Which one should you use?
Depending on the nuance of attractiveness you want to convey, there are several alternatives. Use Elle est séduisante to suggest a girl has a captivating and alluring charm, or Elle est très belle to simply say she is very beautiful. If you want to say she is attractive in a charming way, you can use Elle est trop mignonne. For a more idiomatic way to say she is incredibly attractive, use Elle est à croquer. To emphasize physical attractiveness with slang, young people in France often use Elle est super canon to represent strong admiration.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase une fille est canon is colloquial and is intended for informal settings rather than formal ones.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In France, you may hear the idiomatic expression Elle est sacrément canon! which uses the adverb sacrément to intensify the admiration.
How does it change in a sentence?
Avoid using the adjective canonique to mean "hot". While it looks similar to canon, canonique actually refers to something that follows a rule or a canon.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use the word canonique to mean that someone is hot. It refers to following a rule or canon. Instead, use canon for the slang term for attractiveness.
Did you know?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries canon, est, fille, une, CC BY-SA 4.0.
