How to Say "handsome" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “handsome” is “guapo” — this is the most common and versatile word to describe a man, boy, or even a male animal as handsome or good-looking.
guapo
gwah-pohˈɡwapo
Examples
El actor principal de la película es muy guapo.
The main actor in the movie is very handsome.
¡Qué casa tan guapa! Me encanta la fachada.
What a beautiful house! I love the facade.
Ella es guapa, pero él es un poco más feo.
She is good-looking (guapa), but he is a bit uglier.
Changing the Ending
Since 'guapo' is a describing word (adjective), you must change the ending to match the thing you are describing: 'guapo' (masculine singular), 'guapa' (feminine singular), 'guapos' (masculine plural), 'guapas' (feminine plural).
Ser vs. Estar
Use 'ser' (es guapo) if the person is generally handsome. Use 'estar' (está guapo) if they look particularly good today or for a specific event.
Confusing 'Guapo' and 'Bonito'
Mistake: “Using 'guapo' for non-living objects when you mean 'pretty' (e.g., *El flor es guapo*).”
Correction: Use 'bonito' for most beautiful objects or places, reserving 'guapo' mostly for people or objects in Spain. Say: *La flor es bonita*.
bello
BAY-yohˈbe.ʎo
Examples
Es un hombre muy bello.
He is a very handsome man.
El paisaje de la montaña es realmente bello en otoño.
The mountain landscape is truly beautiful in autumn.
Tienes un perro muy bello y grande.
You have a very lovely and large dog.
Le regaló un bello poema escrito por él mismo.
He gave her a beautiful poem written by himself.
Agreement is Key
As an adjective, 'bello' must change its ending to match the noun it describes: 'bello' (masculine singular), 'bella' (feminine singular), 'bellos' (masculine plural), 'bellas' (feminine plural).
Location of the Adjective
Mistake: “El bello coche.”
Correction: El coche bello. (While 'bello' can go before the noun for emphasis, placing it after is the most standard way to describe something.)
hermoso
er-MOH-soheɾˈmoso
Examples
El modelo es muy hermoso.
The model is very handsome.
El paisaje desde la montaña es hermoso.
The landscape from the mountain is beautiful.
Tu vestido es hermoso, ¿dónde lo compraste?
Your dress is gorgeous, where did you buy it?
Gracias por el hermoso regalo.
Thank you for the lovely gift.
Making it Match: Gender & Number
Like most Spanish describing words, 'hermoso' must change its ending to match the person or thing it describes. Use 'hermoso' for masculine things, 'hermosa' for feminine things, 'hermosos' for plural masculine things, and 'hermosas' for plural feminine things.
Where to Put It
Usually, 'hermoso' comes after the thing it describes (e.g., 'un coche hermoso' - a beautiful car). You can put it before for a more poetic or emotional effect (e.g., 'un hermoso día' - a beautiful day).
Forgetting to Change the Ending
Mistake: “La casa es hermoso.”
Correction: Say 'La casa es hermosa.' Because 'casa' is a feminine word (it ends in -a), the describing word 'hermoso' needs to change to 'hermosa' to match.
Ser vs. Estar
Mistake: “La playa es hermosa hoy.”
Correction: It's better to say 'La playa está hermosa hoy.' Use 'ser' (es) for permanent qualities ('La playa es hermosa' - The beach is a beautiful place in general). Use 'estar' (está) for temporary states or how something looks right now ('La playa está hermosa hoy' - The beach looks beautiful today).
apuesto
a-PWES-toaˈpwesto
Examples
El protagonista de la película es un hombre muy apuesto.
The main character of the movie is a very handsome man.
Mi abuelo siempre fue un señor muy apuesto y elegante.
My grandfather was always a very dapper and elegant gentleman.
Con ese traje nuevo, te ves muy apuesto.
With that new suit, you look very handsome.
Making Adjectives Agree
In Spanish, describing words (adjectives) must match the person or thing they describe. 'Apuesto' is used for men ('un hombre apuesto'). For women, it changes to 'apuesta' ('una mujer apuesta').
Gender Mix-up
Mistake: “La actriz es muy apuesto.”
Correction: La actriz es muy apuesta. Remember to change the ending from -o to -a when describing someone or something female.
chulo
CHOO-lohˈtʃulo
Examples
¡Qué chulo está tu novio!
How handsome/cool your boyfriend is!
¡Qué chulo está tu bebé!
How cute your baby is!
Ese muchacho es muy chulo.
That boy is very handsome.
Examples
Tienes unos hijos muy lindos.
You have very cute/handsome sons.
Examples
Es un chico muy bonito.
He is a very pretty/handsome boy.
papi
PAH-peeˈpa.pi
Examples
¡Ese cantante es un papi!
That singer is a hottie/handsome guy!
¡Esa canción tiene ritmo! Muévete, papi.
That song has rhythm! Move it, handsome.
Mira qué carro trae ese papi.
Look what car that hot guy is driving.
Guapo vs. Bello/Hermoso for People
Related Translations
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