How to Say "pretty" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “pretty” is “bonito” — use this for a general, all-purpose description of things, places, or people that are pleasing to the eye.
bonito
boh-NEE-tohboˈnito
Examples
Tu jardín es muy bonito.
Your garden is very pretty.
¡Qué casa tan bonita!
What a pretty house!
Fue un bonito gesto de tu parte.
That was a nice gesture on your part.
Matching the Noun
Like most describing words in Spanish, 'bonito' must change to match the person or thing it describes. Use 'bonito' for masculine things, 'bonita' for feminine things, 'bonitos' for plural masculine, and 'bonitas' for plural feminine. For example: el coche bonito (the pretty car), la flor bonita (the pretty flower).
Using 'Bueno' for 'Pretty'
Mistake: “La casa es muy buena.”
Correction: La casa es muy bonita. 'Bueno' means 'good' in terms of quality or morality, while 'bonito' refers to appearance.
Forgetting to Change the Ending
Mistake: “Las chicas son bonito.”
Correction: Las chicas son bonitas. Remember to make it plural ('-s') and feminine ('-a') to match 'las chicas'.
guapa
GWAH-pahˈɡwapa
Examples
Tu hermana es muy guapa.
Your sister is very pretty.
¿Conoces a la chica guapa que trabaja aquí?
Do you know the attractive girl who works here?
Qué guapa estás hoy con ese vestido rojo.
How lovely you look today in that red dress.
Ser vs. Estar with Appearance
Use 'ser guapa' for someone's natural, permanent beauty. Use 'estar guapa' to talk about how someone looks right now (e.g., dressed up for an event).
Confusing Gender
Mistake: “El chico es guapa.”
Correction: El chico es guapo. Remember, adjectives must match the gender (masculine/feminine) of the person or thing they describe.
lindo
leen-dohˈlindo
Examples
¡Qué vestido tan lindo!
What a pretty dress!
Tu cachorro es muy lindo.
Your puppy is very cute.
Pasamos un día lindo en la playa.
We had a lovely day at the beach.
Matching the Noun It Describes
Like most describing words in Spanish, 'lindo' must change its ending to match the person or thing it's describing. Use 'lindo' for masculine things (un perro lindo), 'linda' for feminine things (una casa linda), 'lindos' for multiple masculine things, and 'lindas' for multiple feminine things.
Forgetting to Change the Ending
Mistake: “La flor es lindo.”
Correction: La flor es linda. Because 'flor' (flower) is a feminine word, the describing word needs the '-a' ending to match it.
mono
MOH-nohˈmo.no
Examples
¡Qué mono es tu bebé con ese gorro!
How cute your baby is with that hat!
Hemos comprado una casa muy mona en la costa.
We bought a very pretty house on the coast.
Ella es muy mona, pero no sabe que me gusta.
She is very attractive, but she doesn't know I like her.
Matching the Noun
Like all Spanish adjectives, 'mono' must match the item it describes: 'un regalo mono' (a cute gift) but 'una camisa mona' (a cute shirt).
bella
BEH-yahˈbe.ʝa
Examples
Ella es la mujer más bella que he conocido.
She is the most beautiful woman I have met.
Miras qué bella vista de las montañas.
Look what a beautiful view of the mountains.
Gender Match
As an adjective, 'bella' must match the gender of the noun it describes. Since 'bella' ends in 'a,' it is used only with feminine things (like la flor or la ciudad). If the noun is masculine (like el día), you must use 'bello'.
Using the wrong gender
Mistake: “El casa es bella.”
Correction: La casa es bella. (Remember 'casa' is feminine, so use 'la' and 'bella'.)
hermosas
ehr-MOH-sahseɾˈmosas
Examples
Las mariposas son muy hermosas en primavera.
The butterflies are very beautiful in the spring.
Compramos unas casas antiguas, pero son hermosas.
We bought some old houses, but they are lovely.
Ella solo colecciona fotografías hermosas de paisajes naturales.
She only collects beautiful photographs of natural landscapes.
Adjective Agreement (Feminine Plural)
'Hermosas' is the feminine plural form of the adjective 'hermoso.' You must use this form when describing two or more feminine people or things (like 'las flores' or 'las niñas').
Placement After the Noun
For simple descriptions like 'beautiful,' the adjective usually comes after the noun: 'las ventanas hermosas.' Placing it before ('las hermosas ventanas') adds a more poetic or emotional emphasis.
Incorrect Gender Match
Mistake: “Las casas son hermosos.”
Correction: Las casas son hermosas. Remember, the adjective must end in '-as' to match the plural feminine noun 'casas.'
majo
MAH-hoˈmaxo
Examples
Te has comprado un coche muy majo.
You've bought yourself a very nice/attractive car.
Ese vestido te queda muy majo.
That dress looks very pretty on you.
Describing Objects
When used with objects, 'majo' implies the thing is attractive, well-made, or functional in a pleasing way.
Don't confuse with 'nice' personality
Mistake: “Thinking 'un coche majo' means the car is friendly.”
Correction: When applied to objects, it always refers to its appearance or quality, not its 'personality'.
Choosing Between General 'Pretty'
Related Translations
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