increíble

Increíble is an adjective in Spanish meaning incredible, unbelievable, or astonishing. It describes people, events, objects, or phenomena that provoke surprise, admiration, or skepticism. Its usage spans formal and informal contexts and can convey positive or negative evaluations depending on the situation, for example la historia increíble or un hecho increíble.

Etymology and sense: the word stems from the prefix in- (not) plus creíble (believable), from creer (to believe). Although it literally denotes “not believable,” in modern usage the sense has shifted toward emphasizing extraordinariness, similar to the English word incredible.

Morphology and agreement: increíble ends in -e and is an adjective that generally agrees with gender in form only in pluralization, not in gender distinction. The forms are increíble (singular, both masculine and feminine) and increíbles (plural). Noun phrases include un hecho increíble, una historia increíble. The adverbial form is increíblemente, used to modify verbs or adjectives.

Usage and nuance: increíble is common across registers and can express genuine awe or skepticism, depending on tone and context. It frequently appears in constructions like es increíble, parece increíble, or algo increíble. Synonyms include asombroso, extraordinario, impresionante, and fantástico; its antonym is creíble. In casual speech, its intensity can be heightened with adverbs such as extremadamente or tan.

Translations and related notes: in English, increíble translates to incredible or unbelievable. Related languages share similar formations, for example portugués incrível. The term is a staple in Spanish-language media, literature, and everyday conversation.