡Chido!
h. bacano (colloquial) (Colombia)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Colombia
Here's your beer. - Cool! Thank you!Aquí tienes tu cerveza. - ¡Bacano! ¡Gracias!
i. guay (colloquial) (Spain)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Spain
You can come to the beach? Cool!¿Puedes venir a la playa? ¡Guay!
cold(
kold
)An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
a. frío
This food is cold. Send it back to the kitchen.Esta comida está fría. Devuélvela a la cocina.
2. (unfriendly)
a. frío
She is such a cold person. She didn't acknowledge me at all when I greeted her.Ella es una persona tan fría. No me devolvió el saludo.
3. (impersonal)
a. frío
You have to be a bit cold and objective to be the president of a company.Tienes que ser un poco frío e imparcial para ser el presidente de una empresa.
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
6. (illness)
a. el resfriado (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
I've got a cold and can't go to the gym.Tengo un resfriado y no puedo ir al gimnasio.
b. el catarro (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
If we stay out in this weather, we will catch a cold.Si nos quedamos fuera con este tiempo, pillaremos un catarro.
c. el resfrío (M) (Southern Cone)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Stay at home if you have a cold.Si tiene un resfrío, quédese en casa.
d. el constipado (M) (Spain)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Regionalism used in Spain
One of the symptoms of the common cold is sneezing.Uno de los síntomas del constipado común es estornudar.
An adverb is a word that describes a verb, an adjective, or other adverbs (e.g., to run quickly, very tired).
7. (abruptly)
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
He stopped cold when she called him.Se paró en seco cuando ella lo llamó.
I quit eating junk food cold and it has been very difficult.Dejé de comer comida chatarra de un solo golpe y ha sido difícil.
9. (completely)
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
I have my monologue for the audition memorized cold.Tengo el monólogo para la prueba memorizado bien pero bien.
The player turned the first contract offer down cold.El jugador rechazó rotundamente la primera oferta de contrato.
