How to Say "You Are Beautiful" in French

The French language has more than one way to say a person is beautiful.

French is said to be a language of love, one of those great European dialects that sounds romantic whether you're ordering a cheeseburger or professing your undying love to someone. Every language has various ways of conveying the same point, so learn how the French compliment each other on their beauty.

Instructions

1. Determine the context of the phrase. Are you planning to say it to a girl you like? Your grandmother? Your sportscar? This will help you establish how to word the phrase.

2. Say "tu es tres belle (beau for a man)" if you mean to use the most common form of "you are beautiful." It is pronounced "Too ess tray bell." Or "Too ess tray bo."

3. Saying "tu es jolie" is also a common compliment in France, which translates to "You are pretty/attractive/good-looking." Jolie is pronounced like Angelina Jolie's last name, except the "j" has more of a "shhh" sound to it, like "Je t'aime" ("I love you) does.

4. Say "Vous êtes belle" as the more formal way to say "You are beautiful." It is pronounced "Voo-zet bell." This phrase is particularly useful if you are addressing someone you do not already know.

Tips & Warnings

• There are many ways to compliment someone's beauty in French, but in many languages. To see which phrase would work best in your situation, consult a native Frenchmen or someone who is fluent in the language. The person can likely give his honest opinion on how someone in your position would phrase it.

• French pronunciation can be difficult to master, so practice some of the common inflections before using the phrases. Try to find a pronunciation program on the Internet to further grasp how to properly deliver your phrase.

Resources

• How to Say In?