Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| краси́вый | krasívyj | |
| прекра́сный | prekrásnyj | |
| ле́пый | lépyj | archaic |
| приго́жий | prigóžij | poetic |
Depending on the intensity of the beauty or the specific context, different forms may be used, ranging from standard adjectives to slang terms like Бомба to describe someone as extremely attractive or captivating.
Which one should you use?
While краси́вый means 'beautiful', прекра́сный is a stronger term meaning 'wonderful' or 'excellent'. Приго́жий is a poetic or literary term often used to describe a person's appearance, such as a 'handsome lad', whereas ле́пый is an archaic form of 'beautiful' and is rarely used in modern conversational Russian.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Прекрасная carries a stronger sense of beauty and describes someone exceptionally beautiful. In informal settings, you might use the term Красотка to describe a beautiful girl or woman in an endearing way or Лапочка as an informal term of endearment for a beautiful girl. In very casual slang, the word Бомба is used to describe someone as extremely attractive or captivating.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender and number with the noun it describes. Use краси́вая for feminine nouns, краси́вое for neuter nouns and краси́вые for plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
krasívyj
Did you know?
- The root 'крас-' in 'краси́вый' is also found in the old Russian word for 'red', кра́сный. In ancient times, 'red' and 'beautiful' were often used interchangeably to describe something striking.
- The term Лапочка is used to call someone beautiful or sweet, but it literally translates to 'little paw'. It is a diminutive used for people one finds endearing and lovely.
- The word краси́вый shares a root with the Russian word for 'colors', which is кра́ска. This suggests that, linguistically, beauty is deeply tied to the concept of being colorful or vibrant.
Examples in context
- Ты так красива!You're so beautiful!
- Этот цветок очень краси́вый.Etot tsvetok ochen' krasivyy.This flower is very beautiful.
- У тебя краси́вый голос.U tebya krasivyy golos.You have a beautiful voice.
- Мы видели краси́вый закат.My videli krasivyy zakat.We saw a beautiful sunset.
Example conversation
Andrey and Olga are looking at a view from a balcony.
- Андрей AndreyСмотри, какой краси́вый вид!Smotri, kakoy krasivyy vid!Look, what a beautiful view!
- Ольга OlgaДа, Андрей, это потрясающе.Da, Andrey, eto potryasayushche.Yes, Andrey, it is amazing.
- Андрей AndreyТы сегодня очень краси́вая.Ty segodnya ochen' krasivaya.You are very beautiful today.
- Ольга OlgaСпасибо, мне очень приятно.Spasibo, mne ochen' priyatno.Thank you, that is very kind of you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “beautiful” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
