To describe someone or something as pretty in Spanish, the simplest choice is bonito/bonita (pretty). But that’s not the only way to say it. The Spanish language is filled with many beautiful words and expressive adjectives.
If you’re hoping to travel to one of the amazing destinations where Spanish is the main language, you’re going to need this whole list of Spanish adjectives and adverbs to help you say “pretty” in all its forms.
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How do you say ‘pretty’ in Spanish?
If you’re describing a noun, such as a pretty dress, a sunset with pretty colors, or you want to say “you are pretty” in Spanish, you’ll need to use an adjective.
While these terms could all translate to “pretty” in Spanish, there are some nuances and differences to keep in mind that will help you sound like a native speaker. Remember, to follow Spanish gender rules all of them have different forms (masculine/feminine). They will also need to be in plural form (add “s” to the end of the word) if describing a plural noun.
Bonito/bonita
You can describe many Spanish nouns, including objects, landscapes, or experiences, with this adjective.
- Me gusta esta bufanda bonita. = I like this pretty scarf.
It’s part of a popular saying, “bueno, bonito, y barato” (good quality, pretty/attractive, and affordable) that you can say to compliment a restaurant or a souvenir. Just don’t get it confused with el bonito (a type of tuna fish) which you may need to order off a menu in Spanish.
Hermoso/hermosa
Many Spanish adjectives have superlative forms that indicate something is extremely pretty, including people, places, and things.
- ¿Cuáles son las montañas más hermosas del mundo? = Which are the prettiest mountains in the world?
Precioso/preciosa
This is also a Spanish cognate of the English word for “precious” or “valuable.”
- ¡Qué bebé más preciosa es mi nieta! = What a pretty baby my granddaughter is!
Guapo/guapa
This adjective is usually only used to describe attractive people, not places or things, except in Spain it might be used as slang for objects.
- Mi vecina es una mujer muy guapa. = My neighbor is a very pretty woman.
Lindo/linda
This adjective, like others, can describe different types of nouns.
- Su nueva canción es muy linda, pero la letra es triste. = Her new song is very pretty, but the lyrics are sad.
Do you use ser or estar to say ‘you are pretty’ in Spanish?
Both of the Spanish verbs for “to be” can be correct to pay a compliment in Spanish. The question of ser vs. estar is answered by whether you want to describe the person as characteristically pretty, or whether you’re pointing out that they are exceptionally pretty at that point in time.
Opt for ser to say that a person is generally pretty. It’s how you’d normally describe them or their appearance.
- Mamá, eres muy bonita. = Mom, you’re very pretty.
Using estar can draw attention to how pretty someone looks in that particular moment.
- Mamá, ¡estás muy bonita! Me encanta ese vestido. = Mom, you’re looking very pretty! I love that dress.
Part of how Rosetta Stone works is by providing many examples of sentences with ser vs. estar and other important grammar concepts in authentic contexts so the difference will come more naturally.
How to say ‘pretty’ as an adverb in Spanish
To say “pretty good,” in Spanish, or to describe any other adjective, you’ll need an adverb. If you want to temper your meaning, landing somewhere between muy (very) or sumamente (extremely) and un poco (a little bit), try one of the following Spanish adverbs—they would work with phrases like “pretty expensive” or “pretty strong.”
Más bien
You might try this phrase so you don’t seem too rude or critical.
- La sopa está más bien salada. = The soup tastes pretty salty.
- El piso es más bien pequeño. = The apartment/flat is pretty small.
Algo
The meaning of algo before an adjective is similar to “pretty” or “somewhat.”
- Me siento algo mareado. = I feel pretty dizzy.
- Es un restaurante algo caro, pero es mi cumpleaños. = It’s a pretty expensive restaurant, but it’s my birthday.
Bastante
Similar to the other examples, place bastante in front of an adjective.
- El examen fue bastante difícil. = The test was pretty hard.
- Mi primo es bastante fuerte. = My cousin is pretty strong.
Spanish expressions with ‘pretty’
English idioms that include “pretty” may not translate word-for-word. Add a few expressions to your Spanish repertoire and you’ll be conversing confidently pretty easily!
| Spanish Expression | English Meaning | Literal English Translation |
| una buena pasta/un dineral | a pretty penny | a good dough |
| costar un ojo de la cara | to cost a pretty penny/to cost an arm and a leg | to cost an eye from the face |
| estar en una situación favorable | to be sitting pretty | to be in a favorable situation |
| linda como un sol | pretty as a picture | pretty like a sun |
| más que nada | pretty much | more than nothing/more than anything |
| porfa/porfi | pretty please? | a cute form of por favor (please) |
Key takeaways about ‘pretty’ in Spanish
If you’re feeling pretty good about this word in Spanish, simply review these key points.
- “Pretty” has several synonyms, which can mean “beautiful” or “lovely” in English as well.
- When “pretty” is used as an adjective, it must agree with the noun it’s describing in gender and in number.
- To translate “pretty” when it’s placed before an adjective, use one of the adverb options.
- Idioms and expressions don’t always translate word-for-word, so learn these translations as whole phrases.
- If you want even more synonyms for “pretty,” try saying “beautiful” in Spanish.
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