beau
/bo/
The French word beau means dandy.
As a noun, beau refers to a dandy. For example, the slang term beau gosse is used in France to describe an attractive man, while belle gosse is the female equivalent. 'Mignon' (masculine) or 'mignonne' (feminine) can convey the idea of 'cute' or 'adorable' in an informal way.
Meaning: dandy (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
/bo/
Did you know?
- While beau describes a dandy, the phrase faire le beau literally means 'to act the beautiful' and is used to describe someone who is showing off or acting vain.
- The adjective beau undergoes a special spelling change to bel when placed before a masculine noun starting with a vowel or a silent 'h', such as un bel homme.
- The phrase beau monde refers to high society or the 'fashionable world' rather than just a large group of attractive people.
Examples in context
- Un bel hommeA handsome man
- Une belle femmeA beautiful woman
- Un beau paysageA beautiful landscape
- Un beau véhiculeA nice vehicle
- Une belle robeA beautiful dress
- Une belle fleurA lovely flower
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are observing a very overdressed man at a party.
- EmmaRegarde-le, c'est un vrai beau !Look at him, he is a real dandy!
- GabrielC'est vrai, il est très élégant.It is true, he is very elegant.
- EmmaIl en fait un peu trop.He is doing a bit too much.
- GabrielC'est le style du beau, Emma.That is the style of a dandy, Emma.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry beau, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
