mooi
/moːi̯/
The Dutch word for beautiful is mooi. Wiktionary also lists schoon.
Meaning: attractive (adj)
Ways to say it
| Dutch | IPA |
|---|---|
| mooi | /moːi̯/ |
| schoon | /sxoːn/ |
Mooi is a versatile word used not just for visual beauty, but also to describe something pleasant, good or even 'nice' in a general sense.
Which one should you use?
While schoon can mean beautiful in a formal or poetic sense, in modern everyday Dutch it primarily means 'clean'.
How does it change in a sentence?
When mooi is used before a noun with a definite article (like de or het), it often takes the inflected form mooie.
How do you pronounce it?
/moːi̯/
Did you know?
- In Dutch, mooi can be used sarcastically to mean 'great' or 'wonderful' when something goes wrong. A speaker might say Mooi zo! to mean 'Just great!' when they are actually annoyed.
- The word mooi might share an ancient ancestor with the concept of 'washing' or 'wetting'. This suggests that to the ancient Germanic speakers, something 'beautiful' was originally something that was 'clean' or 'washed'.
- When used as an exclamation, Mooi! can be used to signal that a deal is closed or an agreement has been reached. It functions like saying 'Perfect!' or 'Done!' in English.
Examples in context
- Dat is zo mooi.That's so beautiful.This sentence demonstrates the use of mooi to express degree.Tatoeba #8563095 by MarijnKp, translation #2045756 by CK
- Wat ben je mooi!How beautiful you are!This sentence shows how to use mooi to compliment someone.Tatoeba #519894 by Dorenda, translation #2446 by al_ex_an_der
- De hond is mooi.The dog is beautiful.This sentence shows how to describe an animal using mooi.Tatoeba #7484283 by MarijnKp, translation #1097957 by cntrational
- Wat ben je prachtig gekleed vandaag!You look beautiful today!
- Wat een schitterend strand! Ik voel me echt gelukkig hier.What a gorgeous beach! I feel really happy here.
- 383 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lisa and Levi are looking at a painting in a gallery.
- LisaDit is een mooi schilderij.This is a beautiful painting.
- LeviJa, het is echt mooi.Yes, it is really beautiful.
- LisaVind je de kleuren ook mooi?Do you also find the colors beautiful?
- LeviAbsoluut, de kleuren zijn erg mooi.Absolutely, the colors are very beautiful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “beautiful” translations and entries mooi, schoon, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mooi, schoon, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
