hermoso amigo
/eɾmoso amiɡo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "beautiful friend" is translated into Spanish as hermoso amigo.
This phrase is used to describe a friend who is either physically attractive or possesses a beautiful spirit.
How does it change in a sentence?
If the friend is female, both the adjective and the noun must change to their feminine forms: hermosa amiga. The plural form for a group of beautiful friends is hermosos amigos for a mixed group or all male.
How do you pronounce it?
/eɾmoso amiɡo/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, calling a friend hermoso or hermosa is often used as a generic term of endearment regardless of their actual physical appearance.
- Because hermoso comes from the Latin word fōrmōsus, it is a distant relative of the English word 'form'. In Spanish, calling someone 'beautiful' literally implies they have a pleasing or well-proportioned 'form'.
- While 'beautiful friend' is a lovely sentiment, calling a male friend hermoso amigo in many Spanish-speaking countries might sound more poetic or intense than a casual compliment. In many regions, the adjective guapo is more common for physical attractiveness.
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are talking about a mutual male friend.
- Javier¿Quién es ese chico?Who is that boy?
- ElenaÉl es mi hermoso amigo, Luis.He is my beautiful friend, Luis.
- JavierEs muy amable contigo.He is very kind to you.
- ElenaSí, es un hermoso amigo.Yes, he is a beautiful friend.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries amigo, hermoso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
