bella
feminine, everyday
To call a girl or woman beautiful in Italian, say bella. For "very beautiful" say bellissima. Directly to her: Sei bellissima.
Meaning: beautiful, said to or about a girl or woman (adj)
Ways to say it
| Italian | Note |
|---|---|
| bella | feminine, everyday |
| Bellissima | feminine, very beautiful |
| Sei bellissima | compliment |
Sei bella is a simple compliment. Sei bellissima is stronger and is usually kept for people you know well.
Which one should you use?
Carina means "pretty" or "cute" and is milder than bella.
How does it change in a sentence?
The ending shows gender. Bella is feminine, while bello is masculine. For several women use belle.
Did you know?
- Bella is also a common way to greet a woman or a friend in a casual way, as in Ciao bella.
Examples in context
- Sei bellissima stasera.You are very beautiful tonight.
- Che bella ragazza!What a beautiful girl!
- Mia sorella è molto bella.My sister is very beautiful.
Example conversation
Luca compliments his girlfriend Chiara before a dinner in Florence.
- LucaChiara, sei bellissima.Chiara, you look beautiful.
- ChiaraGrazie, sei gentile.Thank you, you are kind.
- LucaAndiamo?Shall we go?
