The everyday words for beautiful in Spanish are bonito (boh-NEE-toh), pretty or lovely, and precioso (preh-THYOH-soh in Spain), gorgeous. Hermoso is beautiful with a more poetic ring in Spain. For a good-looking person, Spaniards say guapo. All of them change their ending to match what they describe: una casa bonita, un día precioso.
- Pretty, lovely
- bonito / bonita
- Gorgeous
- precioso / preciosa
- Beautiful (poetic)
- hermoso / hermosa
- Good-looking
- guapo / guapa
- Level
- A1
Bonito, precioso, hermoso or bello?
In Spain, bonito is the workhorse for places, objects and gestures, and precioso is the step up when something really strikes you. Hermoso and bello sound more elevated in Spain: you find them in letters, songs and descriptions of art.
| Spanish | English | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Bonito / bonita | Pretty, nice, lovely | Places, things, ideas; everyday Spain |
| Precioso / preciosa | Gorgeous, lovely | Views, babies, voices, clothes |
| Hermoso / hermosa | Beautiful | Warmer, more literary in Spain |
| Bello / bella | Beautiful | Literary; art, landscapes |
| Guapo / guapa | Good-looking | People |
| Lindo / linda | Lovely, cute | Latin America; rare in Spain |
| Maravilloso / maravillosa | Wonderful | Strong praise |
Two real lines show the difference in strength. A plain compliment for a small flat:
El piso es pequeño pero bonito.And precioso for a voice that stops a village choir in its tracks:
Antes de empezar, oyeron una voz preciosa detrás de la panadería.How do you say someone is beautiful?
Use guapo for a man and guapa for a woman. With ser it describes how someone is; with estar it means how they look right now, which is the compliment you pay someone dressed up for a wedding.
Tu hermana es muy guapa.
Your sister is very pretty.
¡Qué guapa estás hoy!
You look lovely today!
Eres preciosa.
You're beautiful.
Romantic; also said to children.
Estás guapísimo.
You look really handsome.
Stories describe characters with ser, as in this A1 opening that introduces an architect in a village near Segovia:
Es inteligente, es guapa, pero está sola.How do you say how beautiful!?
Spanish puts qué in front of the adjective. To include the noun, add más or tan: both patterns are correct, and Spain uses both all the time. For the weather, Spanish uses hacer: hace un día precioso, it's a beautiful day.
¡Qué bonito!
How pretty!
¡Qué vista más bonita!
What a beautiful view!
¡Qué casa tan preciosa!
What a gorgeous house!
Hace un día precioso.
It's a beautiful day.
What mistakes do learners make with beautiful?
Forgetting agreement. The adjective follows the noun's gender and number: un jardín bonito, unas flores bonitas. Using guapo for things is casual in Spain at best; for a view or a building choose bonito or precioso.
There is also a fish called bonito, a kind of tuna, so bonito del norte on a menu is not a compliment to the chef. To praise the food itself, see how to say delicious in Spanish.
Read A1 Spanish stories and tap any word, from bonito to precioso, to see what it means.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you say you are beautiful in Spanish?
Eres preciosa to a woman or eres precioso to a man, or eres muy guapa / guapo. Estás guapísima means you look gorgeous today.
What is the difference between es guapa and está guapa?
Es guapa says she is good-looking in general. Está guapa says she looks lovely right now, perhaps because of a new haircut or an outfit.
How do you say beautiful to a man in Spanish?
Guapo is the usual word: eres muy guapo. Precioso can be said to a man by a partner, but guapo is safer.
What does lindo mean?
Lovely, pretty or cute. It is very common in Latin America, for people and things. In Spain it is understood but sounds Latin American.
Is hermoso used in Spain?
Yes, but it sounds more literary there than bonito or precioso. In everyday Spain Spanish, hermoso can also describe a big, healthy baby: ¡qué niño más hermoso!