ESEN
Which one to use?Beginneradjectiveadjetivo
ColdvsCool
"Cold" is a low temperature that is unpleasant; "cool" is pleasantly fresh or (in slang) great.
Side-by-side comparison
Cold
adjectiveLow temperature, generally unpleasant or uncomfortable. Also: a common illness (a cold).
It is freezing cold outside. Wear a coat.
She caught a cold and has been sneezing all day.
The coffee went cold while I was on the phone.
Cool
adjetivoPleasantly fresh, not cold. In modern slang: great, impressive, fashionable.
It is a cool evening, perfect for a walk.
That is a really cool idea. Let us try it.
Let the soup cool down before serving it.
Common mistake
- •"The weather is cold" when it is pleasantly fresh can be imprecise.
- •"Cool" is the comfortable zone between warm and cold; "cold" implies discomfort.
- •And for slang approval, only "cool" works: "cold" does not mean "great".
Trick to remember it
- •Scale: hot → warm → cool → cold → freezing.
- •"Cool" is the comfortable zone.
- •"Cold" starts to be unpleasant.
- •For slang approval, only "cool" exists in modern English.
Quick rule
- •"Cold" = cold (uncomfortable).
- •"Cool" = pleasantly fresh, or (slang) great or approved.
Did you know?
"Cool" as slang for approval comes from African-American jazz music of the 1940s. Musicians used "cool" to describe the relaxed, sophisticated style of modern jazz at the time. It then spread to all of popular culture and today is arguably the most universal expression of approval in modern English: "That's cool" is understood in virtually every English-speaking country, and the word has been borrowed as slang into more than 50 languages.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
It's a lovely _____ evening. Perfect weather for a walk.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
I left my coffee for too long. Now it's _____.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
ActuallyvsReally
"Actually" corrects or contrasts an assumption; "really" intensifies or confirms.
BigvsGreat
"Big" describes physical size or importance; "great" describes exceptional quality or magnitude.
HardvsDifficult
Both mean "not easy", but "hard" also means physically firm or working intensely.
AbovevsOver
"Above" is at a higher level without contact; "over" implies covering, movement, or crossing.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy