How to Say Beautiful in French
Learn how to say beautiful in French. 'Belle' (feminine) and 'beau' (masculine) are the words, with tricky gender and placement rules. Pronunciation guide + how to compliment.
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Quick answer
To say beautiful in French, say 'belle' (bel) for feminine and 'beau' (boh) for masculine. So 'you are beautiful' is 'Tu es belle' (to a woman) or 'Tu es beau' (to a man). French also has 'joli/jolie' (pretty), 'magnifique' (magnificent), and 'ravissant(e)' (ravishing). The adjective beau/belle also has an irregular form 'bel' before masculine nouns starting with a vowel.
Belle
/bel/ — French
How to Say Beautiful in French
French — the language of art and romance — naturally has elegant words for beauty. The catch is mastering gender (beau vs. belle) and a couple of irregular forms.
The Two Forms
| French | Pronunciation | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Beau | boh | Masculine (men, masculine nouns) |
| Belle | bel | Feminine (women, feminine nouns) |
Copy the Phrase
The French word for “beautiful” is belle (bel) for feminine, beau (boh) for masculine.
The Gender Rule
French adjectives must match the gender of the noun:
- Beau → masculine: un beau jardin (a beautiful garden), Tu es beau (you’re handsome)
- Belle → feminine: une belle maison (a beautiful house), Tu es belle (you’re beautiful)
The Irregular “Bel”
Here’s a French quirk: before a masculine noun starting with a vowel or silent ‘h’, beau becomes bel (for smoother sound):
| French | Meaning |
|---|---|
| un beau garçon | a handsome boy (consonant → beau) |
| un bel homme | a handsome man (vowel sound → bel) |
| un bel arbre | a beautiful tree (vowel → bel) |
It’s still masculine — just an irregular form for euphony.
French Words for Beauty
| French | Pronunciation | Nuance |
|---|---|---|
| Beau / Belle | boh / bel | Beautiful, handsome |
| Joli / Jolie | zho-LEE | Pretty, cute (lighter) |
| Magnifique | mah-nyee-FEEK | Magnificent, stunning |
| Ravissant(e) | rah-vee-SON(T) | Ravishing |
| Splendide | splon-DEED | Splendid |
| Mignon / Mignonne | mee-NYON | Cute, adorable |
Complimenting Someone
| French | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Tu es belle / beau | You are beautiful / handsome (informal) |
| Vous êtes belle / beau | You are beautiful / handsome (formal) |
| Tu es magnifique | You are stunning |
| Tu es ravissante | You are ravishing (to a woman) |
| Tu es très jolie | You are very pretty |
| Tu es adorable | You are adorable |
Beautiful vs. Pretty
The key distinction:
- Belle/beau — beautiful/handsome: striking, full, complete beauty
- Jolie/joli — pretty/cute: lighter, charming, sweet
For maximum praise: magnifique (stunning) or ravissant(e) (ravishing).
Describing Things
- Une belle vue — a beautiful view
- Un beau jour — a beautiful day
- C’est magnifique! — It’s magnificent!
- Quel beau paysage — What a beautiful landscape
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between beau and belle?
It's grammatical gender. 'Beau' (boh) is masculine — for men or masculine nouns. 'Belle' (bel) is feminine — for women or feminine nouns. So 'a beautiful man' = 'un bel homme' and 'a beautiful woman' = 'une belle femme.' You must match the adjective to the gender of what you're describing. The feminine 'belle' and masculine 'beau' sound quite different.
How do you pronounce belle and beau?
'Belle' is pronounced 'bel' — one syllable, rhyming with the English 'bell.' 'Beau' is pronounced 'boh' — like the English word 'bow' (as in bow-and-arrow) or 'beau' (a sweetheart). They're easy to say; the challenge is remembering which gender takes which.
What is 'bel' and when do you use it?
'Bel' is a special masculine form of 'beau' used before a masculine noun that starts with a vowel or silent 'h' — for smoother pronunciation. So it's 'un beau garçon' (a handsome boy) but 'un bel homme' (a handsome man) and 'un bel arbre' (a beautiful tree). It's still masculine — just an irregular form for euphony. This is one of French's trickier adjective quirks.
How do you say 'you are beautiful' in French?
'Tu es belle' (too eh bel) = you are beautiful (to a woman, informal). 'Tu es beau' (too eh boh) = you are handsome (to a man, informal). Formally: 'Vous êtes belle/beau.' Other compliments: 'Tu es magnifique' (you are magnificent/stunning), 'Tu es ravissante' (you are ravishing — to a woman), 'Tu es très jolie' (you are very pretty).
What is the difference between belle and jolie?
'Belle/beau' = beautiful/handsome (stronger, fuller beauty). 'Joli/jolie' (zho-LEE) = pretty/cute/nice (lighter, charming). 'Jolie' is sweet and casual, like calling someone or something pretty; 'belle' is more striking and complete. There's also 'magnifique' (magnificent/stunning) and 'ravissant(e)' (ravishing) for even stronger praise.