Beautiful in French is beau (boh) with a masculine noun and belle (bel) with a feminine one: un beau jardin, une belle maison. Before a masculine word starting with a vowel sound it becomes bel: un bel appartement. For a view or a moment, say C'est beau ! or C'est magnifique !
- Masculine
- beau
- Feminine
- belle
- Before a vowel (m.)
- bel
- Plural
- beaux / belles
- Level
- A1
Beau, bel or belle: which form do you use?
Like most French adjectives, beau agrees with the noun in gender and number. Unlike most, it usually goes before the noun, and it has a special third form so that two vowels don't clash.
| Form | Used with | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| beau | Masculine singular | un beau jardin | a beautiful garden |
| bel | Masculine singular, before a vowel or silent h | un bel homme | a handsome man |
| belle | Feminine singular | une belle robe | a beautiful dress |
| beaux | Masculine plural | de beaux yeux | beautiful eyes |
| belles | Feminine plural | de belles fleurs | beautiful flowers |
Two short A1 lines show the switch. In one story, a mysterious letter arrives for Camille in Montmartre; in another, a pastry cook works for a good-looking boss:
La lettre est belle.Théo est beau.What other words mean beautiful or pretty?
Beau is the all-rounder. The others narrow it down: smaller and charming, grand and impressive, or cute.
| French | English | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| joli / jolie | pretty, nice | Things, clothes, small places, faces |
| magnifique | magnificent, gorgeous | Views, buildings, performances |
| superbe | superb, stunning | Places and things; also people |
| splendide | splendid | Weather, scenery |
| mignon / mignonne | cute, sweet | Babies, pets, a nice gesture |
| canon | gorgeous, hot | Slang, about people; same form for men and women |
Quelle belle vue !
What a beautiful view!
Il fait beau aujourd'hui.
The weather's nice today.
Il fait beau is about weather, not beauty.
Tu es très belle ce soir.
You look beautiful tonight.
To a partner or close friend.
C'est un joli quartier.
It's a pretty neighbourhood.
How do you compliment someone in French?
Compliments on things are always safe: a flat, a view, a dish, a dress. C'est vraiment joli chez toi (your place is really lovely) is a good thing to say when you visit someone. Remarks on a stranger's looks can come across as too familiar in France, so keep tu es belle and tu es beau for people you know well.
Read the free chapters of The Letters of Montmartre and tap any word to see what it means.
Read free in your browserWhy does belle-mère mean mother-in-law?
In family words, beau and belle mean "in-law" or "step", not beautiful. Belle-mère is a mother-in-law or a stepmother, beau-père a father-in-law or stepfather, and les beaux-parents are your in-laws. Context tells you which.
Beau also has a couple of fixed uses beginners meet early: avoir beau + verb means however much you try (j'ai beau chercher, however hard I look), and bel et bien means well and truly.
Frequently asked questions
How do you pronounce beau and belle?
Beau is "boh", like the English bow in "bow and arrow". Belle is "bel", like the English bell. Bel sounds exactly the same as belle.
Does beau go before or after the noun?
Usually before: une belle ville, un beau voyage. Most French adjectives follow the noun, but a small group about beauty, age, goodness and size (beau, jeune, vieux, bon, petit, grand…) normally comes first.
How do you say beautiful to a man in French?
Use beau: tu es beau (you're handsome). Belle is only for women and feminine nouns. Mignon (cute) is also common between partners.
What does ma belle mean?
Literally "my beautiful": an affectionate way to address a woman or girl, a bit like "love" or "darling". From a partner or relative it is sweet; from a stranger it can sound overfamiliar.